2003 Civic Hybrid check engine light and IMA light are on

I would suggest that you call the dealer and arrange for a second visit. The engine and IMA lights are not supposed to come back on unless something else remains to be addressed.

Is your vehicle equipped with a CVT or manual transmission?
How many miles/kms does the car have now?

Cheers;

MSantos

MSantos, my hybrid is a CVT and I just hit 70,000 miles. I am going to arrange a second visit to the dealer. They closed right after they gave me my car today so there was nothing to be done about it at that point.

Well, you probably have figured out what went wrong by now, but since I was in a similar situation I thought I would chime in. A few months ago both the Malfunctin indicator light (looks like a genie lamp) and the IMA light came on in my car. The Honda dealer ended up replacing the battery and battery controller as a result. I had just under 70,000 miles on my car at that point.

COULD THIS BE ALL RELATED?

Hi all-

May 10, took HCH 03 in for standard 50,000 service.

Last week, lost acceleration on the highway. Had car towed to dealer, needed new clutch (which seems pretty early to me). Parts and labor (mostly labor) was over $1700, transmission had to be removed to replace clutch. Was told that not all of old clutch could be removed- there is a piece stuck in the electric motor (?).

Had car back for less than 6 hours, drove less than 10 miles and IMA, CEL and battery light came on. Drove it back to dealership where it got to sit over long holiday weekend.

Battery light comes on only when foot brake is used, turns off after acceleration.

Was told by my service tech that the computer spewed out 20 pages of error messages and that they have to have national reps be involved and this specific team has never seen a hybrid with these issues (though I see from the boards, this isn't uncommon). Was told that 3 sensors may need to be replaced- one is available, 2 are on national backorder.

I'm wondering if any of the work done in the past three weeks could have set this off? Between needing new brakes and the clutch, I've put in over $2400.

Anyone know if the sensors fall under the emissions warranty or are part of the battery warranty?

The other interesting issue is that my interior charger/adapter has been shorting out (5 times in last 4 months). Finally figured out it is from cell phone charger- Honda is aware- and its mostly Verizon chargers, but hasn't done anything about it.

Any help/guidance is appreciated.

Basically, I'm trying to arm myself with all the ammo I can...

Is your vehicle equipped with a CVT or manual transmission?
How many miles/kms does the car have now? What year is it?

The IMA light came on, I also notice the gas meter was not reading correctly, the care judders, and my radio would at least turn on. I took it to the dealership and they replaced the battery and fuse. The IMA light is gone, but the gas meter is not reading correctly, it still judders, and the radio wont turn on. What did the dealership do? Please advice...I don't want them jurking/juddering me around. :-)

Thanks,

I will request they follow the service checklist and provide any paperwork (EMC codes or on any test).

As usual, there are no dumb questions - just dumb answers. ;)

The IMA system comprises all the first tier components critical to the operation of the hybrid system. The gas engine (legacy powertrain) is usually not included in the IMA topology, although it can be argued that it should since it is unique enough and different from all other power plants produced by Honda.

Nevertheless, the Hybrid IMA system consists of all the modules that are enclosed by the IPU (sitting behind the rear seat back), the hybrid specific cabling and harnesses, Motor/stator and other minor components and systems that bridge the hybrid to the legacy system. The CVT transmission, MICU, emissions package and PCM are not usually considered part of the IMA system (although exceptions have been made in the past).

It is very unusual for the gas meter to malfunction. In itself, it just reads and displays the numbers provided by the vehicle's ECU. If anything, it would be a system, sensor or the ECU itself that is malfunctioning and proving the erroneous readings. When that happens it is typical for the faulty systems to breach thresholds and generate codes which the technicians can notice and act on.

Cheers;

MSantos

Were the cat converters recalled on the 2003 civic hybrid? Is the cat converters part of the engine? I have extended warranty and I'm wondering if its covered.

Hi Jaclyn;

I suggest you try another dealer and write to Corporate Honda. Many times Honda will extend warranty coverage and support courtesy for anyone willing to make their case... so I suggest you do so at your earliest convenience and in a way that will get their good-will with the least amount of effort of your part.

