Electric Vehicle Forums

- Honda Insight (https://electricvehicleforums.com/forums/honda-insight-11/)

- - Dead Insight (https://electricvehicleforums.com/forums/honda-insight-11/dead-insight-22718/)

Help. I have a 2000 Honda Insight and I think the battery pack is dead. Is there a way to rig the car so it drives on gas all the time, with no battery assist.

I bought the car with 200,000 miles. I would get IMA warning light with no charge reading on the battery pack meter ( battery recal warnings?). I was able to reset the IMA light and engine computer by disconneting the small engine battery terminals and the car would drive fine for a few hundred miles. This would go on over and over on a daily basis. A few days later, I tried to start the car, it would crank a little bit but now will not crank at all and the battery pack meter reads zero charge. I can't start the car at all and assume the battery pack is finally dead.

Help! I can't afford a new battery pack! Is there a way to rig the car to just run on engine alone? The battery pack is used to start the car and charge the small engine bay battery. How do I bypass this?

Re: Dead Insight

Repair it! You probably have the best Hybrid ever made so if it is in good condition other than the pack it is worth a fix? You can get a new pack for under $2000. Is it a M/T model. I would love to own one of these babies. Reset the PC and it may be OK for a mth. or two.Have you had it checked by Honda? Maybe its just a Cat. converter and not the pack. Hal

Re: Dead Insight

Maybe you should try getting a new 12V battery for it? And a trickle-charger for that.

You might want to check with these folks too...

http://www.insightcentral.net/

Re: Dead Insight

I have the 2000 Honda Insight M/T.

I believe the battery pack is dead, since for several months before the car died, the IMA warning light would go on and the battery meter would register zero charge during any extended used of hybrid electric usage. I would just pull over, disconnect the engine bay battery to reset the computer and the car would run for a few more hundred miles before the IMA light go on again. I was doing this on a daily basis and was hoping the car would run indefinitely since I cannot afford $2000 to replace the battery pack. Now the car makes some clicking noises, but won't start. I tried jump starting the engine bay battery, replacing the engine bay battery, but same thing.... clicking noises but no cranking. I've read the IMA motor and battery pack act as the starter and don't know how to jump start 144volt battery pack... probably dangerous.

I've heard someone say for $20, the hybrid can be converted to pure gas only (ICE) and just run like a conventional gas car. HELP! DOES ANYBODY KNOW HOW TO CONVERT 2000 HONDA INSIGHT (M/T) TO RUN AS A REGULAR GAS CAR WITHOUT THE BATTERY PACK? I plan on pulling the dead weight battery pack out and trying to run the car as a conventional gas car. CAN ANYONE HELP?!

Re: Dead Insight

Correct, you can't jump start the 144Volt battery pack.

I've always been under the impression that the cars have a backup starter which is used when the IMA has too low a charge or when it's too cold outside. (This is on the HCH. Not sure if the same applies to the Insight.) So maybe that starter is bad?

I would definitely ask at the Insight forum at insightcentral (see the link above). Someone there can probably point you in the right direction.

Re: Dead Insight

I thought about the starter as the culprit too, but the car started fine before. Never had problems with starting the car. Always had problems with the battery pack and IMA going off while driving. Now I can't even drive the car.

Thanks for the tips. I'll try the insight central sight u suggested.

Re: Dead Insight

Sounds like a poor connection on the starter battery? The clicking you here is the salinoid not making contact. Make sure the battery connections are clean and tight. Hal

Re: Dead Insight

If your 12V battery is dead, converting to ICE only operation isn't going to solve the problem. Make sure your 12V system is OK and I'll try to find the instructions to disable the hybrid functionality. One easy way is to charge your 12V battery manually at your house everyday and try not to drive in the dark. Removing the PS fuse would save a little power too.

Re: Dead Insight

Found it:

http://www.99mpg.com/mima/faq/#cantheinsightopera

Quote:

Can the Insight operate without the IMA system ?

Yes the Insight and Civic can run without the IMA.
The only thing you lose is the 12V battery charging.
This is similar to running a regular car with a bad alternator. Drive at night with the lights on, and in 30 minutes your car stops due to the 12V battery running out of juice.
The IMA battery which is charged by the IMA controller, is the power source for the 12V charging system.
Ways around that issue include:
1. A larger 12V deep cycle battery that you charge off the grid each night could power the car with lights on, for 6 or more hours.
2. Adding an alternator to the car.

Some new input from Carl Brown on this subject:

"Mike,

I noticed on your website FAQ a question about running the
Insight without IMA installed. You might find it interesting that the remaining IMA components will keep the 12V battery charged with the HV battery pack removed, so long as the BCM low voltage connector is also disconnected and the MCM remains fully connected. The only catch is that 12V battery charging is temporarily suspended when engine RPM exceeds 4000.

Re: Dead Insight

Go salvage and pick up pack for 400.00 or less