IMA Battery Needs Replaced - Page 8 - GreenHybrid

owlmaster08 · #71 (**permalink**) 05-13-2007, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deboybtd

I have solved one problem I replaced the Catalytic Converter for $ 280.00 I purchased from the Converter Geek online (re certified converter) great to do business with, the dealer wanted almost $1100 with labor. It took a friend and myself about two hours, after running for a few hours the check engine light went off, the next step is to find a good deal on the IMA battery to replace myself.

That's the spirit. I'm glad you solved one problem. Let us know if you are able to tackle the harder one!

cjm · #72 (**permalink**) 05-29-2007, 03:22 PM

My '03 HCH just rolled over 100,000, a couple days later my IMA light pops on. I brought the car to my dealer and they said it would be checked in the morning. Next day they called to tell me that the battery would need to be replaced (the car has been covered to 100k with a Honda extended warranty) and Honda would be covering the replacement.

My concern now is the new battery, the standard honda service warranty covers the battery for 12 mos/12,000. The service manager told me that the battery would most likely be covered by Honda well past that period, but made no indication of being covered to 150,000 by Honda (living in CA).

It would be seriously bad for Honda, if hybrid owners had to start popping for a new battery every couple of years at a cost of $4000/battery. Any ideas on the possibility of repairing the batteries? If a couple of cells go bad, they could be replaced at a cost much lower than $4000. Can the cells of one battery be used to 'repair' a number of batteries?

owlmaster08 · #73 (**permalink**) 05-30-2007, 04:23 AM

cjm, just to get an idea of who this is affecting, do you have a manual or CVT model?

Yes, it would be great if they could just replace the bad cells. We will have to wait I'm guessing to see what Honda comes up with... If they don't do anything then hybrids are in trouble.

TheBundo · #74 (**permalink**) 05-30-2007, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim

This is precicely what I think Honda and Toyota need to be concerned with. We're now entering the era where more and more early hybrids are going to be hitting this mileage and need a battery replacement. So what happens when a major news source gets a hold of this story - the others will jump on it and you're going to get a ton of bad press on how the batteries cost $5K to replace and everyone should avoid buying a hybrid. I'll predict if that happens sales will fall off significantly and our resale values will be trash. We'll be stuck with these 10 year old cars with no resale value and a $3000 repair to make them operable again.

Not only would I never buy another battery-based car, I'd discourage others from doing the same. The last thing they need is to take 1 million happy advocates and turn them into disgruntled customers. But it sounds to me like they are starting to...

Actually, a news story like that might be GREAT for us. They might lower the battery cost overnight to much fanfare

TheBundo · #75 (**permalink**) 05-30-2007, 04:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by D_Town

yes, i too hope that by then they will be cheaper. When i get my hybrid, im not going to want to drive it less! Im going to want to drive it more! But I don't want to be scared of having a 5000 dollar repair on my hands. The technology is not NEW anymore, although it is still NEWER. By 2011, it should be old hat, and they should be able to bring the cost down.

$1400 used on Ebay, with computer
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2003-...QQcmdZViewItem

cjm · #76 (**permalink**) 05-30-2007, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by owlmaster08

cjm, just to get an idea of who this is affecting, do you have a manual or CVT model?

Yes, it would be great if they could just replace the bad cells. We will have to wait I'm guessing to see what Honda comes up with... If they don't do anything then hybrids are in trouble.

I have a CVT. I had a surprise waiting for me this morning, my car was completely dead, needed to call AAA for a jump. The one thing I noticed was that the IMA battery was competely discharged also. Does the IMA battery provide backup to the starter battery? Not sure why the car was dead, didn't find any lights on or any of the doors not completely closed.

leahbeatle · #77 (**permalink**) 05-30-2007, 12:05 PM

Sounds like a mystery. If you figure it out, let us know, please! Thanks!!

teiresias · #78 (**permalink**) 05-30-2007, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by owlmaster08

cjm, just to get an idea of who this is affecting, do you have a manual or CVT model?

Yes, it would be great if they could just replace the bad cells. We will have to wait I'm guessing to see what Honda comes up with... If they don't do anything then hybrids are in trouble.

I just bought my HCH-II on Thursday and put about 38k a year on my cars. I just thought I'd post here because I found this post amusing since the salesman I was dealing with mentioned replacing just the bad cells rather than the whole battery. I sort of smiled politely, though I was certain they weren't presently doing battery repairs that way.

the_13th_saint · #79 (**permalink**) 06-13-2007, 04:47 PM

The IMA is usually used as the starter for the car unless it is depleted or it is some temperature below freezing. Then the "motorcycle" battery as I like to call it, is used to operate a conventional backup starter, this is why you are still able to jumpstart your car.

When the 12v battery is dead, the IMA computer cannot determine the charge level of the IMA battery so it assumes it is dead and won't start it with the IMA battery, but uses the 12v conventional starter to start the car. Once started, the IMA computer will do a recalibration and will appear to have an empty IMA battery while it trickle charges it to see how full or empty it really is. Within 15 minutes your IMA battery should indicate it is at an acceptable level and discontinue the forced charging it does when it is low.
-13th

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjm

I have a CVT. I had a surprise waiting for me this morning, my car was completely dead, needed to call AAA for a jump. The one thing I noticed was that the IMA battery was competely discharged also. Does the IMA battery provide backup to the starter battery? Not sure why the car was dead, didn't find any lights on or any of the doors not completely closed.

cjm · #80 (**permalink**) 06-14-2007, 08:08 AM

Thanks for the detailed explanation 13th. So far my HCH has died twice on me, 1st time was after sitting for a few days, while I was away on business. Since, I live in southern California, I can really see 'freezing' as being a factor. Sounds like my "motorcycle" battery might be up for replacement in the near furture.

Where did you get the detailed description of the battery operation?