Lexus ES Stalling at Idle

Hey, my 2008 Lexus ES with a gasoline engine is acting up. The check engine light is on, and it sometimes stalls at idle. Could this be a fuel tank ventilation system leak? Someone mentioned a defective charcoal filter. Anyone else experience this?

4 comment(s)

I had something similar happen with my ES. Check engine light and rough idling. Was it the purge valve acting up? I'm wondering if it could also be the charcoal canister? Did you notice any hissing sounds coming from the fuel tank area?

Hissing sounds, huh? I haven't noticed anything like that, but I'll definitely listen for it. Where exactly is the charcoal canister located? I'm no expert, but I'd like to take a look before I bring it in.

Well, if you aren't hearing any hissing, it may not be the exact same issue I had. I did a bit of research, and it turns out that when the charcoal canister fails, it can cause all sorts of weird problems with the fuel tank ventilation system. Honestly, I'd take it to a shop. Sounds like an emission control issue, and those can be tricky to diagnose yourself. Better safe than sorry, right?

Thanks for the info! I took it to my mechanic, and you were right. Turns out it was a leak in the fuel tank ventilation system, caused by the charcoal filter. Cost me 275€ to fix, but at least the check engine light is off, and it's running smoothly again!

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