CarCodes
Home codes › p0456

P0456 Code: Very small evaporative-system leak

P0456 is reported as very small evaporative-system leak. The next step depends on the full scan and the exact vehicle, not the code alone.

CHECK SOON

If braking, steering, power, temperature, smoke, or fuel smell is abnormal, stop safely; otherwise save the full scan and arrange diagnosis.

Source check and limits

This Ford document supports only its stated code and vehicle context. The code alone cannot identify a failed part, prove that another make uses the same definition, or clear a car for driving. Compare your full scan with the current exact-vehicle service information.

Read the Ford original: Gasoline OBD System Operation Summary MY 2024–2025 Source date: 2024-04-16; research checked: 2026-11-01.

What this code means

P0456: Very small evaporative-system leak. This is a source-scoped technical description. It does not prove that any named component has failed.

Namespace obd_reference

Make scope No exact vehicle application established

Definition status source supported definition vehicle applicability unverified

Advertisement

Why this exact code matters

The monitor reports a very small EVAP leak. The test sensitivity and conditions differ from a large-leak report; preserve readiness and freeze-frame evidence before clearing it.

Compare P0455: large leak. A related code is a different observation, not a second diagnosis.

Evidence to save for this code

  • Cap or capless filler type
  • Fuel smell or visible leak

Keep the complete module scan and any accompanying warning; a single emissions code cannot show every relevant fault.

Advertisement

Ask for a measured diagnosis

  • Is a controlled leak test needed to distinguish tank, hose, purge/vent and seal faults?
  • Does a circuit fault require electrical diagnosis instead of leak-part replacement?

The EVAP: fuel-cap check is conditional, not the whole diagnosis guide has the shared system checks and after-repair questions. Those broad checks apply to a system, while the meaning above is specific to P0456.

Vehicle and scanner limits

We have not verified this code for every make, model, year or engine. A generic emissions scanner may not read the body, chassis, transmission or EV module that holds related faults. Compare the full scan with the owner manual and manufacturer service information.

Advertisement

Sources and scope

  1. Ford — Gasoline OBD System Operation Summary MY 2024–2025 Document: 2024-04-16 · Research checked: 2026-11-01
  2. Ford — OBD System Operation Summary, gasoline 2020–2023 update Document: 2023-10-23 · Research checked: 2026-11-01
  3. Ford — 1999 Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis DTC descriptions Document: date not recorded · Research checked: 2026-11-01
  4. Ford — 10-1-3 Document: 2010-01-08 · Research checked: 2026-11-01
  5. Chrysler / NHTSA — PE13-016 Chrysler Enclosure 9A Document: 2013-08-09 · Research checked: 2026-11-01

Research snapshot: 2026-11-01. Source documents may have newer revisions. Verify current instructions and VIN eligibility with the manufacturer.

Advertisement