Both my Check Engine and IMA Lights on came on today. I took it to the dealer because I was due for an oil change. That did not help. I was on my lunch break and in a hurry, but I asked the cost to check it out. They wanted $175 just to look at it! He also said it was well over $2000 to replace the battery!!!

The guy who changed my oil told me my IMA battery was probably bad.

A friend who owns a body shop told me to hold the odometer button, turn the key on, and continue holding the button for a minute intil the light goes off. It never did go off. He also told me there is no battery, just a capacitor.

I have heard that AutoZone and AAMCO will read the computer codes for free, but I've never used either of them.

I need to know if the car is safe to drive. It runs fine.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Remove the positive battery cable and reconnect, the light should be gone. I would try a new dealer! Good luck,H

 

Hi John,
Yes, try disconnecting the 12v battery located under the hood (front) then reconnect (safety glasses needed here please). I have the same vehicle and have not had a problem with the IMA. The honda IMA warranty is good for 150,000 miles depending on what state you live in. There is definitely a 144 VDC nickel metal hydride battery pack located behind the rear seat, (no capacitor).

 

I am going to AAMCO at lunchtime tomorrow. They will read the code for free. Autozone no longer offers that service in California.

I want to know what the computer thinks is wrong before I try to clear it myself.

All tips are greatly appreciated!!!

 

Good idea checking code first. I still have concerns about your dealer! H

 

AAMCO read codes P1433 and P1600 from the computer in my HCH for free. They can't tell me anything about what the codes mean, only that they are "manufacturer specific codes". Now they say they need to do a "pinpoint test" to find out what components are bad - at a cost of $220.

I declined and will try disconnecting the 12V battery myself to see if that helps.

I guess there really is no such thing as a free lunch.

Anyone out there know what these two codes really mean?

 

You live in California so your IMA system is covered for 10 years 150,000 miles. Take it in and have the warranty work done. It should all be covered! H

 

My vehicle has a salvaged title, so I don't know if they will honor that warranty. I have had no problems in the 2 years I have owned the car.

I did notice that I have a headlight out. I replaced it, but that did not help. There is no power to the socket for the bulb. I tried checking the fuses, but could not find fuses for the headlights in the main fuse block under the dash.

I'm hoping this could all be a simple electrical problem.

 

Have you tried removing the positve battery cable and replacing it. Could be a simple fix. Its not going to hurt anything and it may correct the problem! Hal

 

Headlight fuses (there's one for each side) are in engine compartment fuse box (driver's side near battery).

Good luck on CEL and IMA. Find a good dealer and be polite but persistent. Sometimes there will be hurdles or initial resistance from the dealer to handing out expensive warranty repairs. They likely get flack from Honda Corporate if they "over prescribe" warranty work.

If you give the dealer the codes you had read, they should at least be able to give you a general idea of nature of the problem, and whether or not it would be a warranty repair. Also, finding out whether it is still safe (for both you and for the vehice) to continue to drive would be a must for me.