Cheers;

MSantos

Hi Meggan;

I am sorry to hear you don't trust your dealer. Sometimes dealers can really fuddle things up for a customer. With that said, only a "good" dealer can service your car properly, primarily with the help of the HDS station.

However, this is one case where any amount of extra trust you have for your own mechanic may not to give you the answer you seek. And even if your mechanic was a qualified and certified hybrid technician (which I doubt he is) he would still not have access to the information/tools and knowledge base that is often needed to service a Honda hybrid vehicle properly. Sorry, this whole hybrid thing is just out of their league regardless of how good they are as "mechanics".

However, I would check the usual things for that type of car. The EGR valve is typically something worth looking into at this point... and in the absence of a genuine Honda trouble code sequence.

Cheers & Good luck

MSantos

I need advice! We own an 03 HCH with 150K miles (manual trans) that has been through many of the issues reported: 3 catalytic converters, no A/C, and most recently the IMA battery and A/C compressor need replacing. I have worked well with Honda in terms of getting this last cat. conv. paid for by them (even though it was out of warranty) but have given up on any support from them in terms of the IMA battery after 3 phone calls. I have 2 real problems at this point:
1- How to get the most value for the old car? There's clearly no trade in value for this car but it has a brand-new cat. conv and many other great, valuable components. Two dealers laughed at me when I inquired about even a $500 trade-in value.
2- We also own an 08 HCH that has only 22K miles on it. However, knowing now what we do about the life span on these batteries, I feel there is nothing environmental or sustainable about a car's life expectancy only lasting 150K miles. Of course, we'd be losing some money to trade this in for a used vehicle that has a better reputation for 150-200K+ mileage (we're looking for durability as well as good gas mileage). Do the newer batteries have any better longevity than the originals in the 03 models? My father's 03 IMA battery died within 3 weeks of mine, and my local dealer told me he saw 3 other 03 models come in that same week with the same problem.

thanks for any advice and sorry for the long posting!

Hi,
I own a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid equipped with a CVT. It has approximately 141k miles on it. (I live in CA).

Recently the IMA light came on and I took it to the dealer to get it checked out. The dealer indicated that there were 2 problems - IMA System Malfunction (Code 1601) and Battery module deterioration (Code 1447). He quoted a charge of ~$3k to get the problem fixed and install a new battery. He said that since my car was a "ULEV" and not an "SULEV" , it is not covered under the 10yr/150k IMA warranty.

I checked at the Honda web-site and indeed noted that the SULEV is covered for 10yrs/150k miles while the ULEV is only covered for 8yrs/80k miles.

My question is if anyone has had success with getting the warranty coverage for the IMA system for a ULEV '03 HCH? From what I recall, back in 2002 when I bought this '03 Hybrid, they were only one type of HCH that Honda was selling, so I am not sure why they have not extended the warranty to all hybrids...

Btw, the mileage on the HCH has dropped to ~41mpg in the last few weeks (it used to give 44-45mpg before), and the pickup is sluggish. But is pretty much drive-able. And the IMA light has mysteriously disappeared in the last few days..

Any suggestions on next steps?

Thanks,

Rama.

Hi all:
My '03 HCH has just experienced the exact problem described above - 91K, no problems to date, but this morning, after 5 days parked, the CEL, IMA & battery indicators are on. Took the car directly to the dealer this morning and was told the IMA battery has failed, requires replacement.

I'll have to consider whether replacing is worth the cost (and thanks for all the informative posts in this regard). I'm also curious - what are the potential risks / harm to vehicle & driver from operating the car without a functioning IMA?

Thanks.

My 2003 HCH has 175k on it. The IMA light came on today. The battery pack appears to be charging just fine, acceleration is normal, and the mileage is fine (I live in the mountains and it's actually better now than it was this time last year). I brought the car to the shop to swap my summer tires for winter tires two days ago. The shop did a "courtesy" inspection of the car, where they checked fluid levels and the battery charge. Could they have blown something in the electronics with their charge testing? Could the fact that they didn't put the dipstick for the transmission fluid back in all the way (so air and dirt could easily get in) have caused an issue? I'm really not happy about this...

