2006 Civic Hybrid Problems (already)
Created November 19, 2005, at 10:27 am by Anonymous
we ordered our 2006 civic hybrid on Oct 14 and finally received it last Friday Nov 11. Two days later (Sunday) we were driving it on the freeway and suddenly the hybrid engine light (IMA) and the battery light indicators went on. The hybrid engine shut down and we continued to drive the car on gas only. Brought the car to the dealer on Monday (it's still there). They still really don't know what is wrong (believe me I call every day) although at this point they suspect some computer failure that runs the hybrid engine. Anyone else experience similar or other problems already?
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Actually yes, the same problem haunted my 2005 HCH that I purchased new in Feb 2005. The IMA battery repeatedly went dead causing the IMA light to go on and the car to start and run only using the conventional 12V battery. I had to bring the vehicle into the dealer 7 times… they never to my knowledge figured out the problem. They even flew in an American Honda technician from North American headquarters to no avail. I had to bring in the Better Business Bureau and have my attorney write a letter to get American Honda to replace the vehicle under the Oregon Lemon Law. Once they finally agreed to replace the car they were quite nice about it. They traded me straight across for a new 2006 and had me pay $600 for the 13K mileage I put on it.
Have your Honda service dept. contact Ron Tonkin Honda in Portland, OR. I am sure they could help with your problem, especially if the same computer codes are getting thrown to the reference memory when the problem happens. David Powell is the Service manager at my dealer. You can contact them at 503-255-8345.
I have a 2004 Civic Hybrid and I can sympathize. My vehicle has been in the shop since October 10th, 2005. They replaced the entire engine block because it was porous. Then I took the car back because the check engine light came on. They replaced a switch on the transmission twice and the computer control panel.
I don't qualify under the Lemon Law because i would have to take the car for repairs 2 more times! If twice wasn't enough already. I've filed a complaint and no one seems to be able to help me. A refund or repurchase is out of the question...they say. So how long can Honda keep my car? As long as it takes is their answer. This is white collar corporate theft. They act like I'm dying to get this piece of crap back into my hands. I'm through with Hybrid cars and Honda.
I got my HC 06 in Oct. and in December I had the same problem. They have not been able to solve the problem. Sounds like Honda does not know how to diagnose these type of problems.
I have had mine for one month (1200 miles) and no problems so far. If I do, I will post them here.
The Lemon laws are there to be used. Although they very from state to state, the '06 comes with a seperate book outlining each states laws. Our state list the law kicks in after 3 attempts to resolve or 30 days of being out of servcie
Lemon Hybrid problem SOLVED.
My original reply is above dated Nov 27th. After 13 months American Honda finally gave me a new 2006 HCH. They were unable to resolve the problem with the IMA light going on and the electric motor dying. It was a lot of back and forth and I was denied twice through American Honda mediation dept. However after researching Oregon law if the same problem happens more than a certain num. of times and they are being unreasonable you can collect twice the value of the car. After quoting the statute to American Honda mediation they promptly gave me a new 2006.
My advice, document every conversation on paper, research the statute in your state. If refused and you fall under the lemon law w/o question then threaten them with the penalty they will incur for being unreasonable. Worked for me and I got 14,000 free miles on my 2005 that they didn't charge me for.
Good luck -O
Thanks, I have had many issues dealing with Honda on my car. It has been out of service for about 45 days and I have taken it to them three times now. Honda is working to replace the car, but they are having a hard time locating a vehicle. They also drove my car through the toll road without a transponder while they were trying to diagnose the problem, which I just received the fine for. Not sure if I can wait 13 months for a replacement car.
I have also been posting my problems with 2006 HCH II on this forum too.
http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/2006-civic-hybrid-problems-already.5556.html
BTW did you have any accessories added to the car? A friend of mine works for a car accessory store that was recently sued for accidentally tapping power supply into the IMA when adding an accessory that caused the same types of IMA failures.
No, I have not added any factor or aftermarket electrical items to the car. From the paper work I have seen it looks like there is a sensor problem/rotor/controller issue. This is good to know that these cars are real sensitive to any electrical items installed.
Very interesting discussion thread. We are launching our company in July and the HCH2006 is our lead vehicle. I'm pretty disappointed to read about this problem and even more to hear that Honda does not seem to have fixed this issue on the 2006. I understand teething problems can exist, but this model is a few generations old.
