Daughters "02 Liberty is showing a fault code p0442. 'A small leak exists in the evaporative emissions control system'. I'm saying gas cap so before we go beyond that any other areas I need to look at???? And how the hell do you clear the code or does it just cycle off??

 

it is an obdII system.

you can go to any AUTOZONE and they will for FREE plug in an auto scanning tool, read the codes and they can also clear them.

 

Likeley is the gas cap, It sounds stupid but make sure the cap is on tight even over tighten it an extra three rounds or so (if it has ratcheting threads). But don't be scared if the gas cap is $40 or more to replace!

Less likely but also cheap or free to check:

Park it on a paved drive or place a piece of plywood underneath it and let it run for 15 mins "with AC off" and check for trace of fuel on the ground possiabley due to small pin hole in return line. Sit beside it while it's running watching for drips and investigate for fuel immediatley if you notice any. Also be listening and if you hear a high pitched whistle from several steps away from the vehicle coming from the gas filler. Then is even more likely the gas cap.

Also check the lines on the Fuel Evaporator Container for leaks or disconnected. Depending on miles + conditions driven in + Quality of gas used in it, then you may want to change the evaporator conatainers charcoal filter. Til recentley it didn't matter and most people even use to disconnect them, but now we can't ignore them or disconnect them as easily. Some of the later 90's Jeeps even had an electrical plug on the canister too, unplug it clean connection with electrical cleaner and reconnect it.

You can also disconnect the battery for 60 seconds (+/-) to clear the codes. You may or may not notice a difference in over all perfromance for about 100 miles or so then it will be back to normal or better of course you will also have to reprogram the stereo clock and radio stations.

Beyond those your likely going to get in to both money and complicated trouble shooting. You would have to decide if it would be worth messing with at that point. I have 2 Daughters myself and I want thier cars to be safe and dependable too so we can talk further and I'll try to help you decide if it is, if this dosn't help you!

Hope this is helpful...Good Luck!

 

Thanks Matt...I'm gonna go out and start tracing the evap lines and check that connection...It's an '02 with, get this, 36660 on it. I swear they put a clock in these things, as soon as you hit 36K chit starts happening....I havn't put the cap on yet but I will and do the line check as a preventive..I tried to clear the code with the battery trick but it did'nt do a thing....I'm guessing it will cycle out once I figure the fault...as far as the leak I don't smell any gas or see any staining underneath...What I might do is change out the filter since she's been in Lubbock for the past couple of years and thier gas is trash, full of dust and such, what could it hurt (yeah watch whats happens now). Thanks again.

 

Sometimes just disconnecting the battery will not clear the code out of the computer. Sometimes as is the case with the “gas cap” is it may take 3 drive cycles to “permanently” clear the code.

 

LOL, Yea I make the mistake of saying that all the time too, and it all to often shows me anyway....LOL

Keep us updated.