Fault Code Lookup › Powertrain codes › P0015
P0015 Powertrain · generic OBD-II
'B' Camshaft Position - Timing Over-Retarded
P0015 is a standard code covering engine, transmission, fuel and emissions. It names the system that logged the fault, not the part that failed. Below: which cars owners reported it on, what happened, and recalls on those cars, from 4 complaints filed with NHTSA. Updated November 3, 2026.
Owners also write it as P001500 (the last two characters are the sub-code).
- 4owner reports
- 4car models
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention a fire
- 2016–2024model years
Which cars get code P0015?
Every model whose owners mentioned P0015 in a complaint, most reports first. Each year opens that car's full problem report. Popular models collect more reports because more of them are on the road.
Where does P0015 show up?
By brand
- Mini2
- Ford1
- Mercedes-Benz1
Component the owner filed it under
Is there a recall for P0015?
The others concern the component owners file this code under (Engine) on the same cars; they may or may not relate to the code. Recall repairs are free; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Engine And Engine Cooling: Engine: Oil/Lubrication: Pump Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Ford Focus and 2018-2022 Ford EcoSport vehicles. The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.
2020 Ford Ecosport. Full risk and remedy on each car's report.
What happened when owners saw P0015?
4 of the 4 reports, spread across the models above, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
"I am reporting a severe, high-risk safety and under-hood fire hazard involving a 2020 Ford EcoSport tied directly to federal Safety Recall 23S64 [23S64]. The vehicle suffered a catastrophic loss of internal oil pressure, leading to an official diagnostic scan by Kerry Ford confirming a hard-stored P0015 Camshaft Timing defect [23S64]. The dealership is actively evading the federal recall remedy by falsely claiming the failure is just a bad sensor [23S64]. The vehicle is now experiencing critical failure symptoms: it is consuming extreme amounts of gasoline rapidly and filling both the interior cabin and exterior air with a heavy, toxic odor of raw fuel while running, making it entirely…
Check engine light (MIL) came on while driving and vehicle lost power. Would not accelerate. Had it towed to Mercedes Benz of Mrytle Beach. $8000 repair. Mercedes Corp would not help. This is a copy of a TSB (LI05.20-P-080257) for this issue: Complaint engine vibrations perceived at low rpm. Fault codes for the camshaft position of the intake camshaft (p001100, p001104, p001200) or exhaust camshaft (p001400, p001404, p001500) may be stored. Cause continuously fluctuating oil pressure in the central valve may lead to damage to the filter screen on the central valve. This can result in damage to the filter screen or the filter screen breaking loose. The resulting loss of oil pressure prevents…
Drivetrain error occurred. I pulled codes and found P0015. I added oil, cleared code. The next day the drivetrain error popped back up. Pulled codes and found P0366. I took the vehicle to mechanic for diagnostics and to find the issue. They found faults: 130F11 and 120408. When replacing engine oil and filter, they found metal shavings in the oil; bearing material. They are recommending replacing the engine. Doing research, it appears this has been a common occurrence with these vehicles/engines. Is there a current recall on some of these engines, or a possibility for a discounted replacement due to the issues being widespread? The car has less than 74,000 miles, and the mechanic said it…
Drivetrain error occurred. I pulled codes and found P0015. I added oil, cleared code. The next day the drivetrain error popped back up. Pulled codes and found P0366. I took the vehicle to mechanic for diagnostics and to find the issue. They found faults: 130F11 and 120408. When replacing engine oil and filter, they found metal shavings in the oil; bearing material. They are recommending replacing the engine. Doing research, it appears this has been a common occurrence with these vehicles/engines. Is there a current recall on some of these engines, or a possibility for a discounted replacement due to the issues being widespread? The car has less than 74,000 miles, and the mechanic said it…
P0015: questions drivers ask
What does code P0015 mean?
P0015 is a generic OBD-II powertrain code. Its standard definition is "'B' Camshaft Position - Timing Over-Retarded". The code tells you which system set the fault, not which part failed; the owner reports on this page show what it meant in practice for 4 car models.
Which cars get code P0015 most often?
In NHTSA owner complaints, P0015 is mentioned most for the Ford Ecosport (1), Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class (1), Mini Cooper Hardtop (1), across 4 models and model years 2016 to 2024. Popular models collect more reports because more of them are on the road.
Is there a recall for code P0015?
No NHTSA recall text names P0015 directly. 1 recall on the cars that report this code concerns the same component owners name most (Engine); they may or may not relate to the code. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What should I do if my car shows P0015?
Write down when the code appeared and what the car did (warning lights, loss of power, noises, speed, weather). Check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls, ask a dealer or independent workshop to read the stored freeze-frame data before anyone clears the code, and keep the repair order. If the car loses power in traffic, stop driving it. CarHooq does not diagnose: these are owner reports and official recall notices, not repair advice.
How this page was made
CarHooq read the text of every owner complaint filed with NHTSA for 19 US and European brands (model years 2012 onwards) and picked out the diagnostic trouble codes owners wrote down. This page lists every mention of P0015 (including sub-code forms such as P001500). The definition is the generic SAE J2012 wording; a carmaker may use the code slightly differently. Nothing here is a diagnosis. Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain), retrieved November 3, 2026. How CarHooq reports are made.
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