FirstRide (my company) promotes safer, cooler, greener cars and I have to say that I am going to try and find out more about this and why it hasn't been fixed. If anyone hears of any kind of official response on this problem, please forward it to me at or post it here. Very Strange.
Thanks for the info everyone.
grant
Founder, FirstRide™
I have a 2003 Civic Hybrid. Today is my third time having to take the car in to the dealer for the same kind of problem. I drove it there day before, and when I go out to go to work in the morning, it's DEAD! When I charge it up, the IMA light stays on. I take it to the dealer, they spend hours trying to find out the problem to no avail. I just started thinking about it, though. There was a service recall they did on my car and I noticed that after that time, that I have had the car go dead on my 3 times.
The answer to all your problems is simple, don't waste your money on a honda civic. It doesn't matter what kind of award it wins, the fact is its a shitty car. You pay for what you get, and your better off buying a half decent used car than a honda civic.
Just a word of the wise, never buy a first year or two or last year or two of a specific car model that has either been introduced, phased out, or totally redesigned (in this case the 2006 HCH). I've heard from several machanics that usually, with new or redesigned models, there are numerous bugs and flaws that need to be worked out, thus these cars can be unreliable.
With phased out models, the auto companies try to use up any parts that they have left just to get them out of inventory, so you may be left with parts that were "thrown back in the bin." In addition, the machinery used to produce the cars that often were around for many years is also old too, so assembly quality begins to suffer towards the end, unless the line is retooled.
Actually anyone who can get an HCH II hybrid is lucky. Honda has been working on the development of their hybrid models for seven product release years so the first year don't buy rule really doesnt apply to this particular car.
I am having the problem with the following lights staying on: IMA, Battery, and Engine. It started at about 600 miles on the car. I have taken it in twice and it is still currently in the shop, now for the third week. So far, they have said they replaced the convertor but that did not fix it (it took two weeks just to get that part in). Now they are going to replace the DDU Assembly (another part that is back ordered). Up until now, I have been a faithful Honda owner but this has really tried my patience and trust in what I beleive to be a reliable car manufacturer. My previous car was a '94 Accord which had no problems. I would like to think that this is just a fluke but reading the previous postings here raises some great concern.
Lemon Law. New Car.
My HCH 2003 has had an IMA failure twice. The first time Honda NA replaced the computer controller, the second time they replaced the IMA battery. Prior to each IMA failure I have had an intermitent 'buzzing' sound from behind the rear seat (where the IMA battery is located). The buzzing has returned for a third time and Honda NA is interested in attempting to fix it, but I don't think they have a clue as to the underlying problem...
Has anyone had a similar 'buzzing' condition?
I've had my 2006 Civic Hybrid for about a month and have 1900+ miles on it. So far, no problems to speak of. If I drive carefully I average 49 mpg and if I'm more careless and go with the flow of traffic I average 45 mpg. I have no complaints and am really pleased with this purchase. My gas costs have been cut in half. I drive in a lot of different types of traffic: freeway, city, and congested freeway. I live in So Cal, so need I say more? All I can say is that this car has been a godsend so far.
Well, I thought I would be one of the ones having a "my hybrid has never had a problem" reply, but the IMA light has been coming on and off recently and the battery has been dead twice now, including today.
when did you buy yours?
Are you saying the elctric motor battery doesnt recharge?
Same problem with my 2003 HCH. CarMax had no idea what was going on. They sent me Honda dealership and they didn't know either. IMA light comes on and battery was dead twice.
Call Honda Customer Relations, they will light a fire under the dealer. I had problems with my 2003 and they took care of it plus I got a free rental while I was without mycar.
As I wrote earlier, my 2006 had been having problems with the IMA, Engine and Battery light staying on. After two months waiting and waiting for the parts to arrive to fix it, it now seems to be running fine - even my mpg seems to be getting better now. I am happy to have my car back but for the time being I am holding my breath while driving it - afraid that the same problem might occur again. If so, I will post here very soon!
