Hey guys and gals, I was just wondering if someone could shed some light on whats going on with my car. It could just be me, but I find that hard to believe... I have had my Insight, a 2006, for a year and a half, have 48,200 miles on it, and drive the same 65 miles each way for work every day.

For the last say 12,000 to 15,000 miles I have not been able to get my IMA battery fully charged (or fully drained for that matter). When I first had the car, it was easy to full charge it, and if I drove thru the city I could get it fully drained (not on purpose, but it happened). But for the last few months I can't get it past 3/4 full or 1/4 down. I thought with the weather getting warmer it would of helped, but I am still having some issues.

My driving technique has not changed over this time, but it seems like my car is running different. I am about to schedule my car for an oil change and service, so I was wondering if there is something I should ask them to look at or if this is just the natural wear and tear of the Insight?

Also, my mileage has dipped down a bit over the last year. I have gone from and overall 64.2 to 63.4, and as I have said with the weather getting warmer I thought it would change...

Any advice or thoughts are greatly appreciated. I love my little guy and I am hoping this isn't the beginning of downturn...

Thanks in advance!

-Tony

A simple thing you can try - a "forced" charge.

Drive your last 10 miles or so with your headlights on.
See if that will boost your battery state of charge.

I would not ask them to check it.

My battery "fullness" first started shwing a lot of variation way back when I had ~40,000 miles on my car. I didn't worry about it then, and I don't worry about it now. I currently have over 97,000 miles on my insight without any problems.

My latest tank was 81 mpg (I have a 5 speed) and my lifetime has increased from low 60's up to around 67.

For the most part I ignore the battery meter. I can't really do much to change it so why fret about it? If the battery were to ever go completely belly up, then I would get a warning light telling me so.


There's a 10 year, 150,000 mile warranty on the IMA, so I've got a way to go before worrying about out of pocket costs on the IMA.

Good luck with your Insight.

Eric Powers

MHG Organizer - www.MadisonHybridGroup.com
Hybridfest 2008 - A Hybrid Electric Car Show and More! www.hybridfest.com
Third weekend in July
Madison, WI

I have a 2004 mt civic hybrid, What I beleive is happenning is that temperature controls sensing the battery is too warm limit the charging and discharging in a attempt to not exceed battery temperature(extending life) I experience this when a particular trip i take the last 60 minutes is nothing but a series of up hills , down hills so I am assiting and then charging with no rest cycle for the battery hence when temperture rises perhaps software limits to prevent over heating, a hypothesis

First off, thanks for all your responses... I just find it odd that my batter meter doesn't fully charge, but it did before. Not a big deal as long as it doesn't mean something major. Funny thing is yesterday I blew out one of my tires, and while I had the spare on the charge meter got higher than its gotten in a long while! Till I hit the traffic...

>>Thanks for the idea, but I actually drive with my lights on all the time. Maybe I will try it on my way home with the lights off.

>>Thats what I was thinking too. I am not sure how "verse" some of the Honda people are in the hybrids, ecsp the Insight since there are so few. Its good to hear someone else having a similar experience. I have had the same drive for over a year and I just like I am not getting the same mileage as I was in the past. Figured the more I drove the better of a miler I would be.

>>Thanks for the response, that could be it. I have a hilly drive to and from work, so maybe it does have something to do with the temperature controls. Funny thing you say about software limits, I just had a software upgrade 2 days ago. :-)

Again thanks to you all for your responses.