Should have posted this here yesterday instead of the general forum!

After trying all suggestions I found here to remedy a P0015 code (exhaust cam over retarded), I am still haunted by the check engine light.
The car is an early '04 with a 1.9L turbo and it seems that no one feels that this code relates to the cam position sensor but is it possible that the sensor is bad and causing the code?
I removed and cleaned the cam reset valve so I know it is free from sludge, and ran two Sea Foam treatments, but no change.
I unhooked the battery and tied the leads together as suggested but that didn't help either.
State inspection is up and the car won't pass with the engine light on. I risk a $50 ticket every time I drive and need to get this remedied. ANY help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Have you turned off the check engine light with an OBD-II scanner before? If yes, what happened? If no then get a scanner or go to Autozone or Advance and have them turn the light off to see if it comes back.

Did the code happen after a timing belt change or just randomly popped up?

Have you tried replacing the cam position sensor? I would be in the camp that says you would probably get a different code if the CPS was bad. It depends on how the CPS fails though. It might just give the error you see. Of course the method to prove the theory is replacing an expensive sensor. Or finding a junkyard with an S40. Or buy one from someone here.

The CPS mounts to the bottom right of the end cap of the exhaust cam reluctor wheel:

 

Thanks for the input!

I did try clearing the code with a scan tool, stayed off for about 80 miles, then came back on.

Originally started as a curiosity, one day the engine light came on, had the code read with a buddies reader (no ability to clear codes), read P0015. The next day it went off by itself and stayed off for a few weeks. Then it came on again for a day or two and went off again by itself for about a month. This time it has been on for about 2 months, hence the attempts to remedy the cause in all the ways suggested here.

Just cleared the codes 2 days ago, drove 55 miles so far and no light. Keeping my fingers crossed. hopefully it stays off long enough for diagnostics to run and complete and pass inspection.

 

It sounds more like a loose connection than a bad sensor. Have you looked up under the plastic cover to see if the sensor connector is secure? It's right in the middle top of the firewall where the O2 sensors connect.

Have you looked to see if the CPS bolt has backed out? If the bolt was loose and the sensor backed out a tiny bit it could produce the same symptoms.

I'm wondering if the cam could over-retard from a bad CVVT solenoid.

 

Well, the mysteries continue. Engine light came on for about 30 seconds, went back off, car PASSED INSPECTION!!!!!!!!. 300 miles since and no light. I have no idea what to think except that the demons have been driven out!

Thanks for all the input!