Response to Richard on May 21, 2006: I too have a buzzing sound, but mine appears to be engine noise on the stereo. I can tell by the pitch of the buzzing matching engine revs. Are you able to confirm the location of your noise.. I was going to upgrade the stereo, but I'm concerned that the noise will follow and become worse. I asked the dealer during the last service, but they forgot to look at it and told me to ask again at the next service. sheesh
my 2003 hybrid has had the IMA system fail three times since I bought it. I have had the battery replaced, and the problem came back. No one seems to know what causes it, and driving on gas only is like driving half a car. Not to mention not safe. I have written to HONDA, and am initiating a lemmon law claim. Anyone who can document this same problem, please contact me. I would love to build a stronger case against this car.
echelon7@comcast.net
4500 miles- no problems. ave mpg 41. @ 80mph I like the car.
My 2006 runs like a dream and I have been averaging 57.6 in stop and go driving. I really like this car. It is much better than the eariler civic hybrid.
I purchased a 2006 HCH in July 2006... have 7500 kms/4500 miles already. Averaging about 60 mpg. Superb gas mileage. Only problem thus far is my driver's window keeps going off track. Maybe the tint glass company fooled something up???
This is the well known window regulator problem. There is a technical service bulliten on this so Honda should fix for free-- under warranty anyway.
My 2006 HCH recently stopped performing auto-stop, then the IMA, battery and warning light came on when I started the car this morning. I took it in to the shop (driving on engine only) and they claimed the motor position sensor was calling for replacement. Then they did a software upgrade (sounds like Microsoft) which they claimed cleared the problem.
Except that tonight the same three lights came on. I restarted my car and the electric motor came back, but the check engine light is staying on. I'll take it in again tomorrow, but they really dont seem to know what they're doing.
Wish me luck!
Kevin in CA
I have had my 2003 HCH for over three years and 40K+ without one complaint. I love this car (and savings on gas) and would be hard pressed to part with it.
To Kevin in CA... take a look at your manual, under auto-stop. There are many instances when it will not cut in, for example, if the fan is on the windshield, etc. Sounds strange, but that's the way it is set up. There are several other things that will prevent the auto-stop from cutting in. I'm learning many things about my 2006 HCH. DRivers window is off track, tires are making a hell of a noise, auto stop has been acting up... the gas mileage has been decreasing continuously, shocks are terrible. Oh well. I never make the same mistake twice.
Peter in Canada
Yes, I am one of the lucky 2006 civic hybrid owners who is not very happy with my mpg. As I see someone has posted that 41mpg is wonderfull here, I do not agree. At best I get 41 mpg. Normally I get 35 mpg. This is not acceptable, considering A relative of mine has a 2002 pontiac Boniville that gets 35 mpg. Boy and that is a full size vehicle. This is not fair that you have to play the lottery with the vehicle you buy. All of these hybrids should be getting the same MPG ie.60 mpg.
I must be one of the many lucky HCH-2 owners. I bought my 06 HCH last May and it has been the sweatest Honda/Acura I've had. So much so that I ordered last week an 07-HCH for my wife too. ;)
Anyhow, if you really want to tap into the fuel economy potential of this car I would suggest you read a few good articles. Making more than 50 mpg is not unusual for many of us who drive a Prius or an Honda Civic Hybrid.
Tarabell's article on the HCH-2
Wayne's article
Please check out the GreenHybrid forums too. There's a very large community of folks who can give you a very realistic baseline of what you can expect from your car.
Cheers;
MSantos
My car is brand new, a week old, and I already have all the problems you are talking about. Engine, IMA, and battery light on, lurchy drive, shaking at stop lights. Major problems. Took car into dealership and they don't know what's wrong and are going to have to call Honda on Monday to replace the battery or something and told me the car would have stopped on me if I had kept driving it. I am already sooooooo disappointed. I had been researching cars for so long and finally chose this one, thinking it would be reliable (last car was a camry -- good solid car but I wanted to be greener) and I'm so frustrated already. I'm in California. Can I get a refund? I just feel like this is only the start of problems. Very disheartening. I wish I'd seen your posts earlier. I wouldn't have bought a Hybrid, or at least not the Civic. argh.
Any suggestions? Who should I talk to?
Would you like post your problem at greenhybrid.com ??? We have a very large community there that may be able to give you good advice.
For now, the best thing is to go back to your Honda dealer and keep pressing for a solution. Fortunately in the US there's the Lemon law which you can evoke.
