Car Failed Vehicle Inspection...

Or a loose gas cap, pretty common.

 

+1

 

Myles, as the gentlemen stated above, check the gas cap first! I had the exact same issue, and it turned out to be that the gas cap was loose. I simply unscrewed it, then screwed it back on tight, making sure the threads sit correctly with the cap as you screw the cap back on. I cleared the code using my OBD2, and the light never came back on. Every time I fill gas, I make extra sure that the cap is screwed on properly. I hope yours turns out to be the same issue... then refund the parts you bought.

Keep us informed... and good luck!
Dean

 

+1

Happened to me before as well when I first got the car, totally freaked me out, it was gas cap. Definitely get refund for the parts you bought.

 

Now that you bought the code reader and have registered the code number, try resetting the code and driving the car for a few days. If the CEL light doesn't come back on and you've driven it a few days the car will probably be ready for re-testing for inspection and get that taken care of.

There are a lot of things that can cause a CEL, and sometimes even pretty much nothing (loose gas cap, etc)!

 

Could also be something as simple as a vacuum line. If one accidentally pulled off it would throw that code.

 

99.9% of the time it is the gas cap.

 

I had a similar code come up on my Oldsmobile, turns out it was the gas cap. My mom used the car when I was out of town and she didn't tighten the cap when she filled it up. It threw the code the day before I took it for emissions testing.

 

Oh yea, you can use the shinny new OBD reader to check if all of the sensors are ready. That way you won't go for another inspection with no CEL but find that 3 of 5 sensors aren't 'ready' so you don't pass (different thresholds in different states).

 

if it keeps coming back and you have checked the gas cap, it very well could be the roll over valves that vent the gas tanks. there are 4 of them w on each side. They are pretty common to break right at the nipple and will cause this code. They are about $200 a piece.

Don't know if you have a spider or not but if you do the top will have to lifted about 12" to get to them.

 

One member fixed the float valve also, since many 360's, including mine won't register completely full on the gas gauge. Mine also does the check engine light after almost every fill up. Drive it 3 times for 20 minutes or more, and the light comes off. Very annoying as I do verify I have tightened my gas cap fully. I guess I can just not fill it up completely when I am just driving around town, and on the weekend, but still annoying for a 200k car when new.

 

My car doesn't do that and I don't know any one else who has that problem. SO, you probably have another problem. I would do some searching because fuel over the engine is a bad combination.

 

Burner42, I too have a frequent P0455 code and a smoke test revealed I have a leak from the driverside check valves....mines a 2001 Spider. It seems to be a common problem that these plastic check valves break. Amazing (to me) such an expensive/high end car would use something so fragile with explosive consequences should one fail and release gasoline onto a hot engine. I thought their was some sort of recall of early yellow versions of these check valves but read that the green replacements have the same problem. The more pictures we have to show what part breaks and where the more we can educate others what the real problem is. I find my CEL comes on when I drive for an hour or more with a less than half full tank. I suspect the heat soak and sloshing of gasoline in the tank caueses a lot of vapor pressure build up that gets released and detected as the Gross EVAP leak P0455 code. A reset and short drives prevents this light from coming on again for some time....

 

You shouldnt have the CEL come on every time you fill up. Smoking the vent lines will reveal if you have a leak or not. More times than not its the driver side vent valve. It is a serious problem because we have seen (not due to us) a 360 burn down because the valves were not replaced.

 

Wow, and there hasn't been any kind of recall done for this. This might be what is happening to my 2001, 4200 miles and this might be happening. Wow, another 458 issue in the waiting. Hope we don't have a bunch of cars burning up, guess we have to post a few Youtube videos and maybe Ferrari will do something about it. But $200 / plastic valve seems ridiculous IMO, especially since they will obliously fail again at some point. How many 360 owners have had to change their valves? Is this something that is done / checked at one of the regular scheduled service intervals?

 

Myles, I bet you it was the gas cap!!! I'm happy for you... you should refund the parts you bought!!
Dean

 

So a slightly related question. When I tighten my gas cap, the Ferrari name is always upside down. Anyone else have this problem? OK, so I'm the only person who sees it, but it's a bother!

 

LOL!!

 

Bumped, hoping to get more feedback on this issue.