Civic Hybrid Battery IMA Problems

I have a 2007 honda civic and is currently having the same problem. The car couldn't maintain 32 mpg while it use to get 40+mpg. Honda doesn't know how to fix it and refuse to address the problem. All the can do is logging the case the passing me around with different people within their customer service department. Let's know if there's a class action lawsuit. I'm in.

Hi to all of you... I have this same EXACT problem and live in KS where it doesn't even get that hot or humid, but still my 2006 hybrid fails whenever it's hot outside and I'm idling at a stoplight. I've had so much trouble with American Honda and the dealership, that I've hired an attorney to help with this, but even he is having trouble with American Honda. My car has been labeled as "irreparable" by Honda but they have not offered to honor the factory warranty that the car is still under nor have the come up with a "fix" to the problem. I've been without my car since early July and have had to drive a loaner. How much money have I lost so far? Only about $25,000. Honda is not the car company they once were. My '98 civic with 150,000 still going strong. Wish they'd get back to what they used to be good at... making dependable cars.

I live in Los Angeles/Riverside, and it gets pretty warm in the summers (high 90's/low 100's). I have about 75k miles on my HCH and it has started to do this as well. I have found that is occurs significantly less when I give the engine a good chance to warm up. In the non-summer months, i almost never have this problem, but that heat is a killer on the battery.

I was thinking about buying a hybrid and decided to do research on battery life. I am sorry to here about the problems you all are having but rest assured I am taking it to heart and will not be buying a Honda hybrid. I hope you are able to get Honda to honor their warranty. Thanks for the heads up.

I bought a used 2003 Civic Hybird that had only 37000 miles on it from a dealer 150 miles from where I live. I took the car into Ed Morse Honda in So Fl for service and had them do the 36000 mile service since I did not know if it had been done. 3000 miles later I noticed my battery would loose 50% of its charge just sitting over night. I took the car back to Ed Morse and 3 days later they had a new battery in my car at no charge. These batteries have an 80,000 mile warranty so any dealer should take care of the problem. I was very pleased.

Sorry to say this but is it a relief to see im not the only one!! My car is a 2003 civic and does the EXACT same things!! i thought i was jus hard on my car! I brought my car to the dealership several times complaining about the problem and they kept telling me they didnt see a problem and NOW THAT IM OUT OF WARRENTY they decide to tell me i need to replace the battery for like $3000?!?!

Ashley:
You did a great job on the video and having your voice heard when against Honda, one of the giant corporations.

I am also a HCH II (2007 Civic Hybrid) owner, and ever since the first day I purchased my car my MPG can never go above 40MPG. I used to blame it on my little aggressive driving behavior (I do tend to accelerate) and my residential location in which you have to drive a few uphills (I know gas consumption is crazy driving uphills). Not until now did I realize that perhaps it is Honda who's to blame? My average is from 32-34MPG after two years of ownership.

One thing worth to notice is that, within few months after I acquired my HCH II, one night I went to pick up my friend from the airport, and on the way home, the car actually became not drivable. What happened was that the engine just revved when pressing the gas but didn't seem to accelerate; instead it was losing power. The car also had some jitter. In the end, I was forced to pull over the car on the highway shoulder, and turned off the engine completely. After waiting a few minutes, I restarted the engine and the problem went away.

That weekend I brought in my car to the nearest dealership for inspection but no problem was found. I felt like a ghost was possessing my car! However, ever since that night, I put around 50k miles more on my car up to today and this engine problem never occurs again.

Overall, the two year ownership of my HCH II has been OK. Besides the "haunting" story I mentioned above and my less-than-advertised-MPG, the only problem I really have with the car is the driver side roll-up window which seems to roll up off track when the car starts up cold (http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/f51/problems-drivers-side-window-goin...) and the window would bounce back and not close. Dealer couldn't find any problem (like always) with it and my work-around is to pound on my window to "realign" the rolling up during the roll-up.

I also believe that Honda never patiently listens to their customer's complaints and concerns, and the only way to catch their attention is to do your homework and present them with legal obligation. I used to own a 99 Accord Coupe and my transmission had this intermittent jitter that could not be diagnosed at the dealerships. Finally I waited for the car to have the transmission problem coming up more and more often and I drove to the dealership to demand the service manager to take the ride with me right away. The manager refused at first until I mentioned about the safety issue and all the possible scenarios if things do go wrong, etc. In the end, Honda replaced the entire transmission under my extended warranty. How long did it take me to fix the problem on my Accord? It took me 60k miles (3 years) of waiting. I encourage you to continue to pursue the justification, and you have m support if you are going for a class action lawsuit. Good luck!

Moto

Interesting comments. I live in Arkansas and own a 2005 HCH. Luckily, I have not had any problems, except the occasional lurches when decelerating. My dealership always tries to push the high dollar service on me. Reading your posts have made me worry about my future battery life. I don't have the money to replace it later, but I do love my car. My mpg has increased to 45, as long as I am not using the AC, but I wonder how long this will last. I also have heard that Honda has discontinued making the HCH, probably due to these problems. I assume the new Insight is taking its place. Guess I need to research other brands of hybrids before I actually need one. Thanks for the heads up.

Umm... Lemon Law? I have a 2008 HCH and it hasn't had any of these problems. I get 500+miles per 10.2 gallons. I live in Washington State and had no problems when it was hot this past summer. This is scary! Thanks for the posts!

There has been a class action suit. Go to www.HCHsettlement.com. They'll give you $1000, but you have to buy another piece of crap from them. I have a 2006 HCH and am getting the runaround from American Honda. You're all lucky. My silver hunk of junk gets 31MPG. I should have kept my Hummer-- it got better mileage. Now, all I got was a hummer from Honda. Pass the word-- RUN FROM HONDA!

I was told the same thing-- heat is bad. So now, when I park the car outside of the mall, I bring an air-conditioned tent and hire a technician to make sure the temp never gets above 75.

Oh my gosh! Every time I mentioned the problems you mentioned above they dismissed it as a problem. As I read all of this I can definately identify with all of it! I am now furious with the lack of concern for my situation and would tell anyone who is looking to buy one not to!!!!

Have 08 HCH problems with battery draining to 1 bar(out of eight) then vehicile acts like a 2 cylinder car and then it almost slingshots you to above the speedlimit. Its like driving a car with the e-brake on. Have repeatetly taken car to honda dealership they say no problems with the hybrid battery. Car has less than 30k on it but we live in west Texas were the heat is a factor. Lots of 100+ degree days. Picked it up from honda dealership were they did a software update, left dealership drained 2 bars in less than a mile. I am a 38 yr old father of 4 girls and I drive like it too, very reserved. I am very dissappointed with this hybrid considering i could have bought a regular civic and maybe added leather and a sunroof. Interested if anymore people in southwest have this problem too? Also I don't like the autostop feature, at a stoplight when autostop is on and ac on vents blow hotter air then if car is actually idleing, no way to turn off autostop so if you want cold air at the stoplight you have to put the car in park, very, very, very annoying. I am in process of finding a good class action lawsuit here in Texas.......SHAME ON HONDA

To All HCH Owners:
Thanks for the warnings. I have a 2006 HCH with 160,000 miles, and have done nothing to date but change the cars oil and tires. I still get 50mpg highway. Had hope to get at least another repair free 150000 miles out of the car. But after reading the posts you have convinced me to trade it in and not press my luck.

I have a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid and before I bought it the sales people and websites touted that the battery was tested to 150,000 miles. Well at 80,500 it went out. Luckily, with the class action lawsuit I received a new battery for free. However, I noticed it wasn't showing a full charge like my original battery did but the dealership said that once driven it will show a full battery. Well here I am 23,000 miles later and the battery has gone out again. Now, I live in VA so it doesn't get extremely cold or hot in fact it was just sitting at the airport parking lot for 4 days when I jumped in and had the IMA, Battery and Engine light come on. They now want $3600 to replace the battery that was only 23,000 miles old. Now that is outrageous. But to top it off, I don't think that will fix the problem, I think due to it not having a full charge the first time and it only lasting a short time both times I seriously thinking Honda is missing something else. I will sell after getting this resolved hopefully in my behalf and then move away from honda and buy another Toyota which I have been very happy with and it has over 100,000 miles with no major or even minor issues. Go Toyota, run from Honda Hybrids.

I have a 2007 HCH I have never got the gas mileage Honda said I would get, I really have not had any other problems, I guess I'm lucky. I do know theirs a special tire that needs to be put on the HCH to get any mileage at all. and this would be city 38 to 40.
Jim

good

I've never achieved great mileage with this car, but averaged about 40 mpg for the first 40K. Since then, my mileage has dropped to about 36 mpg. Every morning my battery drops to 1 bar. I have the extended warranty, but have not reid to have the battery replaced yet. It seems likes I should let it die first.

2003 HCH. IMA battery out at 103,000 miles with the local dealer's (Vidmar Honda Pueblo Colorado) usual 3000 dollar estimate to repair. They did graciously offer to give us $500 trade in for it on a new Honda! The car has always gotten good gas mileage and all charging/discharging indications are good. It's just those pesky codes lighting the IMA and check engine lights. Is there really any legal action being taken against Honda? I've been a loyal Honda fan for years (both cars and bikes) but this is really inexcusable.

Can anyone advise if this is still an issue in the 2010 Civic Hybrid? Or is it too soon to tell?

I'm considering buying a 2010 HCH or a 2010 Prius, and I have to admit, this thread has definitely scared me more than a little bit.

I know the Civic has made an effort to address other issues like the fuel bladder in this year's model. Anyone know if the battery/heat is still an issue.

Hey guys:

I have a 2007 hchII and I have had the "fix" done, yes the hybrid acts differently then before. However just learn to drive it again, I still get 46 mpg, and most of my driving 90% is around town.

Learn to use the "S" and you get much more regen to get the bars back up, and then back to "D".

The HCHII is not for a driver who does not want to take an active
role in the driving experience of a hybrid.