Cheers;
MSantos
This looks exactly like what I've been seeing for the last 6 weeks. Every Sunday while driving the engine will shudder noticably and the IMA, engine and battery lights will come on while the IMA shuts down. Eventually things will reset and the IMA will start working again if I shut down the car then drive for a short distance. But of course the ODB error codes also clear so and they don't show up at the shop.
I've taken the car to two different Honda dealerships with absolutely no positive results other than a friendly smile as they tell me they can't do anything. They are completely unable to diagnose the problem and have offered no solution. I'll take it in again tomorrow (happened again today like clockwork) and demand something more than another round of "We can't help you".
This has happened to me 3 times in the last week. Each time all three lights come on. After I start the car up again, only the check engine light came on. They say its a motor position sensor error, reset it, and then recaliberate. It works for about 2 days and all three lights come on again. This past time, all three lights came on and I took it to a Honda dealer at 4:40pm. They said they had no technicians to look at it. I said if I turn off the car only the one light will show. Can you please look at it while all three lights are on. They refused. It made me so mad. I am demanding that reseting and recaliberating is not an option this time. They gave me a rental car and we'll see what happens next.
We took it in on monday along with written list of the two previous service attempts and all the previous failures, and got essentially the same run around as before. Then it happened again yesterday so we called and we took it in immediately. They gave us a rental car this time and seemed to take it more seriously. I suspect the HONDA service database at least comes back with hits now.
One or more of the following OBD DTCs seem to show up each time:
P15A5 Motor Current Sensor Curcuit Malfunction
P0A3F Motor Rotor Position Sensor Circuit Malfunction
As well as one in the AC subsystem that I don't have the code for. They believe that it is unrelated but it seems to recur along with the IMA failure.
I'll post more information as I get it.
I get the same P03AF code. The third time I brought it in, they said they replaced a battery module. Picked it up last night and by the next morning, the same three lights are on again. Took it to the dealer for the 4th time now. They say it will be at least a couple days before they give it back to us and they gave us a rental car. Don't know yet what they're going to do.
:confused: I have same issues, around 1000 miles the IMA, battery indicator came up and MIL after some time, the IMA, battery indicator went away when i restarted the car, MIL was on, so took it dealer, they said there is no code stored and reset the MIL, after driving for 40 miles again same problem, this time the dealer said the error code states Rotor sensor malfunction, so changed the Rotor sensor, driven around 50 miles, so far it works fine. will update any issues.
I have had my 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid for 6000 miles and have had ZERO problems. Great car, in fact, my wife likes my car better then hers now. He doesnt want to drive her SUV because of how nice the car is.
I too like the car and enjoy driving it around, but if the i have to the car the dealer every other day :mad: , but i am hoping the Rotor sensor they replaced should solve the problem.
I had the same problem as # 37, at 1800 miles, while driving on the highway all the sudden all these indicator lights came on: Engine, IMA, and battery light on, lurchy drive, shaking at stop lights, stalled: major problems.
The dealership had never seen the problem before, but they called Honda national-- who had them replace a sensor in the transmission-- it took the service guys 5 days to order the part and replace in the sensor in the transmission.
This did the trick and the car is back to normal.
I drive a 2004 Civic Hybrid, which I've been happy with for about 2 and a half years. However, beginning on Xmas 2006, I was having apparently the same problem: Jump in the car in the morning and the thing was completely dead. I had to jump it to get started. EVERYTHING was drained! I took it back to Rock Honda, where I bought it, and they put it on their test equipment and said they could not detect a drain on the system ("but a low 12dc battery could cause this symptom"). Then, after shrugging their collective shoulders, gave me back my car. I replaced the battery, and the problem persisted. I took it back and got the same shrugging. For a while, I would put my battery on a charger every night just to get by. It's now Feb 2, 2007 and I finally got the ear of Rock Honda's Service manager. Under his personal oversight, they found that a relay in the car (somehow related to using the A/C) STICKS! but intermittantly. Overnight, it drew current as if the radio or something was left on. They've replacing the relay and it now passes tests, but time will tell if it solved the problem. I was beginning to worry that I'd fall into the "they never found it" category. Now I have hope.
