OBD-II Code

P0515

Severity

Not yet reviewed

Nobody on our side has assessed this code yet, so we are not going to guess at how serious it is.

Can you drive it

We cannot say

Treat it as unknown until a shop reads it with live data. If the check-engine light is FLASHING, stop driving as soon as it is safe to — that means an active misfire, whatever the code.

Indicative cost (USD)

$80–$300

From this code's diagnostic notes. Varies by vehicle, diagnosis, parts, and local labor. This is not a repair quote.

P0515 sets when the ECU/BCM reads the battery temperature sensor (BTS) and the signal is out of range or implausible - the sensor measures battery electrolyte/case temperature so the alternator's commanded charging voltage can be temperature-compensated (cold batteries need higher charge voltage, hot batteries need lower).

How a shop works this

Work from evidence to part, not the other way round. A code names a circuit or a symptom; it does not name the part that failed.

Note every code that is set, not just this one.
Codes that appear together usually narrow the cause faster than any one of them read alone.
Read the freeze frame — the conditions the fault was recorded under.
Cold or warm, idle or load, road speed and engine speed. A fault that only appears cold is a different fault from one that only appears under load, even with the same code on the scanner.
Confirm the fault is current rather than history.
Clear the code and see whether it returns under those same conditions. A code that does not come back may have been logged during a repair, a flat battery, or a bad connection that has since been disturbed.
Then follow the diagnostic notes further down this page, in the order they are written.
They are written in the order a shop works this code, cheapest checks first. Where they name a component, inspect its wiring and connector before replacing it.

If the code comes back after a repair, the underlying fault is still there. That is the point to bring in a scanner with live data and freeze-frame, or a shop that has one.

Common symptoms

Check engine light

Read the full diagnostic procedureP0515 sets when the ECU/BCM reads the battery temperature sensor (BTS) and the signal is out of range or implausible - the sensor measures battery el…+

Cheapest-first ladder

Locate the BTS - usually a small thermistor either embedded in the battery tray, clipped to the battery case, or integrated into the negative cable terminal (IBS-style on newer vehicles).
DMM the thermistor resistance and compare to ambient - typical NTC behavior is 10k ohms at 25C, dropping to ~3k at 50C and rising to ~30k near 0C; out-of-spec readings confirm sensor failure.
Inspect the connector and harness for corrosion - battery acid creep at the negative terminal eats sensor connectors.
If the BTS is integrated into an IBS (Intelligent Battery Sensor), the whole IBS unit replaces as an assembly. Expensive-misdiagnosis trap: replacing the alternator on P0515 when the charging voltage is wrong because the BTS is lying about battery temp.

Vehicle-specific patterns2012-2018 RAM 1500 / 2500 / 3500 throws P0515 commonly from a failed IBS on the negative battery post - Chrysler issued part-number updates on the IB…+

2012-2018RAM 1500 / 2500 / 3500 throws P0515 commonly from a failed IBS on the negative battery post - Chrysler issued part-number updates on the IBS.
2008-2014Dodge Caravan / Chrysler Town & Country with the BTS in the battery tray throws P0515 from corroded connector pins.
2010-2016Jeep Grand Cherokee / Dodge Durango throws P0515 from a known BTS wiring issue.
2014-2018Chrysler 200 / Dodge Dart with the IBS sensor throws P0515 from IBS failure that requires module relearn after replacement.

Estimated repair$80 to $300

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