I too have had continuing problems with the "engine warning light" on my 2003 HCH. I bought it at 40k km
and now it has almost 100k km. About 5000 km ago, my Honda dealer declared that the catalytic converter
may be faulty, as the engine warning light was turning on, turning off, etc. The cost to repair was given
at $3000 or so.

I've switched to a local repair shop, and on advice of the mechanic continue to drive with the engine warning
light glowing uncomfortably. I cannot detect any difference in the performance.

After 3 years of ownership, I'm convinced that I was an idiot to buy the HCH. I certainly will NOT return
to the Honda dealership unless the problem is under waranty.

>Said the sensors needed to be replaced. That's over $600. My question: do both sensors always need >to be replaced or is it possible that only one sensor might need to be replaced?

What sensor? O2 sensor (there are two)? Motor Commutation sensor (there are three)? Motor current sensor (there are three)?

O2 sensors (on the exhaust): maybe both or maybe just one. What error codes did you have?

Commutation sensors (in the electric motor) about $60 each and usually only one

Current sensors (behind the back seat) only one and I sell all three of them together for $100

We had a malfunction indicator light so we took it to dealership. We believe after talking to a friend that this is not indicative of any need to replace the converter. We did not know this ahead of time and were charged $1269.99 to replace rear NOX converter. Do not replace your converter. They
should last the lifetime of car; the malfunction light is incorrect.

somehow I missed the post just two before mine that says the P1600 and P1449 codes are Loss of KAM Power (Keep Alive Memory) Open Circuit and Evaporative Check Selenoid Circuit Malfunction, respectively.

The P1600 code seems to be a relatively generic one from what I've seen on the greenhybrid.com site but P1449 has several possibilities according to the site http://hondaaccord.wikidot.com/obd-codes

Battery Cell Overheating
Battery Module Individual Voltage Input Deviation
Battery Module Deterioration
Battery Module Deviation

I guess I have a potential battery pack problem at only 100K miles. but why does it only show up after the car has been parked for a while?

hi
and i have problem (P 1900)
plz any one help me

I have to replace my o2 sensor on my 2003 honda civic hybrid and saw you sell sensors for about $100. Do you have a website? I have only found it as cheap as $217

hello- I own a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid equipped with a CVT. it has 83k mi. A few months ago my battery went dead. I replaced it at the Dealers near by. A little over a month later my IMA light went on. i had to leave for a month and the car sat while i was gone. it's running fine, but of course the light is still on and the dealer is saying i need a new battery of the $3k variety. he is speaking to the powers that be about goodwill consideration since i am a few k over in miles for warranty coverage. he says they might grant it but require that i do other work on the car that they are recommending, like complete fuel system service and brake pads and rotors.
questions:
1- did the first battery dying or its installation cause the IMA to go bad?
2- has anyone tried installing a used battery from ebay as mSantos suggested a year ago? if so, how do i know it's good and who's qualified to install it?
3- could this be a faulty AC relay switch or a software update problem as others have suggested?
4- as someone else has asked, can i drive without fixing this or is that dangerous in any way?
5- can a dealership require you to get services if they extend a goodwill courtesy on an expired warranty?
thanks all and hope MSantos comes out of hiatus!

I have lived with my IMA and engine lights on for many months, because the dealer cannot do anything to get them to stay off. I have been in Tampa Hondaland many times for analysis of the problem. Finally, last time they said I should just replace the battery pack to the tune of $3000. Sorry, folks, but the battery is working and charging well enough, and I don't have $3K to throw at the problem. These service people do not strike me as being very competent (or ethical), and I smelled an attempt to turn my frustration into a nice battery pack sale.

Have you ever replaced the 12 volt? Those things are best viewed as consumables: replaced as a matter of course every 4 years or so, or you will eventually get stranded. If it is the OE battery you got a very good run out of it. Yes, a very strong possibility you need a new 12 volt, get it checked out. You can rough-check it's status with a decent digital multimeter, and more accurately with a cell-by-cell check with a hydrometer, but I'm guessing the simplest route for you is to get it to the dealership and let them diagnose.

