OBD-II Code · Emissions
P0452
EVAP Fuel Tank Pressure Sensor Low
Severity
low
Lowest on our scale. Fix it when convenient.
Can you drive it
Only if running normally
A short trip to a shop may be reasonable if the light is steady and the car runs normally. Stop safely for a flashing light, severe shaking, overheating, loss of power, or another urgent warning. The code alone cannot confirm safety.
Indicative cost (USD)
$100–$300
Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.
Tank pressure sensor low.
How a shop works this
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed.
Note every code that is set, not just this one.
Codes that appear together usually narrow the cause faster than any one of them read alone.
Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under.
Cold or warm, idle or load, road speed and engine speed. A fault that only appears cold is a different fault from one that only appears under load, even with the same code on the scanner.
Confirm the fault is current rather than history.
Clear the code and see whether it returns under those same conditions. A code that does not come back may have been logged during a repair, a flat battery, or a bad connection that has since been disturbed.
Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
That order is what a shop checks first for this code — wiring and connections before the component they run to, because a connector costs nothing to inspect and is a common answer.
If the code comes back after a repair, the underlying fault is still there. That is the point to bring in a scanner with live data and freeze-frame, or a shop that has one.
Common symptoms
- Check engine light
Likely causes
- Failed sensorMost common
- Wiring short to ground
Read the full diagnostic procedureP0452 is the fuel-tank pressure sensor reporting voltage below the expected operating range — typically below about 0.5V on a 5V-reference sensor.
P0452 is the fuel-tank pressure sensor reporting voltage below the expected operating range — typically below about 0.5V on a 5V-reference sensor. The ECU is reading a value that's electrically too low to be plausible, which usually means the sensor itself has failed shorted, the signal wire is shorted to ground, or the sensor's 5V reference has been lost. This is an electrical fault, so the smoke test isn't the first move; multimeter is.
Backprobe the FTPS connector with key-on, engine-off
you should see a 5V reference on one pin, a ground on another, and a signal voltage typically between 1.5V and 3.5V depending on tank fill level. If the reference is missing, check the wiring back to the ECU and the ECU's other 5V-reference sensors (one open reference can take out multiple sensors on a shared circuit). If reference and ground are good and signal is stuck low, the sensor is shorted internally and needs replacement. The fuel cap is not the cause of P0452.
Vehicle-specific patternsBy platform: 2012+ Hyundai/Kia is again the highest-volume P0452 vehicle because of the underlying FTPS failure rate — sensor goes internally shorted…
By platform: 2012+ Hyundai/Kia is again the highest-volume P0452 vehicle because of the underlying FTPS failure rate — sensor goes internally shorted, signal pulls low, code sets.
- 2005-2015Toyota/Lexus P0452 is uncommon and is almost always a connector or wiring issue rather than the sensor itself.
- 2003-2010Ford 4.6L sees occasional P0452 from corroded connectors at the tank; clean the connector and re-test before replacing the sensor.
- 2007-2014GM trucks rarely throw P0452 — when they do it's almost always wiring damage from underbody impact or rodent activity.
- 2008-2015VW/Audi don't typically throw P0452 because their EVAP architecture uses the LDP. Repair range: $0-20 for connector repair, $80-150 for sensor replacement, $200-400 if harness damage requires repair plus tank drop.
Look up another code
P0452 — frequently asked
What does a P0452 code mean?
Tank pressure sensor low.
What causes a P0452 code?
Common causes: Failed sensor; Wiring short to ground.
What are the symptoms of a P0452 code?
Typical symptoms: Check engine light.
Is it safe to drive with a P0452 code?
Only if running normally. A short trip to a shop may be reasonable if the light is steady and the car runs normally. Stop safely for a flashing light, severe shaking, overheating, loss of power, or another urgent warning. The code alone cannot confirm safety. Estimated repair: $100-$300.
How do I diagnose a P0452 code?
Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed. 1. Note every code that is set, not just this one. 2. Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under. 3. Confirm the fault is current rather than history. 4. Then work the likely-causes list in the order shown.
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