Brian

I bought a used 2004 hch manual transmission 2yrs ago. I now have 134,000 miles on it. 6 months and at least 40,000 miles ago my engine and IMA lights came on and after reset only stay off for about 5-10 mins. Diagnostics by Honda said I needed new catalytic converter and IMA battery replacement at a cost of approx. $4000.000. My diagnostic tool says the same. Software updates have been added by Honda. However, and I feel this is important, The vehicle runs fine. I am averaging 47-49 mpg consistently and there is no indication that my catalytic converter is bad or that my IMA is having a problem. I have to get my car inspected in Tx, now, but it won't pass with engine light on. I have no problem driving like that but the cops are going to get me one day driving with out of state tags for so long.
I'm going to try replacing the O2 sensor and see if that works. Any other suggestions.

We purchased two 09 HCH at the same time. Both have had the drivers window pop out, both fixed under the bulletin. Mine just had the ima light come on after a 15 degree night last week. I took it to the dealer and they did the update. I asked the advisor to explain the update to me and he became very denfensive and down right hostile. I left as they apparently have been instructed to "manage perceptions" about this issue. My mileage has dropped from 39mpg to 31mpg. There is no point in the hybrid system, my 06 Civic got 32!

Ditto to Brian's reply about shifting gears. I discovered this last summer. With the AC on, your battery goes to nothing in a heartbeat if you're driving in "D" around town. Use "S" until you can get at least 4 bars on your batteries before shifting into "D", even on the freeway.

I got my 2009 HCH this April and have not had a problem with it until the last 2 wks.. I have been trying to find out why the battery level indicator is going up and down. I did my own little test and i thought i found out what was using up the battery, but then on another day it was different things. I e- mailed the dealer but he only called once. When i was not home. He could have e-mailed me. So, i guess it's time to call. It only has 12,000 miles on it. It has also gone from having around the middle 40"s in mpgs to , the last fill was 37 mpgs. I hope i am not in the same boat as you all. It will be the last time i get
a Honda . We have 3 in the driveway now. One is a 2004 Civic, i have no problem with.
I also needed a replacement drivers window, about 3 months after i bought it. GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE

I am having the same problem with my 09 hch. Down to 29 mpg but no ima light. dealer won't do a damn thing about it neither will honda. STAY AWAY FROM THIS CAR!!!

Oh geesh - I don't have the IMA light yet, but my check engine light came on and the fuel economy plummeted to 37. I bought my 06 Hybrid in spring of 08 and I got used by the dealership when I bought it and now feel used by Honda. It will be the LAST hybrid and the LAST Honda I ever own. Shame because I had a 93 Civic I loved dearly and when I traded it at more than 100k the only problem was the bad a/c unit. I can't wait to get out of this piece of crap. I want my Grand Caravan back!

Amazingly, the dilemma we are now in was predicted by Admiral Rickover of the nuclear navy back in 1957. Batteries just can't come close to fossil fuels in terms of energy density or durability. The time to begin preparing for a future living in walkable communities powered by atomic fission is now. Amazingly, of all the "green" tech, nuclear is the only thing that will work. James Hansen of NASA, the world expert on global warming, even admits this in his new book.

http://www.energybulletin.net/node/23151

I've got a 2003 HCH with over 200,000 miles on it. I've been driving with a "bad" IMA battery for nearly two years. Basically the battery holds a charge and but will quickly deplete itself under a heavy load. When I bought the car I asked about the batter life and they said it was good for at least 3 - 4 years. I've now run into a more serious problem. Recently the IMA battery failed completely and essentially shut down the IMA system. When this happens there are two issues - 1) The HCH will start wiith the starter motor. When everything is working properly it starts off the IMA battery and the IMA motor. 2) The regular accessory battery is not charging properly below 1200 RPMs. This is because the regular battery charges off the IMA battery through a DC to DC converter (There is no alternator on the HCH). Basically the car is still driveable - it is just severly underpowered because I am not getting the acceleration boost from the IMA system. Also I have to watch the engine speed when the car is idling in traffic and keep the RPMs up so the battery stays charged.

I just got a 2010 HCH, and although i didn't expect to get the 45mpg sticker, i at least expected better than a non-hybrid in terms of MPG. Unfortunately, I am getting 32mpg driving very conservatively, my check engine light came on after a month, along with my IMA light, and the car sounds like the engine is going to pop going anything over 50mph. On top of all this, the dealer won't fix ANYTHING, says these issues are all due to new technology, and just says that they can offer a $500 voucher for a new honda... Why would I get a new honda after this??? THIS IS A NEW HONDA!!! Very very disappointed.. i really want to like this car but paying almost $7k more for a hybrid that gets you the same MPG as a non hybrid with half the power is just ridiculous.

>Unfortunately, I am getting 32mpg driving very conservatively, my check engine light came on after a >month, along with my IMA light, and the car sounds like the engine is going to pop going anything >over 50mph. On top of all this, the dealer won't fix ANYTHING, says these issues are all due to new >technology, and just says that they can offer a $500 voucher for a new honda...

Why won't the dealer fix the car? A check engine light and IMA light are clear indications that it's "broken". If they won't fix it, then you need to contact American Honda to report them, and go to another dealer.

Also, why would they offer a $500 voucher? Your warranty covers problems like this. Cars sometimes break. Even brand new ones. You don't return the car, they fix it.

I just bought a 2007 HCH with 19K, after reading this blog I am questioning my decision to go to a Hybrid by honda. I drove the vehicle home and got 44mpg. It is still under warranty for another 3 weeks. Do I buy the extension? What should I look for or what prevention? Thanks Barry

I purchased my 06 Honda Civic Hybrid in June of 06. Have been extremely happy with it and its mileage from day one (48.3 MPG)56K miles(Tampabay area of Florida). Just normal maintanance until mid Feb 10. IMA light came on. Brought it to the dealer and they stated it was a battery problem and as it was under warranty it wouldn't cost me anything to replace the batteries. Today 3/5/10 had the batteries replaced. Hopefully they will contined to last, but after reading this blog, one has to wonder, is it time to trade before additional problems? Will add to here if any other problems.

> Dealer tells me the storage batteries are deteriorating from the inside.
Do you have the codes that the dealer pulled from the car? From their description, it sounds like a P1433 (or maybe a P1447).

>Do i replace the batteries at $3K? Can't afford not to...What else am i going to drive?
You can repair the battery instead for less. It is made up of 20 sticks of 6 cells each. Not all of them are bad. After testing, the bad ones can be replaced and you'll be up and on your way again without the expense of replacing the entire thing.

This weekend my IMA light went on in my 2005 Civic at a little over 90K – Monday I was told I needed a new battery and it was going to cost me $2378- Back in ‘05 when I bought it I asked the sales guys if the battery would ever need replacing and he said that he’d never known of a case in which a battery had to be replaced, so Monday I tell the service guy that and he said no offense to the sales guy but he doesn’t work in the service dept and that all hybrids, when approching the 100K mark, will need a battery replacement- He also said that my car would completely stop working once the battery goes…Seems like there are a lot of folks out there in the same boat!!!

I recently bought 07 Civic Hybrid with 85k and was given free extended warranty that covers battery pack. I noticed every day the battery will drain to 1 bar in about 5mins of use and will not go into Assist Mode. I am going to make appointment with dealer I bought the car from after reading this.

I am having the same issue with my 2006 HCH. The dealer applied some software updates to the hybrid system after my IMA and engine lights came on. Now i have alot less power and the IMA battery seems to have almost no capacity left. i would be interested in a class action suit also.

shaffer.paul@gmail.com

Don't always jump to get a replacement battery. Mine fixes itself when I make sure that I double click the gas cap. It even talks about that in the owners manual. I wish I understood the connection between gas cap clicks and IMA and battery lights. Does anyone know what the connection is?

Weird, I got the 09 Civic Si, and I'm not having issues. Thats what you get for buying a hybrid. The technology isnt proven, the costs in the long run balance out any money you save at the pump. It's nothing more then a trend that people are aimlessly following without researching. Maybe one day that 25k you lost will help pave the way for something worth buying. I do feel hella bad for you and how honda is sweaping this under the rug. I'll be sure to tell anyone who wants a hybrid to get a prius. Until then, VTEC!

Hi. I was just informed last week that I needed a new IMA battery at the cost of $3000.00 I just turned over 100k. However I had the car in the dealership for 3 times prior, one when I only had 66k miles which they say was the catalytic converter and did a computer upgrade. The other times they didn't even document nor did they explain what the issue was, just that it had an error message and they reset it and I was good to go. Plus I took it in February for a 90k mile svce and had no problems , then in April the IMA and engine light started.

The mileage had dropped from 48 to 38 for the last couple of years and I got noticeably different readings of mpg in the winter vs summer. Even now, there is a variable of about 7+/- mpg of when I go to work in a.m. temp at 75 degrees vs when I come home with a/c in 90+ degrees.

I had read where some people were getting AH to replace the battery for free or paying between $250 and 800.00 which sounds more reasonable. I tried this with American Honda and they offered 10% discount.. I asked how does American Honda pick and choose who gets what. She explained they reviewed my records and saw I had only bought one brand new Honda...and the records did not reflect the visits for engine issues, the fact that we had owned used Honda's didn't count. Also, the lady told me that the battery was just like any other component ie. transmission or engine. Made me furious I told her, I can take my car to any transmission shop and seek out the best price. This I cannot do for the battery issue, she told me "you don't know that"! how rude!! So this is how Honda treats the little guy eh? Well, just like some of you NO MORE HONDA's FOR ME!!!

Did anyone realize that American Honda in 2006 extended the warranties on the older instincts to 10yr/150k miles because of battery issues, check it out. Perhaps we as a group need to raise the issue. They had problems then and they have them now, they are just trying to ignore it. There are way too many people on all kinds of blogs...but we seem to be scattered. I think there should be a major forum for us rather than writing on different websites, so we can get an accurate count of people with HCH battery issues. Oh by the way I too live in a hot climate. TEXAS.