I just took my 2004 HCH CVT in to the dealer after the CEL, IMA, and Battery light came on. The car has only 41,000mi on it (VERY low mileage).

We had a similar thing happen about 6mos ago when the battery died and the CEL came on. Took it to the dealer, they replaced the 12volt and it was fine until now.

Got the call yesterday that they think it's the IMA battery going bad. Since we are under the mileage and the years, they are replacing the IMA battery for no cost.

Hopefully this solves the problem... I'm not holding my breath since it seems like no one has really ever RESOLVED the whole problem.

I purchased a 2003 HCH new, in January 2003. 202,000 miles. Wonderful car, very few problems (replaced both Cat Converters last year--after reading all the posts here, I'm wondering if that was necessary). Within the last 10k of mileage, the check engine and IMA lights are coming on (seems to be the most common problem on this site)--they stay on anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days. I can go a month or two without these indicators coming on, but when on, the car is still functioning well.

However... I have noticed a loss of power accelerating from time to time, even if the indicator lights are off. It happens, then a few minutes later it seems fine. And... the last two times the indicator lights came on, it was after driving up to the mountains (I live in a rather flat area of SE Pennsylvania) and climbing some pretty hefty hills for awhile, draining down the battery supply. It happened today, so I took the car to an area Honda Dealer--they ran a test on it and said the IMA battery needed replacing. Cost: $2850.

So, my questions: The car is driving fine, the indicator lights have gone out, so do I need to get it replaced now--or wait until the battery dies (most likely leaving me stranded somewhere)? Also, I've read on this thread something about having the codes/computer reset in the car.

Suggestions, as I prepare to proceed and dole out the dough?

Been reading for a while. My 03 HCH (CRV) with 150,000 is giving the dreaded diagnostic of low catalytic converter performance. First estimate, $3500 for both converters.

Q - are there two converters and should they be replaced together?

Q - I have found several sites listing converters for between $100 and $400. Are they POS or can they do the job?

Q - No battery messages yet - soon to come as indicated by discussion above or are some batteries lasting into the 200,000 mile range?

Similar experience to Chuck's - I got the check engine light diagnosed at the dealership, and they told me both converters needed replacing. A competing shop said just one was bad, I replaced it ($1200) but not long after the other needed replacing too. Apparently if you replace one you might as well do both. My IMA light is not coming on but the car performance seems unchanged. 130K miles on mine.

Guess there is a screen for direct links. here's that address;

http://www.[&#@%!].com/search/?searchType=global&N=0&Ntt=cata...

My 2003 honda civic hybrid IMA light is on. Replaced the "regular" battery, but did not help. Sometimes my car will not start, and I have to jump it. I do not have the $$$ to replace the IMA battery. I am just out of my extended warranty by about 7K miles. I have 107K on it. Sounds all too familiar with what everyone else is going through.

Hi. Your check engine light is almost sure to be all or a combination of the following: Oxygen sensor malfunction ( there are four - one in front of and downstream from both cat converters), the front cat converter (very expensive) or the rear cat converter. The best estimate I could get on replacing all of the above at once from a certified shop was $3600.

I replaced the rear converter with an aftermarket product. Fit great, but didn't turn the light off. We are deciding whether to drive the car 'til it quits and put it up for sale for parts. Such a shame, it has been a really good vehicle.

Can't help you on the IMA light, but mine has never come on (150,000 miles).

I took my 2003 Civic Hybrid in because the IMA light was on and the battery would not charge. After paying $90 to have the diagnostics done, I was told that code P1575 showed, the IMA battery was fine, and all that needed to be replaced was a $99 fuse that worked in conjunction with the IMA Battery, but they couldn't find the part anywhere.

Three hours later, I got a call from the local Dealer's service department, and was told that they couldn't find that part anywhere because they don't replace just the fuse. I would have to get a new Battery Pack ($2500 parts and labor and more with tax - approx $2700 total).