I drive a 2007 Civic Hybrid that I bought in October of 06. January 2007, I am on the freeway and the IMA light comes on as well as the check engine light and something else that I can't even remember it has been so long. I take it in, they do something to it, said they fixed it. I drive it 40 miles out, it does it again. I take it back in the next day. They tell me they are going to need to get a part in, etc, etc. One month later I am still without my car, waiting for them to "get some parts in." I don't know where they are getting these parts in because even if they are coming from Japan being dragged by whales they should still get here within a month. You know I'm pissed when I honestly wish I would have gotten a Prius.
Hey sorry to hear about your issues. Have you heard about this recall?
http://www.cnbc.com/id/17125764
Perhaps it had to do with your problem? Also have you logged on to the "Owner Link" page in honda.com to check for any recall order and/or service bulletins that may apply to your car?
I don't think you would have been better off with a Prius. They've been in production for 3 years and they had many recalls and they still have some interesting issues left to resolve.
The HCH-II is in its first year and so far it has been a much better than average car.
By the way, I own a 2007 Prius and a 2006 HCH-II. They are both great cars, but neither is perfect - thats for sure.
Cheers;
MSantos
I bought my HCH in October 2006, and have about 5000 miles on it so far. Last Saturday, while driving on the freeway, I got the IMA, battery, and check engine indicator lights (of doom). The car was shaky and later stalled. I took it to the dealer today, and they ran some tests and found nothing wrong. As I was pulling out of the dealership driveway, all the lights came on again and the car died. After seeing the problem first hand, the technicians decided to keep the car and give me a rental.
I have forwarded this thread to my service advisor, and hopefully it will provide some insight.
By the way, I had a 2004 HCH for two and a half years that gave me absolutely no problems. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. :rolleyes:
Even though you purchased it in October 2006, would your car be a 2007 model by any chance? If so you may not be alone on this one.
MSantos
Yes, the car is a 2007 HCH.
I am so thankful for this forum, because the technicians at my Honda dealership were not familiar with this (apparently common) problem. I have owned nothing but Honda's since I was 16 years old, and have not given up hope on the automaker yet. My crappy Pontiac rental car makes me appreciate and miss my car even more, and I hope I can get it back soon.
Thanks again for all of the information you have posted on this site. It's such a relief to see that you're not the only one in a certain situation, and that there is hope in sight.
You are right about not giving up. Our 2006 HCH-2's do no exhibit this problem at all and yet they are not that different (except for some revised items). This Motor position sensor issue on the 2007 models is becoming well known to the larger dealerships and it appears to stem from a subpar sensor batch. Apparently Honda is getting the replacement sensors from a better production process (supplier, indicated by the part markings). Other than this discrepancy, I would say you have a great car well worth your patience. ;)
Cheers;
MSantos
You are familiar with my motor sensor problem but I was wondering where you get your info. You seem to have a wealth of knowledge and now you know about individual parts (thanks for that info on the sensor part by the way) and the production process. Are you a Honda Tech or just a die hard enthusiast ? Since I've been reading these posts when my problem came up, your credibility is very high with what you say and what you know.
ChrisG
Hey ChrisG,
Let's not pressure MSantos to reveal any possiible alter-egos. He's giving us pretty good, candid information, that which, were he an insider with Honda, he probably couldn't get away with. His record shows his credibility already.
I have a 2006 HCH. If I am going up a steep hill and have the car under cruise control, the IMA bascially does not kick in and the car shifts to a lower gear to try to climb the hill...resulting in RPM going up to 4500. If I kick it out of cruise control and go up the hill manually, IMA kicks in and the engine RPM stays around 3000 RPM.
I took it to the dealer and drove another 2006 HCH. It did the same thing. It seems like Honda got a bug in their software. Does anyone have any idea how to get Honda to fix this?
calbear1x:
I don't know if I could call that a fully qualified bug in the software. The software implements a series of CVT ratio profiles that are potentially different when the vehicle in being operated under cruise control. This is by design and has been confirmed by many HCH-2 owners. The IMA assist will participate depending on what these profiles dictate in addition to its on state of operation.
As you noted, what many of us do in order to avoid the harsher profile is to drop out of cruise control when making it up a steep incline. In fact, we are better off doing that in any vehicle (hybrid or not) - You'll find some very good information about this on cleanMPG.com.
However, I have not tested the latest CVT software updates yet and I am trying to acquire the details on what it resolves or improves on. I guess, I'll find that out like everyone else. I do doubt whether this update will change the profile enough to meet your needs though.
