As many of you followed on the thread "my battery dumps its charge after vehicle is parked".......

The battery in my 2009 HCH II was replaced in March of 2010, after only 12 months, due to some of the now infamous battery issues. With the new battery my HCH II was back to normal.

Now, after another long hot Arizona summer, my 2nd battery is showing the same symptoms!!!

The battery performed very well through spring and most of the summer, but as we got into Sept., it started to show the same old symptoms.

- Recals within 2 miles of driving every time I park it for more than 1 hour.
- Battery has no "top end" or "bottom end".
-- Goes from 5 bars SOC right to 8 bars when charging
-- Never shows less than 4 bars SOC (unless it is from a recal)
- Mileage dropped back to the high 30's

Am I going to have to replace my battery every year???
Will Honda be WILLING to replace my battery every year without a big fight????

Is there any new ammunition out there I can use that will help convince my dealer to replace this 2nd battery?

 

Hey Smurf,

I have an 09 also and had the original battery replaced in Dec 09. In Dec 10 the IMA light came on again.

Like you and most others I too experienced the SOC 4-6 bars down to 1-2 (drops within 1 mile, then recharges after 3-6 miles), loss of assist (including going uphill RPM's over 3000), loss of auto stop, decrease in MPG and Recals. Mileage 43-45 combined (new) to 36-38 combined (now). I also experienced after battery recharge, still no assist for some time, then it returns.

My local Honda dealer in Visalia too gives me the operating "Normal" garbage and even had the gaul to tell me to pull over and rev the engine to recharge the battery to regain assist.

I am so NOT loving Honda

 

I gave up. I sold my HCH II.

I'm test driving a Chevy Volt next week....

 

I swear Honda dealers have had no formal training in how their hybrid cars work or they all called in sick that day, because you just downshift to L and it will keep 3-4 bars of charge all the time to keep your AC running, charge back up your battery etc….

"Pull over and rev your engine" is the biggest load of ignorant horse*@^# I have ever heard regarding the charging of these vehicles… that woudn't even give you charge in D range /facepalm……..

You really have to select the right transmission range for your driving condition in order to prolong your battery life, which is something the dealers neglect to tell their customers(classes anyone?)…..