I am furious that a company that claims to be "Green" and advanced in regards to technology would not replace only the part that needed to be replaced. I already paid a premium price to purchase the vehicle, and now the only way to keep it is to spend more? Has anyone successfully replaced only the fuse?

Here's what I found on the net:
http://www.piloteers.org/forums/attachments/problems/33708d1210165966-ke...

Blown Fuse Causes IMA DTC P1575
If IMA DTC P1575 (MPI voltage problem) sets as
soon as you turn the ignition switch to ON (II) in a 03 - 05 Civic Hybrid, check the 100 amp junction
board fuse for an open circuit. If the fuse is open,
replace the fuse and retest.

Hi This is Sophie. That is true to improve the power of engine of the car because conditions of driv on the road became day by day .
==========
Savings Accounts uk

If you don't mind me asking, how much did the dealer charge you to replace both the battery and the battery controller? I am having the very same issues.

2003 Honda Civic Hybrid. 99,500 miles. New IMA battery in it. The check engine light went on 2 days ago. Took it to AAMCO and they said it was the CVT transmission and the whole thing needs replaced since it doesn't open up. They quoted AT LEAST 5,000.

Has anyone else had this problem?
Is there a cheaper solution?
If it's that much I am just going to trade it in, or try contacting corporate, its ridicolus that a car under 10 years old has a blown tranny

My IMA light and malfunction light came on and my car would stall out when I applied the brake. If I was even able to get it to go following that, it was slow to pick up and would stall again at the next light/stop sign. I let it sit in a parking lot for a few hours and came back to get it. I brought it home and let it sit over night. The malfunction light went off later in the afternoon but then on my way home from work - they came back on (IMA and malfunction) and stalled again. This had happened previously and I was given one code from a dealership. They said nothing was wrong with it and they reset the computer - but if it happens again it's probably my transmission I'll need replaced. This time i took it to a different dealership and they gave me three different codes. They are going to get into touch with Honda. I see this is a common problem for a lot of HCH owners, and I'm wondering if anyone has had any luck actually speaking with Honda and not just their dealerships?

Msantos

My check engine light came on in my 2003 Honda civic Hybrid. the O2 sensors have 50k miles on them. the software upgrade on my ECM was performed at 88k miles ( I know have 110K mile). I heard of something called a CEL fix for the rear Cat converter in order to remove the Engine light..is this for real? I really do not trust the Honda dealerships and am looking for a way not to spend thousands on this vehicle in order to fix this situation. I have heard of many who replaced O2 sensors (not cheap) and cat converters many times because of this. I've read that it is a software glich that Honda refuses to admit and correct. I await your response.

Msantos

My check engine light came on in my 2003 Honda civic Hybrid. the O2 sensors have 50k miles on them. the software upgrade on my ECM was performed at 88k miles ( I know have 110K mile). I heard of something called a CEL fix for the rear Cat converter in order to remove the Engine light..is this for real? I really do not trust the Honda dealerships and am looking for a way not to spend thousands on this vehicle in order to fix this situation. I have heard of many who replaced O2 sensors (not cheap) and cat converters many times because of this. I've read that it is a software glich that Honda refuses to admit and correct. I await your response.

I need to check the fuse on 100 amp junction board (getting code 1575) on a 2003 HCH. This was suggested by a post from 24 wks ago. I have a IMA light on, no charge in IMA battery showing, no charging, no assist, check eng light on. just bought car (cheap) and would like to try and fix without going back to honda for expensive diagnostics,etc. Thanks for any help you can provide. Also battery (12 volt) light comes on when eng speed is 1200 rpm or less, goes out when speeded up and comes on above 4000 (above 4000 causing battery light I believe is normal)

READ THIS BEFORE HAVING YOUR CAR SERVICED!!!!!! This car is a money pit! There is no end to the phantom problems with this car and no dealership out there has had enough experience to diagnosis these cars accurately and will gladly accept any money you are foolish enough to throw their way.