I am too another victim of the IMA/battery problems with my civic hybrid. Two years after i bought it (2006), car would just stall and steering wheel would lock...happened once on the freeway with my daughter...good thing she didn't end up in a accident...brought the car in (at 40K miles) and they said it was a faulty battery which they actually replaced as it was still under warranty. 2 years later the IMA light went on (80k now, but only 40K since 1st battery replacement)...took it for service and they said needed to replace battery which would cost $3000.00!! Notice car will charge and give me full bar for about 10 mins of driving and then would go down to 4 bars...Also when starting car, it sometimes takes a couple of tries to start as it sound as if the battery is dead. I live in SF, CA where weather hardly ever get over 60 degrees so can't blame it on the heat. Dealer said they reported my issue and would get back to me only if company is willing to do something to fix issue...its been over 2 month and followed up twice...same answer...NOTHING! i would also be interested in participating in a class action suit!

Hi Helen,
Thanks for the great info! I found this site because my IMA/Check Engine light went on in my 2004 5 speed HCH last week--and I now have a confirmed diagnosis of the IMA system failing. Car still runs and battery is charging, but not fully all the time.
The dealer's quote was 2$,962.57 installed, including taxes. They said the part itself was just over $2K, so it looks like it may have come down a bit. We haven't contacted Honda yet but we are going to before we get it repaired, as my car only has 88K miles on it! I want to see if they will budge any and go from there. If not, I will just keep driving it until I absolutely have to get it fixed. I will keep the list posted and keep checking back for more info, too!

Hi Helen,
Thanks! I'm in Florida. I have a really good service record with this dealer, too, and it's where I bought the car. They told me the base price for the battery was over $2K, can't remember the exact amount. Labor is just over 200 bucks, which I thought wasn't bad at all. So I'm sure the rest is shipping/markup, etc.
They really should bring the battery price down though, like they have for the Insight, especially if they are interchangeable! We're planning on calling Honda next week--I'll keep you posted! Car still gets 46-48 mpg...

TO: HYBRID-BATTERY-REPAIR.COM...

HOW DO WE CONTACT YOU? WHAT IS YOUR PHONE #??

THANKS

I own a 2007 HCH...have had the driver's side window motor replaced (under warranty), and had to replace the computer electrical harness (astonishingly, due to rodent damage!), which also was covered by warranty.

Last week I encountered the "IMA failure" problem that so many others have described--while driving up steep hills in Seattle. Took the car in to the dealer; they "reprogrammed" several functions (citing Service Bulletin 09-058), and the technician said "test drove vehicle again--verified concern has been resolved."

That sounded reasonable--but today, driving up hills again (not nearly as steep as those involved in the original power failure), it was evident that the power was failing in an identical pattern.

It's time for more than a class action suit (others have cited the HCH Class Action Settlement; it is BOGUS and UNFAIR to owners, who should be made whole [indemnified] by Honda, with zero financial loss).

Toyota got slammed--Honda is going to get slammed. Writers, to your blogs!

My comment above applies to this post by someone named Brian, who made these comments:

"Hey guys:

"I have a 2007 hchII and I have had the "fix" done, yes the hybrid acts differently then before. However just learn to drive it again, I still get 46 mpg, and most of my driving 90% is around town.

"Learn to use the "S" and you get much more regen to get the bars back up, and then back to "D".

"The HCHII is not for a driver who does not want to take an active
role in the driving experience of a hybrid."

Again, my reply: This is a stupid work-around, and the comments about drivers is inane.

If Honda or Toyota refused to fix your Hybrid car's battery problem or if they are out of warranty, Do not worry, we fix your battery for you. Our hybrid batteries save energy 75 - 205% more power than standard battery, and we are reasonable with our fee.

http://www.nwcustomenergies.com/gen%20page7.html

I really wish the IMA light would come on and show a problem. I am being told that "because the computer does not see a problem, there cannot be one."

What a whacked mentality. Because the computer does not see an issue, there is none? Is that what all these software updates have been about? Shutting up the alarms so they have plausible deniability?

I smell a rat.

When I purchased my 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid, I believed that I was getting the ideal car: There was a promise of great gas mileage, and other benefits, were very exciting. However, when I started to have problems, the Service Manager at the Dealership in Albany Georgia, where I purchased the vehicle made it seemed that his superior training on Hybrids made more sense: I said that there was a problem with my battery and he said that it was the IMA. After fighting a long losing battle, I caved in and replaced the IMA. Now, less than two months after the IMA was replaced (almost $1400.00 worth of charges), I am now being told that it is the battery than is at fault and, and I that was to come up with the money to fix this new problem.

Calls to the Customer Relations group was not much help as they tend to listen to the dealership more than the customer and, even though they take their time to get back to you, they offer as llittle assistance as they can. If I could do it again, I would never have bought this vehicle and, as a matter of fact, have no intentions of ever purchasing another Honda in my lifetime.

I wish that had known of the lawsuit, as I would certainly have participated; do you know if another one is being started? Honda has had a great reputation but they appear to have abandoned the principles from which they achieved success.

Again, if you or anyone else hears of a Class Action Suit, please let me know.

Nev. John
nevjohn@msn.com

JULIE, we have an '04 HCH here in AZ, too, and had the emissions testing issue. Have your shop reset the code, and then take it right down for the testing. I think the shop said the code will come back on within about 20 miles or so. It worked for us, and I hope it will for you, too!

EVERYONE, I am trying to verify where the warranty on the IMA was extended to 150,000. I have found definitive info that it was for Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada and Texas for 2001-04 Insights. I have read un-supported reports that it was extended for HCH's in CA and 12 other states.

Does ANYONE have a link to info about the (possible) extension? THANKS!!!

I have a 2007 Civic Hybrid which I purchased new in July of 2007. The car now has just over 20K miles on it. Until this Spring with one exception, the car has given flawless service, the one exception being an incident where the Charge Level Indicator went rapidly from 6 bars to 1 bar and the Assist and Autostop were disabled. This lasted a few moments and did not re-occur until this May. The car was dealer serviced, some software updates performed, and the problem noted into the car's records. This issue is now happening on a daily basis, with no discernible pattern, totally at random. No error codes have been generated and my dealer, in all good faith, I honestly think is as puzzled as I am. The problem is that whereas the car as given a rock solid 40-41 MPG in combined driving until this spring, it is now down to 38 MPG cumulative and current tanks are averaging 32 MPG. The scariest part is the thought of pulling out to make a pass and having no assist; this car will just about not pass anything else without the assist functioning.

Anyone have any thoughts or suggestions. The car is going back to the dealer next week ( they are giving me a loaner) and the Service Manager is going to drive it himself to see if he can make it misbehave.

Thanks in advance.

I have a 2003 model and I have the same issues with the IMA battery! Of course I bought mine used and don't qualify for the current class action. Not that I would reinvest in a Honda anyhow but, My repair man which seems to be more knowledgeable then the Honda dealership did say that it has a problem with the trunk getting too hot and that Honda recommends that the car not be painted in a spray booth that reaches OVER 150 degrees.. So in the hot sun our cars bake and internally the trunk has a very easy time reaching that temp if not higher which shows the depletion in the battery. My dealer told me I needed a a/c compressor for $814 but, no promise that it would fix the problem. I have a standard and appear to still be getting my 44mpg which is what I was getting from the beginning (I was under the impression that it was supposed to be more than that) I am screwed as my trade in value is bare min. since my husband backed into our basketball hoop and completely dented my rear bumper. So I am trying to cope and deal someone email me if they find a solution... (There is a fan behind the right side of the trunks panels mine is working are yours?)

Problems with the IMA battery draining could be due to faulty AC Relay Switch - on the surface it does not appear to be logical but does appear to be a real problem. See the posts on the following link:

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f145abe

The problem is difficult to diagnose but the beauty is it is a cheap fix. I corrected my problem by replace the relay for $10/

After the IMA battery died, can the Civic Hybrid run on the regular battery? Does the IMA battery have to be replaced?

I have a 2007 HCH that I bought in march 2007. It worked great until it got to around 30k miles. I was getting 50 mpg. Then suddenly it started having battery problems where the battery would drain completely in like 5-10 seconds. I have brought this to my dealer and left the vehicle with them for several days most times. I've brought it in like 6 times for this issue. I also had the window motor issue. They told me this was completely normal and that they all do this. They did apply some software fixes, which none of which help. Now i have 95k miles on it, and the battery discharges completely everyday usually, but I have never had an IMA light come on.

Has anyone thought about trying to get bring this to the media's attention?

Mel, I have a 2006 HCH that I purchased in 6/06. I have 72,000 miles on in, live in NY, & the IMA light came on this morning! I was told 8 years as well! I am bringing it to Honda tomorrow morning but based on this thread, I suspect bad news :(. Ironic because when I purchased the car, I got a $3,000 tax credit...same cost as the new battery will be! ugh

My 2006 HCH does the same thing, however i have found that if i turn on my car and let it run for a minute or so. it doesn't have this problem. i got mine in 2006 and haven't had a problem until 2010. and it only was in the summer. a hot summer. it also helped if i didnt floor the gas pedal to drive, but if i gradually sped up to drive. definately takes some patience haha also, I have heard that your gas mileage does drop after a few years of driving a hybrid. was never sure if this was a myth or fact. hope my tricks work for you. :)

I have a 2003 HCH and have had issues with the catalytic converter that needed to be replaced about a year back and now the problem has reoccured and the dealer refused to fix it without charge.

Not just that, now the IMA battery light came on. To fix that problem, Honda is charging a minimum of $3K.

Honda is a cheat of a third class company. Anyone who asks me, I tell them that this is a piece of c__p organization. I am actively spreading by word of mouth and blog that this company is full of s__t! Tell everyone that Honda is a ripoff artist and don't honor commitments. This company needs to be dealt with more extremely than Toyota! Wonder how they have gotten away with it so far!! It is high time they got it up the a__ like what they have been doing to customers!!!

Boycott this company's products! There are many new models from other manufacturers including some great Hybrids and Electrics. Avoid Honda completely!

I also have a 2003 HCH, with 162,000 on it. I had the exact same problem happen. Battery lite, engine light and IMA went off at once. IMA was not functioning. Your explanation of the starting/charging system is spot on.
Fortunately, my Honda dealer was able to install a new IMA fuse, and it has not acted up since. It's been 3 days and about 400 miles so far, and its running back great.

