EVAP Canister Vent Solenoid Valve Replacement
 

If anyone has their HHR come up with a P0449 code don't take it to the dealer to fix.
It is a quick and easy fix, only cost me $30 in parts and my time.
Dealer wanted to charge me $180 to do the job. Said that GM changed the plus style on solenoid and I had to buy a jumper wire as well as solenoid.

Went to my local PepBoys, bought a replacement solenoid, and an Innova Equus 3030 diagnostic tool so I could erase code. Bonus is I can use the diagnostic tool on almost all cars 1996 and newer. Solenoid is made by BWD (part #CPV43), not an ACDelco but still made in the USA. It has the new GM style plug, but it comes with the jumper wire included.

1) back your HHR up onto a set of ramps - this makes it easier to get to the solenoid.
2) disconnect the wire plug from the solenoid (it is on the back side).
3) gently push retaining clip back and slid solenoid off of charcoal canister.
4) push in on both retaining clips on vent hose and slid it off of solenoid.
5) take rubber seal off of old solenoid and place it on new solenoid.
6) gently slid new solenoid back onto charcoal canister until retaining clip clicks.
7) slid vent hose back onto solenoid until retaining clips click.
8) gently tug on solenoid and vent hose to make sure everything is secure.
9) connect new plug to solenoid and clip old style end to rear cross member.
10) connect old plug to wire jumper.
11) connect diagnostic tool to vehicle, clear code, and remove diagnostic tool.
12) start vehicle, verify engine light does not come back on, and drive it off ramps.

Picture below is with new solenoid installed. You can see the "red" jumper wire connection attached to cross member.

https://www.chevyhhr.net/gallery/fil.../6/6/image.jpg

Thanks for the how to :thumb:

I wish a thread like this had been posted 2 months ago. Cost me 300 bucks at the dealership to get this exact fix.

:twothumbs: Good write up....:twothumbs:

great help
 

Once again the seach function is the best tool on here.
Thank you for posting great pic and instructions on the evap solenoid swhould be great help in me fixing this problem if I can just find the part other than at the dealer

I guess my biggest question to all this, since my '09 2.4 is throwing the P0449 code.... Did you TRY anything else BEFORE you replaced the EVAP solenoid, or did you just replace that?
I've been told the P0449 code could be anything from a bad gasket on the fuel cap to broken/cut hose running to the canister to the solenoid itself.
I realize this is an old thread, but hopefully a couple more answers can be answered before I spring for the solenoid - agreed, it's not expensive if DIY, but replacing the gas cap is easier. And I'm all about easy at this stage in life!

Larry - DaGrinch

I will bet that if you put p0449 into the search box you will get answers.

Mr. Grinch

Give this thread a read........

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/problems-service-repairs-42/p0449-code-20547/

Thanks kind Sirs..... I appreciate the replies.
I did search for the code on the site before posting anything, which brought me to this thread as well as the one recommended above. I tried the fuel cap replacement - no good. So, I crawled under the car and checked everything else. All was good. So, down to the friendly AdvanceAuto and, typical me, forgot to write down the part number listed by the OP. Tried to wing it, got the wrong part. Took it back and by pure luck the counter girl said the part needed was the CPV43.
So, it's ordered and should be in Wednesday. I hope so... I plan to take a day trip next weekend to the *gulp* part of the state where no one has any sense: outside of Baltimore. Best break out my body armor - seems like they have at least a couple shootings a day down that part of O'Malley's Kingdom. :skull1:

I don't get it. Where's the beef?

No beef.... I originally just wanted to know if there may have been a different culprit to cause the code than the solenoid. Not hearing anything, I started my own process of elimination. Turns out, evidently the solenoid is the culprit. I just need to do things my own way sometimes - especially if they are relatively minor in nature. Something big and difficult? I probably would go straight for the jugular.
When the City Fathers named a new Chief of Police almost 7 years ago, the newly named Chief called me into his office and asked what I thought about something. Being his Administrative Lt., I told him I would give him my best thoughts. However, I did tend to think of things a little different than some of my associates. I'm not sure if it's carried over into everyday life, or if I took it from everyday life to my work.
Thanks for the patience.

Double entendre. Remember the Wendy's commercials? A joke.

This is not the "Solenoid" it lives under the hood. This is the "purge valve" it lives under the car.

Duralast (AutoZone) others have variations of the P/Ns
under hood PV443
under gas tank PV483

They even confuse the names.

Here is a link to replacing the related component (EVAP Canister Purge Solenoid Valve)that is located under the hood: https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/problems-service-repairs-42/check-engine-code-help-26431/

In GM-speak, the under-tank one is the Evap Solenoid and the under-hood one is the Purge Solenoid.

The Evap Solenoid allows the fill pipe/tank to vent into the carbon canister during filling and periodically during operation to keep vapor pressure in the tank down.

