P0496 Chevy Suburban: High Purge Emission System Evaporative Emission Systems

The most frequent trouble code with the Chevy Suburban The Code P0496. The code refers to the number you get when you connect your Suburban to an OBDII scaner.

Related: P0420 Chevy Suburban

Chevy Suburban P0496: Symptoms

A Chevy Suburban with code P0496 will sometimes have an unusual idle. In order to determine the right idle speed, your engine may rev up or down. This can often occur right after buying gas. The gas station might also not be able to start it.

If you’re old enough to have driven a carbureted vehicle the old stomp the gas and crank the engine method does actually help start the car. The air fuel mixture is off.

Chevy Suburban, P0496 Meaning

The universal OBDII code P0496 can be used to diagnose trouble codes. The code can be used regardless of the make and model of your vehicle. This code is technically:

Evaporative Emissions System High Purge Flow

The EVAP system collects fuel vapor from your fuel tank, and then sends it to the intake of the engine to ignite the combustion process.

If the Chevy Suburban's computer notices that the EVAP is not purging properly, the code P0496 will be thrown.

Chevy Suburban Causes P0496

Many things can lead to the Chevrolet Suburban P0496 trouble code. These are some of the more common issues that can cause the code to appear.

Vapor Canister Purge Valve– The most common culprit with the P0496 trouble code and the Chevy Suburban is going to be the vapor canister purge valve. When it goes bad, it typically causes issues with the vehicle’s idle speed. It is particularly true after filling up your vehicle.

It’s really easy to replace. There are some clips you will need to identify and then remove. The following YouTube video demonstrates how to fix the problem.

PCM– It is possible that the engines computer system itself has gone bad and is registering a P0496 when it shouldn’t be. However, you shouldn't start there.

The wiring– It is possible for shorts in the wiring harness leading to the Vapor Canister Purge Valve has gone bad. You can check it.

Fuel Cap– A bad fuel cap can cause the P0496 code to be thrown for sure. Often, you’ll get a message informing you that the fuel cap is off even when it is on. You may not get that message if you have a Chevy Suburban. It could save you time and money by replacing the fuel cap to check if it is gone.

Check the Fuel Tank Pressure Sensor– If the fuel tank pressure sensor has gone bad, it can cause all sorts of problems, including the P0496 code.

Here’s a good video on it:

We wish you all the best in diagnosing your Suburban's problems. We trust this helped. You can add any additional information by leaving a comment.