I just want to update my story that I started a few messages above. After driving my car for about 5 days, my dealer's Service Manager concluded that the software updates had not solved the problem ( I don't know that I have the very latest-- I got the same call as Timothy did right after I got home with the car) and despite the fact that the IMA light had never come on, that the IMA battery was failing and that they would replace it under warranty. This was done and at first glance the car is driving just as it did when it was new. Hopefully this will continue.

Had no problems or arguments with my dealer at all; their customer service could not have been better and it was clear that I was listened to and the problem taken seriously. I do appreciate them.

Since my car is a low mileage car ( 20K miles) I have to wonder if, 1) this is fundamentally a time-in-service issue rather than one of mileage and use. And, 2) if perhaps, some batteries are simply more equal than others.........

I have a 2007 HCH and have had the same battery problem as everyone else, it depletes quickly and my mpg's have been going down. Just got the letter from Honda regarding software update. Be curious to see if this does anything. Seems like my mileage will have to get worse as the engine will be running more.

I too received this letter. A couple weeks back I noticed my 2008 HCH batteries charging and discharging erratically. I had brought it in to the dealer and he notified me that it needed a software update. After this software update I have noticed no improvement in performance. The batteries continue to charge and discharge erratically. In one half hour period of stop and go commuting on my way to work the battery charge will sometimes drop to 1 bar and at some later point reach 3/4 charge. Acceleration response is erratic, I either get the assist or I don't regardless of the level of charge on the battery. In a couple cases it seemed as if the car did not want to accelerate from a stopped position. This has put me in a dangerous situation more than once when trying to cross an intersection. Another interesting observation is that when I accelerate I expect to see the MPG status indicator to peg somewhere around 100 percent (or close to it) without Assist, instead it indicates close to zero. So how is it that the IMA batteries (@ 40-50 % charge) are assisting with engine acceleration if Assist indicator has no bars? This is telling me either the software patch isn't working or the batteries are failing or both. My fuel efficiency has not improved and instead I am seeing less MPG. I too am interested in a class action suit against Honda. Stephan, I will join you.

Stephen,

Couldn't agree more with your comments. I have a 2006 civic hybrid and pretty much average 36mpg in the last 4 years. While I like the vehicle, the advertized mpg was not honest, and the recent letter I got telling me to do the software 'upgrade' is icing on the cake... I don't see at all how this upgrade is in our interests at all, instead it is 100% in Honda's interest since they know they have defective product. They admit in the letter that the 'battery may deteriorate and eventually fail before its noraml usable life is reached.' So we basically have to choose between 'normal battery life' and the current mpg we get. They need to live up to their end of the bargin by either comping us for a battery replacement or gas costs.

Please do keep us posted if you move forward on a class action.

James

Just talked to American Honda customer service they cant do anything.. they are asking me to talk to dealer but the dealer asked me to call the customer service and ask them whats what!?!?!? THIS IS RIDICULOUS!

I have a 2006 with 125,000 miles on it and get 50-52 MPG and have never had this problem. I got the letter and my dealer said it doesn't apply to my car...i think he's wrong, but I intend to ignore it unless a problem arises. The letter says the upgrade is good tilll 2013...seems odd.

I have taken my car to the dealer twice about this issue - first time they told me "no problem" it will re-charge. Second time I was nearly killed trying to merge onto the highway because really you could peddle quicker when the IMA is not working. It is dangerous.

Then last week I received a letter that seem to indicate two things that look like huge lawsuits - one the heat is destroying the battery and secondly, the car's software update will ultimately have to affect mileage because the car's engine restarts sooner. Mine did not today - I noticed that the "level bars" did not stay longer in the middle - instead it seemed to drain as it always did leaving me with no power, two tiny bars and my mileage has dropped below 30 MPG since I picked the car back up (this is start and stop driving). The car showed a fully charged (less one bar) when I got in - went two miles or less and poof the bars are gone. What exactly did this software update do?

And here's the great thing - the technician today tried to sell me an extended warranty for 1600-2500 dollars. Sorry I am not buying anything to cover this car. I will sue first and sure hope someone does. I hate lawsuits but I have been to the dealer about this and they ignored me which could have resulted in a horrid accident.

Regarding the window issue, that is a known problem and mine was fixed for free. I am holding onto my letter and my work order from today. I hope someone does something and I too question why Honda is not being called to task for this. In face, the letter does not even call this a "recall," though the Honda dealer did.

Honda to Fix Battery Software in 90,000 Civic Hybrids
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-08-10/honda-to-fix-battery-softwar...
--------------------------------------------------------------
Honda to fix software flaw that affects battery life on Civic Hybrid
http://green.autoblog.com/2010/08/12/honda-to-fix-software-flaw-that-aff...

How old was the car when you had the battery pack changed? I have an insight 200 vintage and didn't have any trouble getting mine replaced at 113,000 miles, they used to only do the southern states, but changed it later to nationwide coverage. I was going to buy a used civic, but now I'm having second thoughts!

I took my 2007 HCH with 38000 miles to the dealer for the software udate a week ago. Prior to the update I had no problems or complaints with my car. I loved it. Just the right combination of mileage, 41 mpg avg with adequate power. After this update my mileage has dropped to 35.5 avg with a noticeable loss of power. Basically, the update has placed more burden on the very small gas engine to power the vehicle with much less assist from the electric motor than before the update. Battery does not charge as high a level as before and rarely drops the batter below 4 bars. At 4 bars the electric assist is unpredictable, sometime working and sometimes stopping the assist at the worst times, like in the middle of passing or on a highway on ramp. Try getting up to speed on a highway on ramp with the small gas motor. Won't happen without the assist. To me, a safety hazard. When the battery does drop to 3 bars the assist will not engage at all and the auto stop does not work. The electric assist function would work fully down to, but not including 1 bar prior to the update. I don't like my car anymore and my wife is now afraid to drive it, thanks to Hondas battery saving update. Honda has turned my HCH into a standard under powered Civic. I paid an extra $5000. for the hybrid feature. I go back to the dealer next week for the third time for them to road test it per Hondas request. Dealer has forwarned me that he will only road test it, take notes and report his finding back to Honda. If I could do it over I would not allow the dealer to put in the software update. Nothing good will come from it except, Honda will extend the battery life until the warranty expires and you will have to pay for the inadequate battery setup replacement!!

Fix for Civic hybrids' dying batteries may hurt gas mileage, acceleration
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-honda-20100815,0,1088581.story
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2006 Honda Civic Hybrid
Battery Failure
http://www.carcomplaints.com/Honda/Civic_Hybrid/2006/electrical/battery_...
=================

I have a 2006 Civic Hybrid. I have noticed a very strange whirring noise now - seems to be coming from the battery. I had the software updated on TUesday but it was in the shop to be repaired for an accident I was in, so I cant determine whether the noise is from the battery or as a result of something not being fixed after the accident. Almost sounds like a helicopter going overhead. Has anyone else had this - please let me know as the garage have said they cant find anything wrong with it.

Have a 2006 Civic Hybrid with 58,000 miles. Have had a problem with the electric motor assist system for the last 8,000 miles. Have taken hybrid into local Honda dealer three times and have had the latest upgrade but the IMA motor still cuts out early and many times doesn't kick in at all making for miserable driving. I was told that American Honda is aware of the problem but does not have a fix at this time. Honda Repair Rep was very abrupt with me today. Anyone with similar problem?

Just to update my experience and add to the discussion, if you notice my posts above, I have a 2007 HCH with 20K on it. Beginning in May of this year I began to experience the same sort of battery fluctuations and associated issues as a number of other users have posted. At the end of July, my dealer agreed with me that the car was not correct and they changed the IMA battery and performed the latest software updates at the same time. Since that time, I have had no battery charge fluctuation issues, the battery does seem to charge properly, etc. HOWEVER, I am now noticing that the assist is much less effective, the engine is turning more revs, and consequently the gas mileage is significantly lower. I have about reached the conclusion that Honda has made a conscious decision to extend the battery life by reducing the demands and effectiveness of the IMA system in general. Apparently Honda is willing to accept the loss of performance and fuel economy in order to decrease battery failures and replacements.

I am now at the point of asking how much longer do I want to drive the hybrid, given the current economy and performance; if this car had performed like this when I was considering it, I would have never bought it.

At present, I would like to keep the car until I can asses it with out the A/C running, see if Honda issues another software update ( my bet is that they will, whether it will resolve the issues remains an open question), and then try to make an informed decision. Right now, my Wife's Fit actually drives better than my Civic and doesn't get all that much less mileage.......

Not what I expected or signed on the line for, that's for sure.

Will keep reading and posting.

I agree with everything you have said. I took my car in right after receiving the update notice hoping that this would be the thing that would change how my car performed since I would be driving along and suddenly drop to 1 or 2 bars on the battery. Instead, the problem is worse. The engine is sluggish and has no pickup. I have come to the same conclusion that Honda would prefer that we all deal with sluggish operation of the engine in order to save the battery. My mpg is down to around 35 mpg. I could do that well with any small car and wouldn't have needed to pay the additional money to purchase a hybrid.

Have my car into the dealer right now as a follow up though I'm not expecting anything to change!

I'm in for any class action suit. I just got screwed getting spark plugs changed at a cost 0f $45.00 per plug. Needless to say I am expecting to get really screwed over my IMA battery, I drive a 06 civic hybrid with 98,000+ miles.

We have the exact same problem with a 2007 HCH. We have never obtained higher than 37 MPG and generally average around 31MPG. Now the IMA light is on. These hybrids are complete garbage. Tell everyone you know not to buy a Honda!

I have a 2007 Honda Hybrid Civic. I got the recall notice at the same time I needed to bring the car in for service. No knowing the end result of having this software update, I had it done to find that since that update, my car has fallen from getting 40 to 41 MPG to 33 to 34 MPG. My daily driving routine is the same and I, since the day I got the car, have used the gauges to get the maximum efficiency of this car. That is why I bought it.

I called Honda Care today and got blown off. I was insulted when I was told that I need to relearn how to drive the car. No one showed me in the beginning how to get 40 MPG out of this car. I am not stupid and do not like being treated like I am. They went on to say that they have done everything correctly and that basically my car does not have a problem. The problem is me.