The Purge Solenoid allows the engine to suck the trapped vapors from the canister into the engine at specified times.

It's all about keeping the vapors out of the air, and getting them into the engine.

It would be nice if the parts books could figure a way to all be the same & not use the same name for different part numbers.

Just wanted to add my 2 cents.

I got this code with 156k on my 08 SS. Did some research and tried the 2 parts (and the gas cap) in this thread with no luck. Did some more net searching and still came back here. Watched the video in another thread which got me thinking. Being such that I am an avionics tech on F-15s I followed my hunch and went after the wiring. Yep had an open wire in the harness in the rear of the car. I tried a repair and even though the harness was checking out the code was still showing up. Did not want to pay the $160($250) for an 18 inch 2 wire / 2 connector harness I went to the local J-yard and got a used one for $10. Since it had the old style connector I put my original EVAP valve back in. Yippee! All codes cleared and my remote start works again :twothumbs:
The reasoning of why the harness was bad? I live out in the sticks on oiled gravel roads and I suspect I took a hit from a rock that got a lucky shot and slipped right past the plastic corrugated sleeve and poked a hole in the wire. With the normal wet weather around here it corroded over time and finally broke causing the P0449 code. After one week and another 720 miles it still is working.
Part number for the harness 15786741 and runs from the EVAP valve to the bulkhead on the right side of the body just forward of the fuel tank.

JWA thank you for sharing that makes a nice addition to this post :thumb:

Thanks for the help
 

I am having the same issue with my 2007. I tried the new gas cap since it was quick and cheap but now its time to look a little deeper. Today I plan on checking the wiring as per this discussion...
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/showthread.php?t=20547
If I don't find anything there, I will be working on following this list.

Thanks again.

Exactly what do you mean by "the same issue"? Do you have a Pxxxx code to share?

Hi Y'all!
Well, since the last time I was here and replaced the EVAP solenoid, things have been hit and miss. I could go days or weeks without getting the P0449 code and then the CEL would pop on. I'd run the scan tool and get the same thing - "Large Leak". Now, here's the weird part -
If I started the car with the remote start, 90% of the time I would get no CEL. If I started the car with the ignition, probably at least 50% + of the time, the CEL would light up. Needless to say, the remote start has received a strenuous workout.
But, after reading JWA's post, I guess I need to go back to square one and see if my wiring may be defective. I will say I did have one wire I had to splice, since it had been broken like JWA's. Looks like a new harness is in order as soon as the weather breaks around here. I just can't figure out the connection with the remort start and no CEL to using the ignition and getting a CEL.

Larry

hello everyone i am happy that i found this site since i have had a few problems with my hhr but all in all im happy withmy car. Now i need to find how to fix my recent problem witch is code po449 gonna do some reading now later, Gman

The very first thing to do is type "P0449" into a Google search box. then explore a few of the resulting links.

The most likely problem is your gas cap, but not always. Could be either the EVAP purge solenoid (under the hood) or the EVAP purge valve (near the gas tank). Could also be a bad exhaust flex pipe (loud noise), bad exhaust flange gasket, cracked fuel filler rubber (various locations).

Also, try the SEARCH box at the top of any page here "P0449". That is a "zero".

2009 hhr ss
 

well ive replaced the fuel canister solenoid took the gas cap seal off and cleaned it like new and im still getting a p0449 coded is there something else i can do to be an easy fix?

NEW gas cap? Check the wiring harness, some people have repored broken or frayed wires.

Was the code cleared after the replacement?

May we assume that you already did a Google search?

I hope someone can help. Engine check light came on, replaced purge module under hood , didn't help , had dealer replace canister solenoid , light is still on . Mechanic said he didn't get any voltage to the solenoid but was not told to do any thing but replace solenoid so now they want me to bring back my 08 SS for a couple of hours to run down the problem , of course they charge $110 an hour plus shop fees etc. Does any have any ideas about how to fix this? I did check the fuse under hood , it was OK.

There are about 3,000 things that can make the Engine light come on. You MUST get a code number to do anything. NEVER tell a mechanic to do something for no reason, they will do it they will charge you (sometimes triple rate).

Last summer I was getting the same code. The dealer said it would cost around $1500 to replace the hose that runs between the gas tank and the engine and the other things associated with this thing.

I came to here and did a search and found that it might just be the gas cap.

My local auto zone did not have a new gas cap on hand so, while I waited for one to get here, I took my palm sander and some Scotch Brite cut to fit then stuffed a rag into the gas fill pipe and brought the rim of the fill pipe to a nice bright shine. I also cleaned the chunky stuff off the seal for the gas cap then put a dab of wheel bearing grease on the metal and put it all back together.

The code went away and has stayed away since. When the new cap came in I did put it on the car.

