Q: My car is showing code P1445

Hi Emily. This is one of the common codes associated with the secondary air injection system on that particular Toyota engine. One of the valves may have failed or has contamination inside. The secondary air injection system is an emission system that pumps fresh air into the exhaust system. What I’ve found during my tenure at Lexus dealerships is that debris has made its way into the valve as there is no filter on the system. The pump and air intake for the system is located under the intake plenum in the engine valley. Sand, dust, dirt, and even small critters can find there way into the pump and the result is a failure with the check engine light on. However, there have been a few cases where the wire harness was simply damaged by a rodent or the like. This is no easy task and does take some time to complete, but it is only an emissions codes that will not affect the vehicle operation; unless the ABS light is illuminated due to the stored code. I strongly suggest having a qualified technician perform an inspection to determine the root cause of the failure, what is needed for the repair, and to avoid replacing unnecessary parts. Your Mechanic has several available technicians that can assist you with a check engine light inspection.