Someone, please let me know where I can go with this. All I want is my car back to where it was. I only see them trying to prolong the life of the battery to their advantage and to my disadvantage. If I wanted a car that does 33 MPG, I would have not bought this one.

Got the software update on 8/28. Have to say my mileage went up from 40mpg to 44-45mpg. Can't complain. Still wish I knew about the tire thing though, I'd be getting 50mpg had I known.

WE'll, I wouldn't drive your care with the A/C off. You are making the problem worse. The IMA and battery need to be kept cool. So whenever you are charging or using the assist, it generates a lot of head. So you ALWAYS should have your A/C on auto.

Joe wrote, 2 days back:

"WE'll, I wouldn't drive your care with the A/C off. You are making the problem worse. The IMA and battery need to be kept cool. So whenever you are charging or using the assist, it generates a lot of head. So you ALWAYS should have your A/C on auto."

I'm not buying that.

We actually drive a lot of the time with the entire vent system off: just crack or roll down the windows. And with the vent system we will not use AC unless it is warranted, either for demisting, or oppresive heat. And the latter only on extended trips. For short runs in stop-and-go traffic AC is hardly worthwhile, IMHO.

I do make a point of running it maybe monthly, to circulate it's oil within the system, but there's no way constant AC use is a necessity to preserve the IMA battery.

"(I believe that the trunk lid was left open slightly draining both the IMA and car batteries)"

Honda does not even provide an on/off switch on the trunk light. We've had that issue. My solution: disconnect the power to that light. I also leave the dome light switched off: one door left ajar will also drain the puny 12 volt overnight.

Another thing I've done is invest in a CTEK 3300 "intelligent" charger, which I hook up to the 12 volt periodically.

Yet another data point or two. I have a 2007 Civic Hybrid with aprx 43,000 miles. I had never experienced any problems with the IMA and was getting around 43mpg, running grippy all-season tires. When new, I routinely got 48-50mpg, only in the summer, and with the original low rolling resistance tires. Those tires cupped out at 15,000 miles, prompting a tire change. I live in upstate NY where it seldom gets very hot. I rarely use the AC and 90% of my driving are highway miles.

A few weeks ago I got the IMA upgrade letter from Honda and since I needed to get the oil changed I made an appointment to have the both services done. I am very sorry I had the upgrade performed! The car is seriously under powered now. I've been scared several times when the acceleration I was used to was gone, putting me in harms way. This car is no longer the one I originally bought and loved!

I called my dealer and made another appt. top have the car looked at. After 2.5 days in the shop the verdict came back. My car is fine and the upgrade ("snapshots" of the upgrade were sent to Honda Service) was correct. I requested that they restore the original programming but my local dealer said they don't have that program, that all programing is done through Honda Service. Honda Service is not willing to restore the original programming. I am totally dissatisfied with this result and do not know what, if any, recourse I have. I'm waiting to hear from the regional Honda rep but have very little confidence that the situation will be resolved. It seems clear to me that Honda Corp. is bent on taking a very unethical way to deal with the IMA issue.

Who did you have the extended warranty with? I just went in with a 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid and the warranty company said the IMA was not covered.

Anyone else have that issue?

There was a driver side window recall (I believe) that addressed this problem. I have a 2007 HC hybrid that had the same problem. I brought it to the dealer and they fixed it for free.

08 HCH here. Got the software update, my assist only kicks in about 20% of the time. Merging on to highways, going up hills I have no assiste. Real safety concerns here. I registered my issue with the National Hwy traffic safety admin. www.nhtsa.gov I suggest everyone do it.

We've got an '06, got the update. I'm not seeing a significant difference in degree of assist, since the update. If anything it seems more eager to go to EV mode, too much so, IMO.

What I am seeing is change in the behaviours at various states of charge, and maybe some change in the coping behaviours as well, ie: how it does recalibraitions.

Actually, I just had a 12V battery die in my 2004 HCH, and while I managed to pop the clutch and get it moving, it behaved just like your car did, and I eventually just parked it until AAA could change the battery.

I think what happened was that the computer was not getting enough power from the dead 12V battery, and the car got confused. It *thought* the electric motor was assisting when in reality it was only the gas engine that was producing power. The result is that when you were at a stop and you tried to accelerate it wouldn't really go. If you took your foot off the gas, it would accelerate slowly and as it did, you could add more gas gradually and eventually get moving. But if you were stopped going up hill, you were screwed.

I will never buy a hybrid again nor a honda. im having the same problems with mine. hondas are great cars, hybrids not so great. but because of my problem with my hybrid i will stay away from honda.

I have the same problem with the auto start function after letting off of the brake with my '08 HCH. I've reported it multiple times to my dealer. One thing I have noticed is that it only seems to happen at night. I can't figure why that is, but it doesn't happen during the day. The times that it stalls on the auto start are after I've driven the 25 miles home from work, and then go back out after dark. It very consistently happens under these circumstances.

Another bit of info around my trouble with the auto start... it only started happening after I was rear ended about 8 months ago. I had the repairs completed by my Honda Dealer's authorized body shop.

I live in the extreme heat of Arizona, and have experienced the same issues with the battery that others have complained about, but only in the last 8 months has this started to occur, and of course it never does when I have it in at the dealer.

My 06 civic hybrid showed battery deterioration at 20k miles. Just got the update and th IMA still doesn't significantly assist. Acceleration is dangerously slow. The dealer (Perfection Honda, Albuquerque, NM) won't do anything. They won't even reveal the IMA error codes. Is there a class action suit yet?

In May of 2009 we leased a new HCH for my wife to use as her commuter vehicle. In March of 2010 with less than 15,000 miles on the vehicle my wife was about mid way into her 40 mile commute when she lost all power to the car. Engine, electric, everything. She was able to pull the car off to the shoulder of the road and called the dealer where we leased the vehicle, Honda Motorwerks in La Crosse, WI. They told her to let the car sit for about 15 minutes and try starting it again. She did, and was able to get the car home.
The next morning the Honda dealer took the car for two days. The end result was them telling us that there was "nothing they noticed" wrong with the car. A week later she lost acceleration several times and the IMA light came on. Again the car was dropped with Honda and again they told us that there was nothing wrong with the car and that it accelerates just fine. Throughout this process our mpg's have dropped from the upper 40's to mid 30's.
Twice in August we lost acceleration, the IMA light came on, and the interior dash and dome lights randomly flashed. We were told that one of the batteries was "acting up" and that it had been fixed.
Today, at just over 24k miles, we brought the car in again because the AutoStop function of the hybrid system quit working. Again, we were told that nothing was wrong and that the AutoStop worked fine for them. We both know that it was not working properly.
Something is fishy here. I am convinced that after 6 times of having this car into the dealer something is significantly wrong with the hybrid systems in these cars and that the service departments are being instructed to ignore and deceive the customer. Its a horrible feeling knowing that you are driving a car that you know something is wrong with and the company you purchased it from is more concerned with covering the problem up than fixing it. Look at how many of us have experienced very similar problems! It isn't a coincidence. Honda is lying to us, period.
We will never, ever do business with Honda again. Stay away from these vehicles and all Honda products.

I saw your post and am wondering what I can do. My running operating battery died and the IMA light is permanently on. The dealer says the IMA system and the running battery must be replaced at some ridiculous price. Can I just drive the car without the running battery? I have heard that it will drain the battery that starts the car because this car has no alternator. Is that true. I would love to hear what you have to say.

JIm

"Would replacing the IMA solve the issue"

Not sure what you mean by that: replace the IMA battery again?

As long as the not waking up after Auto-Stop is easily demonstrated, ie: as long as it happening predictably, there should be no problem, as this sort of thing is warrantied, just take it in to your dealership, and go for a demonstration drive with a mechanic.

Regarding your need to shift to Low to get it out of AutoStop, here's a couple of quotes from the Service Manual, for "Engine restart conditions":

"When the brake pedal is released."

"When the select lever is set in the neutral to R, or L position."

The second is a poorly drafted statement, but I think the gist is that shifting the CVT to Low will force the engine to restart.

Anyway, my guess would be that there's something wrong with the communication between IMA control system and the brake pedal, but again: this is warrantied territory, the dealer should deal with it. It could also be somehow related to the battery replacement: either they left something disconnected, or there's some "relearn" procedure they neglected?

Back to the dealer ;)

Yes, keep in touch.

Did your battery replacement happen without a fight? Did you have IMA and/or engine lights on? Was there evidence of battery failure: frequent recalibrations for instance?

It seems a lot HCHII owners with failing batteries have to really battle for replacement.

You should call Honda, if your car is under 80k there is an emission law warranty for the IMA and engine and they should replace it for free.

Have '03 HCH, bought new in Aug. '02. Car has been great; excellent mileage, often exceeding EPA rating without hyper-mileage tricks, but we drive more sensibly then we've seen many of our fellow motorists. If you're getting horrible mileage, and nothing else is wrong (like stuck hand brake, low tire pressure), you can't expect to go 70 - 75 mph or higher, do jack-rabbit starts, screech to a stop at red lights, and get good mileage. But, not to dwell on that, we have experienced two incidents over last 2 years of car not starting after running fine up to a normal shut-off. After waiting a few minutes, it restarts and shows IMA battery gauge with only 1 or 2 bars. But after reasonable driving time, it becomes fully charged and no further problems. Both events around this time of year. Most recently earlier this eve. - mild temps - in situation where we stopped the car and applied flashers, after a few minutes, the flashers were dim and the car wouldn't start. Can't believe flashers would drain either 12v or IMA batter in only a few minutes. Called AAA; but 12 v. battery was okay - shouldn't that have re-started the car? I understood there was a "backup" starter motor (as on regular gas powered cars) hooked to the 12v in case IMA battery is too low, but that didn't "kick in" on either occasion. I've read a lot of the comments here. We live in NH, have used A/C; don't seem to have any other of the issues most writers here have experienced. Don't understand it. Could fault be in the computer? Esp. if checkup finds nothing else wrong. New technology is always fraught with some potential for problems; but Honda Hybrid system has been in use since, what, late 90's?(with original Insight) so it's not "new". Something else is going on to cause the problems described herein.

toyota hybrids have the same problem we need to get together and do a class action

REPROGRAMMING SCAM - The Auto Companies have realized that the Hybrid Battery may not last the warranty and have reprogramed the vehicles to run the engine longer &/or at higher rpms so the hybrid battery will last through the warranty period. My 08 Tahoe Hybrid went from 21-25mpg to 16-20 after getting reprogrammed and our 08 Honda Civic Hybrid went from a consistant 47+ avg mpg to 40mpg at best on the same daily trips to work. It's a scam that we paid for an auto to get great mileage, which they did get great mpg prior to a reprogram. The Auto Companies are reprogramming our hybrids to save the company money instead of standing behind the warranty to replace battries that don't last and lower our mileage to much less than advertised.