Another quick fix is to flip the rubber gasket on the cap.

Just reading this thread I had an observation. The hhr evap system works this way. The purge valve (or solenoid) is located on the drivers side of the engine. It gets a signal to open and engine vacuum "pulls" vapors from the canister to burn instead of venting them to atmosphere. When doing this it creates a vacuum in the fuel tank. The tank is always under a little negative pressure when car is running. When vacuum gets high enough (I can't remember the Hg number) the purge valve reduces "pull". The Valve (or solenoid on the canister is the vent valve. It opens to allow outside air in to counter tank vacuum and allow purge valve to pull vapors from canister. If you have a purge pulling to much or a vent valve not venting OR a clogged canister it will throw a code and when you shut your car off you maybe able to hear your fuel tank groaning as vacuum subsides. My wife says it's how I sound when trying to get up out of my chair :lol: If I have this right the purge valve works by opening and closing in increments, while the vent valve is open or closed. The key is what code is set. There should be one for purge and one for vent. Of course if your lucky like me, purge valve went bad, replaced it, then vent valve went bad. well not really bad vent valve, but that a long sad story about dealer replacing fuel pump. for what it's worth.

The problem is there are several codes that can lead to either/both/other things. The OBD EVAP test just tests the pressure and the rate of change, It could turn out to be a leaking EGR tube.

OBD does not test the solenoid or vent electrically at all, it just tells you "something is wrong go find out what it is."

Your right, donbrew, even the tech 2 will give you the sames codes as it reads the OBD. the only difference is the tech 2 will let you test the circuit. It seems like the purge valve is the "first" fix. Either because it's the easiest or it is the most common component to fail because it works the most. The 07 hhr had the fuel pump replaced 2 years before I bought it by a chevy dealer and the previous owner told me it would throw the gas cap code as he called it. And he said whenever he filled the tank up it would leak and smell of gas. He took it back and they said there was nothing wrong with the install, could find no problem and did not want to drop the tank. He finally gave up and lived with it. I wouldn't have, but. Anyway I was getting the purge valve code, eventually dropped the tank and found the pump just sitting on top of the tank, the retaining ring just sitting there. The only thing holding the pump in was the tank pressing up against the body. I will say it was a bear getting the pump to seat into the tank. When it was finally fixed it ran fine and then threw a code which did turn out to be a purge valve. Ran fine and then the vent valve stayed closed, which turned out to be from years of driving on gravel roads. I blew dust out of the canister and vent valve forever. it was running fine but is throwing a code again, I think it is the canister as I don't know if blowing air through it helped or was good for it. Anyway as you said when it throws a code in the evap system it can be misleading. I guess replace enough parts and you'll fix it. At least I'm not leaking gas anymore !

One important thing to add to the "how-to" is that they changed the wiring harness to the EVAP solenoid sometime around 2009.

Now the replacement part available is the NEW connector, an additional pigtail/adapter is required for cars that came with the OLD design.

Never had any evap or emissions codes but always a real bad fuel smell where vent valve line is. I replaced the rear vent valve the engine bay purge valve and carbon canister with new revised models and blew out the lines. At times i still get a fuel smell outside by fuel door.Ive never had a car do this i think the rear vent valve is opening when it shouldnt maybe needs the computer firmware updated??? I have little babies gasoline fumes are very toxic. I also installed new timing solenoids i thought i connected them wrong but with your help i realized i did connect them right but now i still get the engine light going on and off and fumes coming now from intake manifold and throttle body. This is our only car This dam car has me like kramer on seinfield. Someone please help

If you have the Engine Check light on, you need to get the code(s) downloaded to determine what the current issue is.

I've replied to your other post regarding the problems with the solenoids, and deleted your duplicate posting of the above post in the other thread to lessen confusion in trying to follow your problems.

Looking at the issues you have encountered with replacing the solenoids, I'd suggest you take it to a dealer to sort out your various issues. Ïf you just want to get the codes read, pretty much any auto parts store will do that for free (but be aware that they may not interpret the code right, and may sell you the wrong part).

Check 12V port for replacement part
 

Got the PO455 Code. Replaced the purge valve in the engine compartment.
Next step, change out the EVAP Canister Purge Solenoid. Did it during the weekend with these handy instructions. Everything worked fine until I went to plug in the 12V DC power port. The stock purge solenoid had a molded figure "8" style of male and female port. The replacement part was a square male and female.
So, when ordering your part and your parts person takes it out of the box, check to see if it's the same as on your car. See picture below for close up.

I had to blow out the existing solenoid with the air compressor a re-install. If was full of super fine dust, charcoal?

http://cedarworkshop.net/images/Solo...ear-of-car.jpg

See post #34

changed EVAP canister filter, light sill on. what is next.

Why is the light on?
The CEL is on because a code has been set. What code is set?