R56 Code P0015 - Camshaft Position sensor
#1
07-17-2015, 11:37 AM
Code P0015 - Camshaft Position sensor
Hi, I have searched the forum, but haven't been able to definitively determine the problem with my girlfriend's 2007 n/a mini.
-2 months ago we were driving, and when she came to a stop light, the car sputtered/hesitated a little bit. It did it at a second stop light, then was okay for 2 months. She had been running 87 octane, and I suggested she switch to 93, which she did and it has ran fine for a couple of months.
-Now, the CEL light & oil light came on. I checked the oil (3 times) to ensure it wasn't low, and it was to the full mark on the dipstick. I then scanned the car with my code reader and it gave codes P0420 & P0015. I'm not overly concerned with P0420 at the moment as that could be an exhaust leak, o2 sensor, or tiny vac leak. I googled and P0015 appears to be 'B' Camshaft Position Timing Over-Retarded (Bank 1). It was also hesitating to start.
She took it to a tire/oil change shop that regularly services her car, and they said they "topped the oil off" and drove it around, and it seems fine.
Should we replace the camshaft position sensor as a precaution? Please share your thoughts.
thank you.
-2 months ago we were driving, and when she came to a stop light, the car sputtered/hesitated a little bit. It did it at a second stop light, then was okay for 2 months. She had been running 87 octane, and I suggested she switch to 93, which she did and it has ran fine for a couple of months.
-Now, the CEL light & oil light came on. I checked the oil (3 times) to ensure it wasn't low, and it was to the full mark on the dipstick. I then scanned the car with my code reader and it gave codes P0420 & P0015. I'm not overly concerned with P0420 at the moment as that could be an exhaust leak, o2 sensor, or tiny vac leak. I googled and P0015 appears to be 'B' Camshaft Position Timing Over-Retarded (Bank 1). It was also hesitating to start.
She took it to a tire/oil change shop that regularly services her car, and they said they "topped the oil off" and drove it around, and it seems fine.
Should we replace the camshaft position sensor as a precaution? Please share your thoughts.
thank you.
Last edited by SWAGGA; 07-17-2015 at 01:44 PM.
#2
07-17-2015, 04:36 PM
6th Gear
Are you getting a diesel-truck-like noise from the engine, especially when it's cold? If so, then you may have a timing chain problem.
If the oil light comes on, it's a very big serious deal. That means there is pretty much zero oil pressure, and damage is being done to the bearings and other moving surfaces in the engine. The most common cause of that in our cars is low oil--the dipsticks are notoriously easy to mis-read. How confident are you that you were seeing the actual oil level?
It may be worth taking the valve cover and timing cover off to check if the chain guides are still intact. If not, then you know you need to do the full timing chain replacement bit. If they are intact, then maybe the cam position sensor is faulty.
It's easy for me to throw your money at this job, but if it were me I would try to diagnose the sensor (check readings versus what it should see) rather than just replacing it "because".
If the oil light comes on, it's a very big serious deal. That means there is pretty much zero oil pressure, and damage is being done to the bearings and other moving surfaces in the engine. The most common cause of that in our cars is low oil--the dipsticks are notoriously easy to mis-read. How confident are you that you were seeing the actual oil level?
It may be worth taking the valve cover and timing cover off to check if the chain guides are still intact. If not, then you know you need to do the full timing chain replacement bit. If they are intact, then maybe the cam position sensor is faulty.
It's easy for me to throw your money at this job, but if it were me I would try to diagnose the sensor (check readings versus what it should see) rather than just replacing it "because".
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
igzekyativ
MINIs & Minis for Sale
34
07-16-2020 12:54 PM