I purchased a battery replacement from Hybrid-Battery-Repair.com in August. The battery was sent and delivered quickly, but I could not get the battery to be recognized by my vehicle. I sent it back and it was eventually sent back to me, but again the replacement did not work. For the last month, I have had very little communication from Ron Hansen who owns the company. I don't think this would be considered good customer service at all.

Hi there - I just wanted to post my experience, because all of these forums were so helpful, when I was trying to figure out if my IMA battery was covered.

I am a 2005 HCH owner, in the state of CA. My car has 98K miles on it, and the IMA light came on the other day. I took it to our local dealer to get the diagonistic test. It came back with a failing IMA code, and was told my IMA battery would need to be replaced for about $3k.

Now I am in the state of CA, and my car is certified PZEV and SLUV (Tier II). Therefore, my IMA battery should be under warranty until 10/150,000. The dealer tried to convince me that I was wrong, my battery was NOT covered, and my car was ULUV only and did not meet the state requirements.

I had a pretty good feeling that they weren't being upfront with me, so I contacted Honda America. The customer service rep I talked to was very vague, but said there was absolutely nothing in her records (based on VIN) that would tell me whether my car was covered.

So since neither Honda entity was going to help me, I did some reseach on my own, and determined that my car was indeed covered.

I called Honda America back again, and my complaint was escalated to a "case manager". He immediately tried to convince me that, yes my car was PZEV, but based on my VIN it was not covered. He said that even though my car was certified PZEV in the state of CA, it really didn't matter. Some cars were covered, some were not, and it was all based on VIN and some info he had in his database. He then goes on to say, "your car is NOT covered, but Honda wants to keep you happy, so would you be satisfied with Honda covering half of the $3k?" Heck, no - they should cover it all. By law.

After talking to two California state departments (Bureau of Auto Repair, and CARB) they encouraged me to file a complaint, because what Honda America (and the dealership) was saying was not true, and they felt I was being duped.

I called back my case manager, and requested my denial of coverage in writing, along with any support he had based on my VIN and the Honda database. My husband followed up with a call, basically saying that we knew my car was covered, and we weren't going to go away.

Literally, an hour later, I got a call from the dealership saying my IMA battery would be replaced for free.

I wanted to share my experience ASAP, because I feel that this a shady tactic from the top of the company, down. If we hadn't been persistent, and had just trusted Honda, we would be out $3k. I believe that Honda is most likely pulling this scam on a lot of people, and I wanted to tell people to talk to your state board, and stay on them. Don't believe everything they tell you. And if this has happened to you, please feel free to contact me. I think it's time to shine light on this bad business practice

I was looking at getting a 03 HcH with 88,000 miles on it. After reading about the bad battery life, would this be a bad idea? How long does the battery really last?

I live in Los Angeles/Riverside, and it gets pretty warm in the summers (high 90's/low 100's). I have about 75k miles on my HCH and it has started to do this as well. I have found that is occurs significantly less when I give the engine a good chance to warm up. In the non-summer months, i almost never have this problem, but that heat is a killer on the battery.

I have a 2004 HCH - and have loved it. For the life of my car - 75,000 miles I have had 50.7 mpg! On mostly interstate driving mixed with minimal city driving, I get 52-53, and about 48 if all in-town. Suddenly it has dropped and then after a while the IMA light came on. I called the dealer immediately and they instantly agreed to replace it - no charge/under warranty. I won't know till I get it, but I expect my mileage to go back to or above 50mpg. I am 17 miles each way (to and from) work every day, plus all my personal driving, and I just need to buy gas every 3 weeks! I have loved that... though I think an Accord is a much better car, the savings I've had and the pride at getting over 50mpg for the past almost 7 years has been worth driving the lower class Civic!

Hi all,
Thanks for your post.
I bought a 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid day (which was sold in mid 2002) before yesterday from a non-Honda dealer in Colorado. It has 130,300 miles and clean title and record. I payed good price according to kbb (Paid $5200+taxes).
Being a first time Hybrid user, I was very happy to buy eco-friendly car.
I noticed at the IMA and Engine light on today and started researching on this. The best advice I found was take it to the Honda dealer which I did.
With a service fee, they ran a code reader and came back with a IMA battery replacement answer. It cost around $3000 to $4000.

I called Honda and asked them whether they can help on this problem and what are my options. The answer was negative because:
a) car had more than 80k miles, or more than 8 yr old
b) car bought from nonHonda dealer.

They can't do anything. Even if I put new battery, there is only 36k mile warranty. The total cost for this car would be in two days-- about $9k already. Can you imagine??

Folks I am already unhappy with HCH. I don't know my options. I tried to reach to my dealer but he does not appear to help as he sold the car as is-no warranty.

Note: I had been a loyal Toyota Camry owner for long time and somehow I felt that 'lets be eco-friendly' and bought this one.

Looks like, I won't suggest anybody to buy Honda hybrid cars anymore.

I think Honda should come forward and make a policy decision that --either they won't manufacture such cars or they bring the cost of battery down so that it becomes affordable to replace and also carry substantial warranty.

People describing good stories about HONDA...really? Suddenly becomes in believable. After my interaction with their customer service, their authorized dealer and my hybrid car itself ...

The trade in value for my car (after 2 days of usage) now is $1500-2500. Basically I loose 50% value right away....

Honda Hybrid sucks big way....Never buy Honda Hybrid cars please !!!

Was doing some research and found this blog, I have a 2006 HCH which I purchased used from a Honda Dealer on 10/01/2010, worked pretty well, got 40 to 41 MPG on the freeway but did really bad in land (weird?) right now its got 90,000+ miles, anyway today I was driving and the IMA and check engine light went on but assist was still working, when I got to my destination I turned the car off and restarted it and only got the check engine light, whew I thought to myself, drove it and didn't seem to have any lost of power, but after reading the posts here I am really worried, I live in CA (L.A.) where supposedly the IMA/Batt is covered till 150,000 miles I also got the extended Honda Care which runs 2 years 24,000 miles, but looks like Honda Motor Company will not honor anything (judging by past experiences here), so I'll find out tomorrow what will happen when I bring it to the dealership tomorrow (12/27/10), but I am not counting on any good news, will post the info that I get, Thanks for this Blog, informative to HCH owners....

You all may think I am nuts, but I bought a 2008 HCH last week with 45k on it for about $13.5k. Unit has 6 years left on the battery warranty and about 3 yrs / 15k miles left on the drivetrain warranty. I am a low mile driver (about 5k) a year. I lucked out as the "flash upgrade" had NOT been done. I will insist that the dealer not do it if the unit goes in. (The dealers seem to know what is up as they indicate that Honda is not trying to mandate the "fix", which they freely admit puts more pressure on the 85hp gas motor and less on the electric one). Frankly if they change it without my knowledge, I will explain what "conversion" means to them. At any rate, having owned a 2000 Toyota Sienna for 10 years (a vehicle with a noted "sludge" problem) and seeing Toyota boost the warranty to 10 years on the motor (with still no engine problems for me, knock on wood) I'm willing to bet that Honda will be forced by consumer pressure and federal regulators to extend the warranties on these units so they get better batteries or keep replacing them if they keep dying. At least for now, I like the car and how it drives. I am in the Midwest and not in a super hot or cold climate. Time will tell if this was a good gamble or a really bad call. Good luck to all of you. Please keep posting updates as to your experiences and progress.

I went through the BBB process and won (Jun 2010), Honda had to repurchase my 2007 because the arbitrator decided the constant recals caused a safely problem and declared the car a lemon.
I imagine the BBB will get back to you stating Honda says your vehicle is acting normally and will state that they (the BBB) can not make Honda fix the proplem and will try to end the case but you have to INSIST that you want to take the case to arbitration with the BBB. You will be required to provide a lot of proof that the vehicle is not the vehicle you purchased but the work is worth getting rid of a HCHII. It was probably the nicest running vehicle I have owned for the first 26 months and then it was nothing but a nightmare. Good luck.

I bought a new 2008 HCH off the lot. Today it has 150,000 on the clock. I have also seen my fuel economy diminish over time. I have never had even decent city MPG, but the highway has been good. Right now, it won't get into the high 30's on the highway, after the update to the software. Dealer shruggs it off. Needless to say, my next vehicle will not be a Honda. I am all in for a class action lawsuit. I am a salesman covering 9 states by car.

Civic Hybrid 2007

in 2008 car had 4,000 miles on odometer and under these conditions: one person; empty trunk; 52 miles one way commute (98% freeway, 2% side streets) consistently showed this fuel economy: freeway 50-52 mpg; combined: 45-47 mpg.

Two years I used it for work commute. Same driver, same route.
After 2009 summer the IMA batteries started failing (hold charge much worse than before), provided much weaker assistance. Often on Monday mornings the battery is discharged to zero or one segment.
Result: end of 2010: same commute, same conditions, same driver. But fuel economy: 38 mpg freeway and 35 side streets. OOPS!

Looking for way to replace the battery pack…

I am Honda lover. But no more Honda Hybrids for me!

Heh, previous post was a response for

FHIEBEL's

DO NOT GET THE SOFTWARE UDPATE INSTALLED!!!

Thank you. Your experience is extremely valuable.
Thank you for sharing.

