I'd like to share some of my experience with my IMA battery and how it finally got replaced.

Location: Australia
Model: 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid with almost 110k on it

I've been having the battery issues for years like most people here (recalibration from once a week to several times a day with aircondition off, or a few minutes after cold start) and had raised the issue every time while doing the service. Since the IMA light was not on, they always told me that they could do nothing, but resetting or adjusting the battery, updating the software etc.

However, during the last service, I got the chance to talk to the technician who was in charge of hybrid and he admitted it could be the battery problem after I described what it did. He suggested me leaving the car there so that he could test it out using computer onboard and send the data to Honda to try to convince them. I agreed to leave the car there for two weeks when I went away overseas and I was glad to know that Honda Australia finally agreed to replace the IMA battery when overseas. When I came back after 2 weeks, the battery also arrived and was replaced. Since then, the car works like when I bought it and no calibration occured so far even though I drive with glide, EV as much as I can.

The suggestions are:
1. Try to talk to someone who really knows about hybrid, not the front desk person.
2. Make sure the problem has become serious enough so that they can easily identify.
3. Let them know there is safety issues if the battery has problem.
4. It's a common/known problem with this battery and I was told they had replaced quite a few batteries. So it's still possible to replace it without IMA light on.

Good luck!

David

 

congratulations on the new battery! with the new software, it may last much longer because they adjusted the charge/discharges to less impact the battery

 

pompom:
I notice you drive without air. This is probably the reason for the demise of your pack. These power packs get very hot and require cooling for the heath of the pack. Try and run your climate control on Auto and set your temp at the highest most comfortable setting. I run mine at about 28 C when very hot outside. This still helps your pack stay heathy!
Cheers:
H

 

Yes, but I think I will only keep the car for another 2 or 3 years because there will be a lot more options of plugin hybrids coming to Australia in the next few years.

 

Sorry, I didnt' make it clear. It has been winter in Australia in the last few months. That's why I could drive without aircon on. I will turn on aircon when it gets warmer. That's why I wanted it to be fixed before the hot summer comes here in Australia.

 

hello PomPom, at last i meet a fellow Australian with a civic hybrid, i always though these battery recal issues were only in america because noone in Australia ever posted about such as issue here, until now, so it sounds like there are issues with the civic hybrid in Australia as well.

Next year i plan to upgrade to a used 2010 - 2008 civic hybrid with low kms (as new civic hybrids are way overpriced $38,000 when i can get a 2008 for $20k) and hopefully i dont want to experience these recals.

thanks

 

I think you need to be aware the 2008 civic hybrid battery will be 4 years old next year and will soon have this problem. So I would go for 2010 model or 2006 model with new battery at a much lower price. I am not sure if they did any improvement to the battery replaced on my car. But it's still the same type of battery except for the 2012 model.

 

hi Pompom, good point, however 2006 models will have high kms and risk of battery failure higher, i know honda will not replace the battery unless the ima light comes on, or shall i just go for a 2010 with low kms and a higher initial cost but i may still have battery problems a couple of years down the track.

 

My experience tole me the IMA light doesn't have to come on before they can replace the battery. But you have to convince them the problem is serious, in my case recal at least once almost every time I drive. I would suggest wait for one or two more years for plugin hybrids to come into Australia. At that time, the value of this hybrid must drop.

 

out of curiosity what l/100 kms are you obtaining? maybe i should look at the toyota camry hybrids?