1999 Hyundai Elantra Code P0441 emissions check engine

CARLBELISLE

MEMBER
1999 HYUNDAI ELANTRA
2.0L
4 CYL
FWD
MANUAL
250,000 MILES

I have 2 problems:
1) Main concern is when my check engine light came on I went to get it checked with an OBD-II, code appeared as P0441 code. Checked online found out it was the emissions. I have replaced the gas cap, purge valve, and charcoal canister. Check engine light still on. Its been on for about 2 months now, I have almost no time or money to keep putting into it. Its my 1st owned car and had it for 5 yrs. I love this car and I don't want to get rid of it.

2) All my bulbs in my car are brand new the right bulbs and all. My entire right side went out except passenger head light when using running lights. Brake light still goes on, right turn signal goes on, and reverse still works with running lights. Everything works fine when its not on running lights. When on everything goes out on right side. Only thing on left when running lights are on is the left turn signal goes rapidly like I had a blown out bulb or something.

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1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,864 POSTS

P0441 - Evaporative Emission Control System Incorrect Purge Flow

As you can see, fault codes never say to replace parts or that they're bad. They only indicate the circuit or system that needs further diagnosis or the unacceptable operating condition. In this case the code has nothing to do with the gas cap or charcoal canister. The Engine Computer is turning on the purge valve, then it expects to see a change in fuel / air mixture in the exhaust system. The system needs to be diagnosed before you spend more money on unneeded parts. You can start by looking for a pinched hose from the charcoal canister. Also disconnect the hoses and blow through them. Look for one that's blocked with tiny charcoal pellets.

When lights act differently depending on which other lights are turned on, it is almost always due to a broken ground wire that is common to all the lights on one corner of the vehicle. One clue is to turn on just one circuit that appears to be working on the right rear, then remove various bulbs from the left rear. If things change on the right when left bulbs are removed, you can be sure there's a bad ground wire.

With a bad ground wire, current for one circuit can't return through that wire so it looks for an alternate path, and that is through the bulbs on the other side. You can end up with up to three filaments in series. That cuts current flow to roughly one third of normal and the signal flasher will interpret that as a burned out signal bulb. If you have the older very reliable mechanical flasher, it will flash very slowly, if at all. If you have the overly-complicated electronic flasher, it will flash very fast.