I own a 2004 Civic Hybrid. It has 110k+ miles and recently I did replace the battery. Very expensive. That said I have never had any issues with the car before the battery failed. I averaged over 43 MPG for the life of the car so far and continue to do so. It has been goo in 110F to 10F with little changes.
Seems the newer ones are less dependable than the first ones.

hi all ~ posting from australia and own a 2007 HCH with the original software. Have been reading the troubles people have been having and it sounds like i SHOULD NOT have Honda service the car and update to the latest firmware.

Any thoughts on this? To upadte or not?

This the first I have heard of an IMA fuse...do you have any other details?

From reading all the posts, I will say I'm haveing the same problems. I have a 2006 HCH with 110,000 miles on it and each time I had the car serviced, the MPG went down. I started at 45 mpg and before I had the software upgrade it was at 42 mpg. 1 month after the upgrade, my mpg dropped to 33. I did notice the drop in performance from the electric assist and not delivering the power it used to give. I didn't get the "no charge" one second then "full charge" until I had the upgrade. I myself, I think I'm going to get rid of it. I will most likely go back to the Accord.

Just traded my 5yr old 2006 Hybrid Civic in for a 2011 Prius. Civic had 70,000 miles. Averaged 45 mpg from day one. New batteries installed under warranty at 55K miles, new tires at 65K. No other problems. Just felt I was approaching the 80K limit on battery warranty and with all the battery problems Honda has been having, it was time. Toyota doesn't seem to have the same issues with the batteries and they warranty them to 100K in FL. Prius has very positive reviews and record. Only have it for a week, but averaging 52mpg. Good luck to all that still have the Civic.

I bought a 2009 honda civic hybred in april 2009.
I got an average of 47 mpg.....until 3 months ago when I got 70K on the car.Now I get an average of 36mpg.The honda dealership says they have other complaints but can't fix it (they say everything checks out ok.
Anyone have the same problem? And what can we do about it.

an update. USA Honda called and wanted me to bring my car to the dealership. USA Honda rep was totally useless. i had to call her periodically to remind her to call the dealership and FOLLOW UP with them to make the appointment. after a month, i pinned her down and had her call while i stayed on the line.
my car has been in the dealership for 2 days going on a 3rd. service manager called back to let me know that the dumbass Honda engineers said that the battery drain is "normal" for a 90k mile battery (even though it has been happening since about 40k). those idiots at Honda keep on trying to make stuff up to say that this is normal. no normal car (outside of Toyota brakes issue) will put me (and my family) in jeopardy when i'm driving normally on any road.
so right now, my course of action would be to continue my BBB claim because just because their idiot engineers say it's normal (which it probably is for a small percentage of the Honda population), it is still not normal for any reasonable car purchaser.
too bad their engineers and employees don't have my car as their own personal car. they would actually know why people complain. or they know better not to buy one because they know what the problems are.

Bought '03 HCH as "certified pre-owned" at Crown Honda, Greensboro, N.C. Had the car in for service multiple times for check engine, and IMA light. They replaced the catalytic converters free of charge, but the lights kept coming back on. The dealer told me they couldn't pin down the problem/ or the computer wasn't giving them any codes they could use to fix it. One time they even claimed they were discussing my car with "Engineers in Japan". After numerous visits to the dealer, I was told they reset the computer, and to just bring it back "next time" so they could maybe get a code they could interpret to successfully diagnose my problem.

It happened that "next time' was after the warranty ran out. Now they're response was, "it could be any of 1000 things, but you should probably replace that hybrid battery".

This dealer was obviously aware of a problem with these batteries, and stalled me until the warranty expired. I am livid, as I read so many common statements in this forum. These dealers must have stock answers to give poor trusting fools like me, that were true Honda fans before being A55 r@p3d by these scumbag dealers. (Not that the dealers are totally at fault, I really believe Honda America should "man up" and deal with these hybrid 'mistakes') Honda used to be the most reliable cars out there, but I doubt I'd ever buy another one.

Guess what....America Honda just replaced my battery as I literally had to tell them I would take action against them.

Guess what....America Honda just replaced my battery as I literally had to tell them I would take action against them.

so happy for you eileen.
did you threaten Honda USA? or the dealer?

I live here in Los Angeles, CA. I bought my 2003 Honda Civic Hybrid with 50k miles from the local Honda dealer. I absolutely loved my car and besides getting better than average gas mileage, I was able to drive solo in the HOV lane. Around 100k miles the check engine and IMA light came on. The Honda dealer charged me $175 for software upgrades. This worked temporarily but soon after, the lights came back on. Honda then said I needed to replace the battery at a cost of $4000. I thought this was unfair as the dealer told me that the battery should last at least 180k. I complained and Honda N. America said they would put half towards the cost of a new battery but I would have to cover install charges. Really? So, I then asked if I could turn it in and put it towards a Honda. The dealer said they would give about $500 since the battery was bad. Again, really? They could have cared less that I was a loyal customer and a repeat customer. That's it, I was done! Ultimately, Carmax purchased my car for $3500 and I took the money and leased a 2011 Mini Cooper S. What an awesome car! Great gas mileage and 2 times faster then the Civic. Sorry Honda, you had your chance. Thinking back.....The American car companies used to pull these kind of stunts and we know what happened with them!

Sorry, I forgot to say: Second moral of the story is, if you have an HCH in your driveway waiting to be sold, or for a kid to come home from college or military service or something to drive it again. My recommendation (made without specific knowledge, you understand, but with the best of intentions) is EXERCISE IT. My impression is that the longer it sits there, the more that battery will deteriorate. Best.

2006 HCH w/ 110000 miles. Same problem - IMA light came on before the software "fix" and afterwards the performance was just as unpredictable but the warning light went away. Mileage dropped about 5 MPG. I am constantly put in harms way due to the lack of IMA when I need it most. Engine shut down at stops is also not reliable. I live in Maryland and the problem is evident no matter what the temperaure. Its usually worse before the engine is up to normal operating temperature. I bought the car with 30K miles on it and have not had the battery replaced. The dealer implied in the past that if there is no warning light then its my dime. I've been holding out and nursing this battery hoping a class action would set things right or Honda would do the right thing. Other than the IMA issue I really like the car.

My car is a 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid. I purchased it used two years ago. In the first year, I was gratified to see that it was regularly getting between 40 and 45 mpg (up to 50 mph if it was all hwy. miles!). This summer, I got a letter from Honda telling me that I needed to have a faulty IMA updated. I complied.

Now my car gets 29-33 mpg…and I am driving so carefully that I sometimes irritate the people behind me. In talking with the dealership, I’ve been getting answers like:
- it’s the ethanol in Oregon’s gas
- it’s probably the new tires I purchased
- it’s the way I’m driving the car

Finally one brave soul at the dealership admitted that MANY of their hybrid owners are reporting the same concern. Ever since the IMA update, they’ve been getting considerably lower gas mileage. He said the dealership has voiced its concern to HONDA USA, but there is no action being taken on Honda’s part.

I called Honda USA. The answer I got was this: we acknowledge your concern, but there is nothing we are planning to do about it.

Anyone having any success in dealing with this?

SALE IT. Sale it now.

My 2003 HCH has 185k miles. The battery was replaced at 104k, at the IMA warning light came on and the local dealer was able to take care of it. Car had been serviced by the dealer and had been cover by a honda 100k mile extended warranty.

My complaint has always been the CVT transmission. I would complain about it, they would check it and tell me everything was good. When I had 120k, honda admitted the CVT's had a problem and they would extend the warrantty to 100k. The dealer serviced the CVT, which lasted for about 5k miles before the problem returned.

The CVT finally crapped out a couple of weeks ago, and my local mechanic replaced with a new one at a cost of $3600 w/ a warranty for 36k/3yr, which should last for about 24 mos with my current driving. The clock is ticking and I'm looking for a replacement. Most likely not a hybrid or a honda.

I too suffer from the Honda Civic Hybrid blues. The only saving grace is that I purchased "Hi Tech" extended warranty and it has paid for itself 6 times over.
Car: 2005 Civic Hybrid
Problems
Transmission Replaced
Transmision mounting Brackets replaced
New Motor Mounts
Ball Joints on all whellls
Wiper motor and linkage
Gas Door wiring
and now the dreaded IMA light at 98740 miles. I'll find out in the next day or so if the warranty pays for it. Looking back I should have just bought the regular Civic the MPG on the hybrid isn't that mucj better.

Wow, :( I should have read about such before I purchased the 2008 hybrid last month.

Just went to the local dealer shop and got the back window motor replaced due to it couldn't come down. Software flash also got performed. And mileage was from >40 and went down to <40 for days, last night it suddenly went to 43 even I have been driving the same route daily. I hope the reading is correct and keep my fingers cross for the IMA battery.

I figured that when the car come to stop, if the "auto stop" came up, and rpm dropped to zero, and the mileage went up. But the problem is the "auto stop" not always come up when stopping. Any other owner has the similar experience?

The best gain from HCH, you may get 10MPG better than normal civic. Do the Math that you paid $5000 more that you can buy 1500 gallon gas that can have normal seden run around 30MPG*1500 = 45000 miles.. not worth to buy Hybrid.

Prius gets little better in gas millage but also no worth it until gas rise to $5 per gallon.

I didnt regret I did buy the HCH 2005, at least good quality than later ones. If you look at the dashboard, the new one all plastic.
At least fully equiped, like Motor back mirrors, auto lock, electronic windows, ASP and alloy wheels and get the gov tax credit which was $2000 back which no longer offer than after 2010.

I think I only paid $20k which only $3k more than normal civic that time with same specifications.

Honda recalling 2006 - 2007 civic hybrid
http://www.insideline.com/honda/civic/2006/honda-recalls-36656-2006-07-c...

Ditto! There was a 2004 Civic for $2800 i was looking at today, and I was totally interested bcuz of the improved mileage, which I was counting on 40mpg with, which we'd expect w/ a hybrid, and I can't afford a new hybrid, i figured it would eventually pay for itself in gas savings. For all this discussion though, I'll stick with my evil-gas-powered '96 Civic, even with my nearly 200k miles, and my mechanic's warning that I might eventually blow the head gasket, which he said if it happened he could fix for ~$900, and most of a week w/o having my car. Even if that happens, it sounds better than this battery & older hybrid problem stuff. But thanks for doing what I want to do, and saved me a bunch of trouble and expense. I just wanted to save pollution, money on gas, and time commuting with the carpool stickers, although it sounds like most of them are expiring soon. So how about the honda NGVs!? Same problems? Different? None?