Cheers;
MSantos
My 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid got the three-light combo (battery, ima, engine) on Sunday, May 13 under normal driving conditions on the freeway. I saw at least one person mention that this is sometimes related to the AC, and I think I used the AC that day at the selfish interior temperature of 65.
The car has about 7,000 miles on it and is 4 months old. I took it to a Honda dealer the next day, and heard from them a few hours later about the sensor that needed replacement. They ordered the part and declared it "critical" to speed the shipment. The dealership arranged for a free rental during the service. Fortunately they finished the job in 4 days, which sounds fast compared to the experience of some others that have posted here. The codes on my final paperwork are P15A5 and P0A3F.
The transmission fluid was replaced, and I'm wondering if that is normal for this type of service.
My first drive home with the repaired car was great. I sorely missed the familiarity and comfort of my car. I track the mpg of every commute (44-48 miles depending on the exact route) with the trip B counter, and it was a little lower than I hoped, but the wind was stronger than usual and I was probably accelerating faster.
The overall mpg for my car is 45.88. I'm tracking my mileage plus how much gas I add in a Google spreadsheet.
At the beginning of May, I bought me a 2007 HCH. I fell in love with it, and was enjoying everything about it. I took it in on May 18th to get fog lights installed, daytime/night mirrow w/ compass installed and the windows tinted (all done at the dealership). I picked the car up Friday night and everything seemed okay. I got, home, did a few things, then decided to go get something to eat. When I turned on the car, the Check Engine, Check Battery and Check IMA lights came on (the three lights that have been indicated on this post). I called the service tech and he said return to the dealership. I took it in and he checked it out, found two errors, and was able to clear them and I went home.
On Saturday morning, everthing seemed fine again, no lights, but at noon, the lights came on again. I took it back and they said leave it over the weekend so they can check it over on Monday. They gave me a loaner car. On Tuesday, May 22nd they said they needed to replace the Motor Control Module (MCM). They replaced it, but kept getting the same lights. A week later, on Tuesday May 29th, they said they needed to replace the Resolver Sensor (rotor sensor). I was hoping to pick up the car this weekend, but the tool they need to remove and replace the sensor will not be in until Monday/Tuesday.
From reading this thread, it seems that I have the same problem. And I am wondering if once everyone got this issue cleared, what is fully resolved. I have only had this car for now going on 4 weeks. 2 weeks in my possesion and 2 weeks at the dealrship.
Good Morning,
We have enjoyed or Civic for almost a year but it seems to have developed a lack of reserve capacity in the IMA battery. In around town driving I can lose the battery after 5-6 miles of driving and then go through the lack of power and rough power delivery etc. There are no warning lights and the dealer can't find anything wrong.
Has anyone been down this road??
Thanks, Jack
Jack:
Is this a 2006 model?
MSantos
Did you have any further problems? What test did it fail? I would like to show this when I take it in for service.
My wife's 04 is now exhibiting this problem. Since Xmas06 also, her car has outright died twice. Both times she had been driving it, stopped for about an hour to run errand (had flashers on during stop) and came out to a dead car. Flashers still running, not able to start. Indicator showed no bars on the battery.
Now, maybe someone could verify this. I have been told (one dealer) that when running the AC, the IMA battery can discharge due to some "refreshing" of the battery (almost completely drain and then recharge) brought on by the "computer". Anyone here of this??
Another dealer told me that the two batteries in the car are not linked. That the small battery is for accessories and starting and the IMA just for assisting. If that was true, why wouldn't the car start with a dead IMA battery?
Thanks, Mike
The IMA does not run the AC on the 2003-2005 models. It does however indirectly power other downstream devices (for example: such as the blower fan and so on).
He's somewhat correct. However, there are dependencies that forcefully establish an indirect relationship between the two. For instance, the gen1 and gen2 HCH's do not have an alternator that is used to charge the 12 Volt battery. Instead, the charge action comes from the DC-DC IPU module which derives its "power" from the IMA battery. Conversely, the IMA system is initialized with the help of the 12V system which powers it up when you turn the key + ignition.
So let's say that your IMA battery went bad. You would be able to run your car for a while at least until the 12V is left with no charge, why? Because the IMA is likely no longer charging as it is operating in a crippled state. Then, you would either resolve the critical IMA problem to restore things to normal ... or keep limping along by charging the 12 volt battery with an external charger. As you can see, the two voltage systems have a very symbiotic relationship.
