Hi guys, my 03 taurus OHV has 100k miles on it. The check engine light became on a few days ago, the code is P0442: "Evaporative Emission System Leak Detected (small leak). " It still ran fine till this afernoon. I drove it to work in the morning, fine. After work, it cranks but won't start.

Two weeks before this happened, the engine sputtered and almost died during a stop-and-start, like misfiring or something. Not sure if this is related

Tested the sparks, look ok. Swapped the battery with friend's, still the same problem. Now even the transaxle warning light even comes on.

Any idea what causes the problem? thanks.

 

The P0442 will not keep the vehicle from starting. Can you hear the fuel pump runniung when the key is turned to the "on" position?

 

Good call. I don't hear any noise from the gas tank. I guess it is a bad pump. Thanks a lot.

 

If you turned the ign on the pump will only run for 2 seconds and unless you have someone listening at the fill hole you aren't going to hear anything by the time you get out of the car and to the filler neck.
Sometimes in the past what was successful if the pump was on its way out, was to rap the bottom of the gas tank a couple of times with a mallot(plastic hammer) and try to start the car. If it worked and the pump started working again , it was good until you shut it down . After that it wouldn't work anymore. Knowing this you could get it to a place where repairs could be done, if it is the pump.
Its worth a try.

 

I had a buddy turn the key on a few times and listened at the fill hole, nothing heard. Thanks for the nice trick. I happen to have a mallot and will give a try