Anyways thanks, and can't wait to see the LEAF either sink or swim. PS - Go Vegan!

I sent a "tip" to Huffington Post Investigative Fund

http://huffpostfund.org/

To add insult to injury, I just got a mailer advertising the amazing new 2011 Honda CRX Hybrid. GAG (meant to type "HAH") but GAG seems applicable too!

I am wondering if the battery problems are more an indication of how often or little one drives the car. If you just drive it small 3 or 4 miles each trip and drive it a total of 6-9 times a week,with an occasional 20-50 mile trip on the weekend, is that likely to wear out the hybrid/ hybrid system more prematurely?

I am wondering if the battery problems are more an indication of how often or little one drives the car. If you just drive it small 3 or 4 miles each trip and drive it a total of 6-9 times a week,with an occasional 20-50 mile trip on the weekend, is that likely to wear out the hybrid/ hybrid system more prematurely?

Oh boy- I have a 2005 Honda Civic Hybrid and have had little problems until now. I have 119,000 miles on it. This morning the IMA and Check Engine Light went on. I have an appointment with the dealer. Any suggestions? It doesn't sound like the computer upgrade helps at all.

I have a 2006 Civic Hybrid. The battery was just replaced at 104,000mi... just 4,000mi after my extended warranty expired. Last summer I took the car into my dealership for poor battery performance while it was still under warranty. Since the IMA light was not physically on while at the shop and nothing came up under the diagnostics, it was unfortunately not deemed defective at the time.Then cooler weather came and the battery issues hibernated until the spring when my warranty ran out. During which time I had two suggested upgrades/recalls done by Honda. The first was firmware and the second was the voltage converter. Both of which came a few years too late in my opinion. I'm not happy with this situation in the slightest.

Have an older model Honda Insight that had no problems and regularly got 60-65+ mpg. Last ast when it was in for routine maintenance the service department did a "software upgrade" and since then it has never been the same. It now it frequently loses battery charge, acts like it is missing out, and struggles to get 50mpg. NOT HAPPY!!!!!!!!! I have complained to the service department and they claim there is nothing wrong and they cannot revert to old version of software. I do remember that the customer service rep seemed very nervous and almost sweating at the time of the upgrade last year as he was telling me "everything went well" and now believe they might have botched it by unplugging it in the middle of transfer or some other way. I don't know what went on, I just know that they ruined my car and won't own up to it!

The above comment is in response to Chris Coppa regarding whether short distance driving affects life of battery.

I have a 2006 Civic Hybrid. I too have had problems with my IMA battery going bad. The battery seemed to last about 2 years and I was averaging over 50 MPG with no problems. Then the car started to regen about once a week where it would drop to 2 bars and slowly regen to full. Last year in May, my wife and I visited my daughter and her family in Arizona. We live in North Carolina and drove round trip. While traveling with the A/C on, and outside temp being close to 100 degrees, I noticed that the charge would be down to 2 bars and the car was very sluggish with little power to climb hills. I had to shut off the A/C just to have the car charge up. Needless to say, the wife was not happy traveling in the heat with no A/C. When we returned home, we had a notice from Honda about the firmware update. I elected not to have it done. Then the Recall for the Voltage Converter came in, I had that done. At the same time I talked to the sales person who imformed me that Honda will be replacing our current battery with a lithium-ion battery on the new 2012 models. When I got home, I faxed Honda asking if the new type battery will fit into the older models. I received a call back from Honda and the person stated no I can not utilize that battery in my 06. I beleive this is BS for I do not beleive Honda would change the whole Hybrid system just for the battery. I think it is just the opposit, they changed the defected battery with a newer one. Oh, by the way, right now my car regens atleast once if not twice a day. It would go down to 2 bars, start charging, and when it got to halve way up the scale, it would suddenly climb to full charge. Mind you I would not have any assist till full charge was met. I also received a Honda customer service survey in the mail and answered it in a very negative way. I disagreed with the outstanding quality and service that Honda provides and deffinately will not recommend to anyone to purchase a Hybrid from Honda till they get the system streight. Awaiting class action lawsuit, sign me up.

The IMA and Check Engine light came on and Brickell Honda is telling that they have a recall on 2006-2007 Hybrid for electrical system, not the battery. Also, i have been losing MPGs for a couple of years now (barely 30MPG)

Well, folks the first time I read this forum I had no idea how current the information was as the recent posts appear at the bottom of the page, rather than the top.

I just got back from the local dealer, Blount Honda in Leesburg, Florida. I own a 2006 Civic Hybrid which I purchased used from the estate of a client. The car had only 3000 miles on it. As with most of you, I was in love with the car at first. As many of you have expressed, the MPG in the beginning was good, although I expected much more from a hybrid. I was averaging between 41 and 42 MPG. Most of my driving is local. I did achieve 48 MPG on a long trip.

At the same time I noticed a big drop in battery performance and MPG when the weather turned really hot outside. As the weather cooled and the MPG picked back up, I became a bit more forgiving about the performance of my HCH.

After a 1 1/2 year of driving and relatively good MPG, I received a letter from Honda advising me to take the car to the dealer for a software "update". Since I wanted to take the car to the shop anyway to have them check the "slippage" I observed while doing some hard acceleration recently, I thought it would be a good time to take care of both. Of course, they could not find anything wrong with the car. Almost immediately I noticed a drop of 4 MPG after the "update".

The cars MPG has continually trended downward.

I have taken the car to the dealership a couple more times for routine maintenance. Each time I did so, I would tell them about the poor performance of the IMA system. There was another software "update" made during one of the later visits. This last time I asked them to inspect the electrical and mechanical components of the system (rather than simply plug it into the computer). Once again, the can find nothing wrong. Of course, they claim the battery was fully charged and the system was operating as designed. The blame the drop in MPG to the new Michelin tires I put on the car.

Needless to say, after I left the dealership and drove a couple miles on a flat road, the batteries were nearly completely drained which prompted me to revisit your site.

It is interesting that the comments posted here come from all over the country and yet many of you have similar stories. It is also interesting to hear that many dealerships have the some attitude and response to this problem with the Civic Hybrid IMA and the battery pack. It seems rather obvious that Honda Motor Company is doing its best to "encourage" its dealers to avoid confronting the IMA and battery problems. I am perplexed why the dealers refuse to address the problem. After all, you would think that HMC would cover the cost of any parts and batteries the dealers had to replace while the car is under warranty. My dealer just billed HMC $825 to replace a part related to the IMA under a recall notice.

I am looking forward reading the results of the Consumer Reports investigation should they take up the issue. I believe I will write HMC and complain.

Do any of you know any local (Florida) non-dealer shops who have experience with the HCH and could do an independent evaluation of the IMA system and batteries? I think our best bet is to have the problems we have identified verifed by a third party; then present it to Honda.

I have a 2006 HCH, and up until a year ago I have LOVED this car. But after the IMA light came on I took it to the dealer and they did a software update to "fix" the problem. But this only caused more problems, and it seams to only get worse. It will not go up a hill at all. If you stop at a stop sign that is on a hill, or better yet live in SF like I do and have to stop at a light on a hill it will not go! I live on a hill and there are many streets I can not drive on because it simply will not go up them, I almost got stuck on one when the car would not go forward, I was really lucky that there was no one behind me and I could just let it crawl up the hill. But at one point I thought I was going to roll backwards. I took it to the dealer and they told me to call honda, so I called honda and they said they have never heard of such a problem and that they couldn't do anything for me. From reading all the posts I can only assume that my battery is starting to fail. The only problem is I don't have the 3K to fix it. I would never buy a HCH again, and I am thinking of selling it and buying something else.

I live in Georgia and drive an '04 Honda Civic Hybrid at around 145,000 miles (bought it 4 years ago around 80-90k miles). Within the past 4 months, I've had to replace the catalytic converter, IMA battery, and the compressor (and belt). Add to that, replacing the brakes and 4 new tires this past month, it has indeed been an expensive year. The catalytic converter was around $1300 (labor fees & taxes included), and the compressor & belt will be around $1000 (labor & taxes included, but it's still in the shop, so I may be able to talk them down a little). The IMA battery was originally $2800 (labor fees & taxes included), but Honda contributed (when asked) and knocked it down to about $1900 (labor & taxes included). DEFINITELY ask/insist the dealer [to] check with Honda about warrenties on the battery because I believe they should last 150k miles, and as mine was not quite 145k, Honda stayed true to it. I think my car would have been worth about $4,000 without repairs, but there's no way I would have been able to afford a new hybrid vehicle, so I decided to replace everything.
With regular maintenance and upkeep, it seems at 7 years old and 145k miles, the parts begin needing replacing, so sell it BEFORE then if you don't want to deal with all of that. However, I've had no troubles with it until now and continue to get around 40 mpg. I LOVE driving, and it's been a great car for all the traveling to Colorado, Maryland, etc. I've done and will continue to do with this car. It SHOULD last me another 50-150k miles, but you will certainly hear from me if it does not.

Take Away Message:
- Great, reliable car
- Parts last 7 yrs/140-145k miles
- Ask dealership about warrenties from Honda on parts (ESPECIALLY the IMA battery)

At least you folks are under warranty and SHOULD have some hope for positive resolution. My car waited 'til 84,000 miles before going bad. I have no symptoms (performance or mileage) just the warning lights and codes indicating the battery is bad. BTW, does the automobile lemon law, enacted in the 80's I believe, have any teeth?

I just would like to know after full service life of IMA battery do we have option to drive vehicle only on gasoline?

Unlike Prius. HCH car can drive gasonline only.
Prius needs battery to operate.

Have a 2005 HCH and just started having problems. Car will not steer untill I hit 30 when engine takes over , I believe the battery is bad. But can a charge be helpfull.

Cool!

Very awesome. Great and informative post.