P0440: Evaporative Emission Control System Malfunction
Short answer: P0440 means “Evaporative Emission Control System Malfunction”. It is a standard OBD-II code, so the basic meaning is the same on every car. Below is what it means on each of the 5 cars we cover, with a link to the full page for each car.
Standard OBD-II code Same meaning on all cars (SAE J2012).
P0440 on each car
| Car | Meaning on this car | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota Corolla (11th gen, E170) | Evaporative Emission Control System Malfunction | medium |
| Toyota Corolla (10th gen, E140) | Evaporative Emission Control System Malfunction | medium |
| Honda City (5th gen, GM2) | Evaporative Emission Control System Malfunction | medium |
| Honda Civic (10th gen, FC) | Evaporative Emission Control System Malfunction | medium |
| Suzuki Wagon R (Pakistan, K10B) | Evaporative Emission Control System Malfunction | medium |
Symptoms
- Check engine light on
- You likely won't notice any drivability problems
Likely causes
- The gas cap is not installed or working properly
- The purge solenoid has failed
- The canister is plugged and not working properly
What to check, in order
- Read the code and live data with an OBD-II scanner
- Look for exhaust or vacuum leaks and check the wiring of the sensor or valve
- Test the part before replacing it
- Fix the cause, clear the code and test-drive
Causes and checks above are the general meaning. The exact test steps and values differ by car: open your car’s page.

