Over the last couple of weeks my car seems to be taking along time to reach full charge with very careful driving, and then very quickly discharges, does this sound like the beginning of the end of my hybrid battery, or could it be my small battery getting old (i've had the car for 3 years and have not changed it) does anybody have a picture of the original battery (in its compartment with the cover on) as mine looks quite small compared to the cover.

thanks

 

It's worth a try to change the 12V battery in the engine compartment. I had mine changed at the dealership during this past year, and the new 12V battery is different from the original. The original one had the "eye" indicator that was blue/red/white that you looked at to tell if the battery was going bad. The new one doesn't have that indicator. I remember reading at the time that the original isn't available any more; it was from Japan and no longer available here.

There's a shot of the battery in the emergency response guide. Take a look at page 10 (or 14 as it prints on the link):

http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/CI/AXX28935.pdf

 

yes its time for a new 12 volt battery, i have a hunch its also related to that mysteriously low drop of ima battery bars after sitting for a while, iam very familiar with running /charging of muti battery packs for many years, the civic has a undersized batter ,hybrid battery managering the ima system should be change every 2 years,its cheape ,what deceiving about 12 volts battery is the last thing to go is starting your car, its check out ok ,but its never fully charge, how it could effect the ima battery sudden drop is ,and on its way out 12 volt battery loses its lead plates its drop to the bottom it corrodes, its start fine reads good, seems fine but doesn't charge fully and dies with a mean drop off with a difficult load , I seen it many times 12.5 volt then suddenly its run out of juice its 11.5 volts , on the hhc if you ever use the 12 volt outlet or ac ,for a long time then park, then when you start the car again and drive it, the ima battery bar will disappear as in filling that low 12 volt battery, you also hear that it happen in hot weather,and the battery check out well.

 

It sound like your battery may be going, but going gracefully. Are you seeing a 5-10 mpg drop? That would be a better indicator that it is having trouble charging. Oh, and all changing your 12V battery is going to do is reset all your IMA figures. The 12V battery is used solely to turn on the Contactors (relays) in the IMA battery. In a pinch a pair of alarm batteries in series will get the car going.

Email me privately and I'll give you any pictures you want. I have shots of everything for all 5 hybrids.