Cheers;
MSantos
Let me clarify what I was originally told:
They mentioned that when the A/C was in use while the car was running, the computer could trigger an IMA dump and recharge. They told me it was to keep the IMA healthy. I had originally complained to the dealer that during some trips in the middle of summer (Chicago) that the display would show full, then drop down to only 2 or 3 bars. Then the charging system would kick in (3-4 green bars) until almost fully recharged.
I don't know if it makes a difference, but her Civic is a manual transmission, not an automatic.
This problem seems similar to GordonK's and my mechanic (not the dealer) did mention of intermittent problems with the A/C compressor clutch relay on some regular Civic's. He thought that could be draining the battery(s). He tested the 12V battery and found no problem with it.
Maybe that relay would be one of the downstream device?
Offtopic: Which generation is the 2004 Civic Hybrid?
This process is usually called a "battery re-calibration".
A manual transmission Honda hybrid is often more likely to incur re-calibrations particularly as the battery ages.
Yes, sticking relays do occur now and then and they could conceivably be the cause for persistent current leaks in the 12V subsystem.
The 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid are gen 1. All 2006 and newer are Gen 2.
Cheers;
MSantos
I have the same issue with my 2007 HC. It was wonderful until the temp outside reached 115 degrees. (Phoenix) Now after starting up the car and driving a short distance the battery loses charge completely and the car has no power. I can not merge onto the freeway safely. I took it in for service and they tell me this is common. Well NO THANKS...getting rid of it today.
Sorry to hear about your experiences.
What's your approach to operating the car's air conditioner when it is this hot?
It may sound odd, but the way we operate the air conditioning has a strong effect on how quickly the pack cuts off.
MSantos
I bought my HCH2 in May of 2006. I have appox 30K miles on it. I started it up a couple days ago and it started with the gas engine, so I knew something was wrong there. On the dash the IMA, check engine, and battery lights were all on. I turned it on and off a couple times and go the same result. So I drove it over to the dealer and noticed the electric was not assiting the car in any way (this made it pretty sluggish)
Dealer did some debug and found it to be a bad "W-phase motor current sensor" I have the steps they went through if anyone is interested but they replaced a "PDU assembly" and it seems to drive ok for now.
Hi vor01,
My 06 HAH was taken to the dealer today for problems regarding the IMA light and the check engine lights. Both these lights came on today (the first time). The car has 38000 miles and was bought brand new. According to the warranty, the battery is covered up to 80,000 miles, but the technician told me 36,000 miles. I'm contacting American Honday concerning this issue as this car should not be having these types of problems. Could you please explain to me what was done to repair your hybrid.
Much appreciated
Car : 2004 Civic Hybrid
Miles: 73000
Problem: Car completely dies while driving on D at 50mph no warnng; once shift knob is put on P to restart car, it locks up and cannot be moved.
No previous problems ever.
Was in shop just 1 week before for oil change at Honda dealership. They even told me that the car was perfect condition, no recommendations or anything, all green lights!
2/5 - 11 pm - I had the radio on for about half an hour while waiting for someone. When I tried to turn on the car, it would not start. After 5 minutes o trying, it worked again.
2/7 - 430 am - drove 1 hour from San Diego to Mission Viejo. Arrived fine. Listened to radio for a few minutes while engine off and turned off radio soon after.
630am- The car would not turn start. Thought it was dead battery but ALL lights were working perfectly inside and outside, except lights on dashboard. No clicking when turning key so it's not the starter. I could not shift or move shift knob from "P." It was stuck.
200 pm - Insurance called someone to jump the car. It did not work and the readings showed that battery was perfect. Battery was not the problem. Insurance then called mobile mechanic.
330 pm - This person looked at everything and could not figure out the problem. With the thing was stuck on P, he went in the shift knob and unlocked something in it and it unlocked. The car was able to turn on and work again. We were so happy!
500 pm - Drove to mall across the street. After hours at the mall, we went around Lake Forest/Saddleback looking for a particular place. After 1 hour, we gave up and decided to head home to San Diego.
