I do wonder about that number of battery packs replaced, it's possible to count more failures than that on IC and the yahoo groups (basically 00 and 01 Insights). Have there been any Civic hybrids with premature failures or Insights with the updated BCM and MCM? I've searched but haven't found any failure stories yet. Hmm, time will tell.
The dealer I bought my car from was surprised when I asked if the battery had been replaced. He told me that a local customer had an Insight with the original pack at 200,000 miles. I've also just learned that my local dealer (Williamsburg, VA) is doing their first hybrid battery replacement next week.
People seem more willing to complain about their product online when something goes wrong than to take the time or innitiative to praise it when things are going right. I'm not suggesting there haven't been battery problems with the earlier Insights, just that they might be less common than our online sampling shows. None of the three Insight owners I've bumped into over the last 18 months have had battery problems and haven't participated in forums about the car either. I still feel safer having nearly 5 years and 80,000 miles of the hybrid warranty left though.
Anyway, here's a link to the article. There are some very interesting tibits in it.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/classi...sifiedcars-hed
Quote:
Fujimura held court at last week's Chicago preview of the redesigned gas and hybrid Civics for 2006.
Had to ask Fujimura how much new batteries will cost the average working stiff who needs a second job to pay for gas.
"About $2,000," Fujimura said, noting that's at today's prices.
...
So how many battery packs has Honda replaced since offering the Insight for 2000, Civic hybrid for 2003 and Accord hybrid for 2005?
"One digit, between one and nine," he said, refusing to pinpoint the number, though between one and nine suggests no widespread problem.
...
"We aren't trying to come up with hybrids to the same extent as Toyota," Fujimura said, adding that if hybrid power boosts mileage by only 10 percent, it's not worth the investment. If it can boost mileage by 30 percent, well, it makes economic sense.
...
Civic shuts off all 4 (cylinders) and resorts to battery power between 25 and 35 m.p.h., though we were able to get one up to 45 m.p.h. in battery mode at the preview.
...
And Honda's hybrid lineup might shrink soon. Insight sold only 364 units in the first seven months of this year, down from 519 a year earlier. The two-seater's days seem numbered.
"With Civic and Accord hybrids, the question is whether we need it," Mendel said. "This fall we'll talk about if Insight fits and if we'll keep it."
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