We have had so many problem with our car for years, but recently both our check engine light and IMA came on and never went off. The batteries also stopped charging as they were supposed to. So, we, as we are taught, took our car to the professionals - the dealer to only be told that it wouldn't connect to the computer and they sent us away with a $80 bill for their time. WHAT? Won't connect to the computer? Are you serious and we have to pay you for telling us that? / We then carried it to an individual in town that specializes in fixing Hondas in hopes that he might be able to diagnosis our problem. Guess what? He said it connected just fine to the computer and listed several codes telling us the control module for the rear batteries and the batteries themselves were bad. *We about fainted at the cost of replacing these as the car was already 8 years old and told him that we just couldn't at this time. So, he put the car back and sent us on our way with another wonderful diagnosing bill.

BUT... low and behold - the IMA light went away and our batteries started charging again like they were supposed to.

My husband swears that these cars must have some type of corrosion problem somewhere in the electrical based on all the phantom problems we've read in this forum thus far. DO ----- Have someone find all the electrical points which are mostly behind the back seats (after the battery is unplugged of course) and clean them, and then reconnect them before spending thousands of dollars on a never ending money pit.

We've decided we are just going to drive the car until it doesn't drive anymore - with or without indicator lights on.

Hey Andrew,
Thanks for the tip on clearing the check engine light on the '03 hybrid. Ours like everyone's I guess has gone on and off randomly over the years, but most recently I took it into the dealer so they could clear it, because I need to get my annual inspection and in this state they won't do it if the CE light is on. I hoped it might be the O2 censor which has been recalled so we'd get a free repair, but alas, the code came back as Hybrid Battery Corrosion and it would cost $2800 to replace. I'm not about to pay that on a 100k+ 9 year old vehicle, which is still running fine, so I left. Still I need to get my inspection done, so the light has to go off whether the car is technically fixed or not and they refused to reset it at the dealer. So, I'll likely give your method a try.

I'm having the same issue with my car. It has 113K miles but the engine was replaced in 2007. Should I get it checked out?

Do you really think automotive dealers want to lie to you to avoid some diagnostic work?
this is a false perception. i work for a dealer and have for over 20 years.
Most dealers would prefer to absorb the cost of a "mistake" or guess, and keep thier customers
by providing honest and only neccesary repairs.
Do plumbers, doctors, police, painters, teachers, and anyone else in the service inductries also
act so dishonestly as a dirty mechanic?

Hi everybody,
This is update on my used 2003 Honda Civic Hybride.
I purchased this 2003 HCH around Dec 2010. At that time the totoal milage is 114308. It had no problem with anything at beginning.
The milage was around 37 to 40 Mile/Gallon using the highest Octane Gasoline. That milage is mostly for within City drive not much interstae-travel.
The IMA and Enginer Check light on about the same arounf June 2011.
The milage at the time was around 119443. Milage is around 37 Mile/Gallon.
I was driveing since then with IMA and Enginer Check light on. Now my Gas milage is around 42 to 45 Mile/gallon.
But I now drive between Austin and Dallas about once every three to four weeks. The driving time for each trip is about 3.75 hours.
I am try to fix this problem in order to pass state inspection.
I went to AutoZone, and got a free MCU code scan. Two codes shown up. P1420 aNS p1600.
I personally think so many IMA issues maybe the end results of several factors.
(1) Bad semiconductor power switch for charging circuit.
(2) Bad MCU itself or un-reliable conact in those MCU and external componet.
(3) Analog to digital (A/D) or digital to analog (D/A) functionality degrade or malfunction.
(4) bad quality or lousy battery and/or pachage.
(5) Bad assumption in system and software programing.

I think Honda already know the real issues most likely. It just try to patch up or hide the
potential PR nighmare and cost. Shame on Honda for not openly solving and doing the best
effort to solve issues. Toyota Privs seems does not have that many issues on their battery.

I've owned 2 Honda's before...1st was awesome, 2nd was a lemon from the start. Honda didn't want to fix it and just gave me the run around. After a year of that mess, traded the car off and will NEVER own another Honda EVER!