8 pm - The car died heading west on Bake at 50 mph in center lane. No warning lights or anything just a quick drain of lights from dashboard... everything was draining... slowly... to complete darkness just like a movie. And the car is dead on a full tank of gas. We were lucky to get in into the center median. Once put on P as an attempt to restart, the shift locks again and will not move just as earlier. After 10 minutes of trying, it unlocks and the engine starts up again. We drove it out of the center median right into a nearby parking lot. After opening the hood, the husband says it was really hot in at the part that seems to run between the battery and the IMA engine.
2/8 - 930 am - We drove car to dealership 3 minutes away. Told them how it just shut down and locks up. They have no clue to what we're talking about. Pays $100 to check it out.
2/11 - 515 pm - dealership calls us to say that their checks have turned up nothing, everything is perfect, and to come pick up car. They said they have driven the car several times and have turned up nothing or unable to duplicate what we've stated. Told them to please keep looking. Husband and I have read all the forums and nothing sounds exactly the same. We told dealership to look a relay according to a forum he read about civic hybrids.
2/12 - 120 am - Desperate for answers. Don't want to endanger our lives and our baby ever again.
I will keep documenting to keep ya'lls posted. Appreciate the input.
Jen
Jen:
You are likely to be experiencing a symptom of a poor/intermittent connection, or even a failing solenoid or relay. Has the car ever been in an accident or slight flood? Any other maintenance/servicing or issue that you can recall?
Unfortunately these types of issues require some investigative work on the part of the dealer and without their willingness to troubleshoot it, I suspect you may have much frustration ahead.
I would recommend you visit another dealer that is more willing to listen to you and take the right approach to following the servicing checklists. Yes, they have checklists that will enable them to solve your problem and it is just a matter of them being up to the competency challenge.
I also suggest you document your interactions and iterations with the dealers. Forward these to Honda's corporate office for additional leverage and to create a "paper trail". Things have a magical way of happening when we approach them from multiple angles.
Please keep us informed of your progress.
Cheers and good luck;
MSantos
PROUD OWNER OF 2008 HCH BOUGHT FEB 1ST. TOOK ME SIX MONTHS TO DECIDE ON THIS CAR. WHEN I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT (AFTER ALL THE PAPERWORK FOR BUYING IT HAD BEEN COMPLETED) I NOTICED A SLIGHT HESITATION BUT THOUGHT SINCE THE CAR ONLY HAD 3 MILES ON IT, IT WAS JUST "BREAKING ITSELF IN". 3 WEEKS AND 600 MILES LATER IT STILL HESITATES IN THE MORNINGS WHEN DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL DRIVING AROUND TOWN. NOW I ALSO HAVE NOTICED SEVERAL TIMES THE HESITATION HAPPENING DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AFTER THE CAR HAS WARMED UP. NO LIGHTS HAVE COME ON BUT I'M GETTING CONCERNED READING ALL THESE OTHER POSTS. SHOULD I TAKE IT IN? ALSO DISAPPOINTED ON THE GAS MILEGE SO FAR. ONLY AVERAGING 36MPG.
i drove my 06 hybrid for about a hundred miles in "S" right below "D" drive and didn't seem to notice.. it ate up alot of gas.. Then about 5 days later i noticed the engine malfunction indicator lamp on. i am in the mountains about 400 mi away from home... there are no dealers up here.. is it safe to drive home to a dealer? OR Should i have it looked at immediatly?.. it seems to be running ok. although, my gas mileage average is dropping a lil bit. it is usually 38.7 or 38.8 it has dropped to 38.3 and i have not been driving aggressively at all.. Thanks for your input/advice..
These post seem pretty old so I'm hoping someone can help. I'm off to the dealership tomorrow but would like an idea to my problem before getting there. I have an 06 HCH, my car has been driving fine. My car will be 4 in December with 143,000 miles on it. Never had a problem, but today on my way home my IMA, check engine light, brake system and brake light came on. A green light is flashing next to my D gear and I barely got home. I turned off my car and turned it back on and it wouldn't start, i tried 3 more times and it finally started but keeps trying to die.
I assume at this point I probably need a new battery pack, I may have the oldest original pack of any other 06 HCH owner after reading these other posts. I thought maybe I would get some type of warning that my car needed attention or the battery was dying. I live in California, is this something that will be covered under warranty. I'm a little worried because talking to the service dept at the dealership the guy thought it may be a computer malfunction or something with the alternator causeing the lights to come on. I thought this car didn't have an alternator?
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