P0442 on Kia vehicles A small leak in the evaporative emissions system
P0442 is named on 11 Kia model years (2016–2018): 17 manufacturer filings and 0 owner reports in NHTSA’s files, across Cadenza, Forte, Optima, Soul, K900 and 2 more.
Which Kia model years name P0442
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints| Model year | Filed under | Bulletins | Owner reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Kia Cadenza | Fuel/Propulsion System | 3 | — |
| 2017 Kia Optima | Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 | — |
| 2016 Kia Forte | Engine | 2 | — |
| 2016 Kia Optima | Engine | 2 | — |
| 2016 Kia Soul | Engine | 2 | — |
| 2018 Kia Cadenza | Fuel/Propulsion System | 1 | — |
| 2017 Kia Sportage | Engine | 1 | — |
| 2016 Kia Cadenza | Engine | 1 | — |
| 2016 Kia K900 | Engine | 1 | — |
| 2016 Kia Rio | Engine | 1 | — |
| 2016 Kia Sportage | Engine | 1 | — |
A model year is listed because the code is named in its own record — a bulletin filed against it, or an owner’s complaint about it — not because every one of these vehicles sets it. Counts are documents in NHTSA’s files, not failure rates.
Kia filings that name P0442
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communicationsBulletins and campaigns Kia filed with NHTSA whose summary names P0442. Quote the document number at the service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
- PS567 Service bulletin2018-07-09 · Fuel System, Gasoline
- PITSTOP - DTC P0456/P0442 WITH FUEL PUMP SEAL DAMAGE - This Pitstop provides information regarding DTC P0456/P0442 (Evaporative Emissions System ? (Very) Small Leak Detected) or fuel smell on some 2017MY Cadenza (YG) vehicles.
- PS567_R1 Service bulletin2018-10-01 · Fuel System, Gasoline — Delivery — Fuel Pump
- PITSTOP: DTC P0456/P0442 WITH FUEL PUMP SEAL DAMAGE - This Pitstop provides information regarding DTC P0456/P0442 (Evaporative Emissions System ? (Very) Small Leak Detected) or fuel smell on some 2017MY Cadenza (YG) vehicles, produced before August 7, 2017 and some Optima Hybrid (JF HEV) vehicles, produced before August 16, 2017. When addressing the concern with DTC P0456/P0442 and the vapor lines
- PS567_R2 Service bulletin2020-11-20 · Fuel System, Gasoline
- PITSTOP: DTC P0456/P0442 WITH FUEL PUMP SEAL DAMAGE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This Pitstop provides information regarding DTC P0456/P0442 (Evaporative Emissions System (Very) Small Leak Detected) or fuel smell on some 2017-2018MY Cadenza (YG) vehicles and some Optima H
- PS469 Service bulletin2017-01-18 · Engine And Engine Cooling — Exhaust System — Emission Control
- PITSTOP: MANUAL EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS TEST FOR HARD TO FIND/SMALL LEAKS - If the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) is illuminated with DTC(s) P0442, P0455, P0456, or P0457 (Evaporative Emissions System-Leak detected) and the evaporative (EVAP) leak self-test resulted in NTF, a manual EVAP test is recommended.
What P0442 means
Source: SAE J2012 / OBD-IIA small leak in the evaporative emissions system.
A stored code names the test that failed, never the part that caused it. The record above is what Kia and its owners have filed about it; the code’s page across every make has the whole file.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA files and the OBD-II standardIs P0442 a known problem on Kia vehicles?
It is a documented one: NHTSA's files hold 17 manufacturer filings and 0 owner reports naming P0442 on 11 Kia model years (2016–2018). Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count — but a bulletin that names the code on your model year is the place to start.
Which Kia models does P0442 appear on most?
2017 Cadenza (3 documents), 2016 Forte (2 documents), 2017 Optima (2 documents).
Does P0442 on a Kia mean it is recalled?
No. Recalls are filed by campaign and matched by VIN; no recall is triggered by a scan tool. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or open the model year's page here for the campaigns filed against it.