Hi,

Does anyone know, or had good experience with hybrid battery sellers that you can recommend?
My 2003 HCH IMA battery has totally gone bad to the point that I see no bars or just one bar on the battery dial. The red battery light comes on at stops. The IMA and check engine indicators had been on for quite some time. The car has 185,000 miles on it and has ongoing juddering and seemingly transmission problems. just 3 years ago I replaced the two cat converters for $3000+ . Not sure if replacing the hybrid battery is a good decision considering all the conditions I have mentioned.

Thanks in advance.

 

Do not buy reconditioned or "refurbished". You will pay too much for too little.

Your best value is Bumblebee Batteries. They replace the old Honda sticks with higher capacity NEW sticks made in China, and they give you a 3 year warranty.

 

Thank you Keith!

Have you purchased a battery from Bumblebee in the past?

 

No.

He has been supporting the Honda Insight community for years and has an impeccable reputation.

I have had many personal conversations with him of a detailed technical nature and am convinced his quality control systems are top notch.

 

Bumblebee is the way to go. These guys are great. Put one in my 03 HCH1 about a year ago and she has been running just great. Still getting about 45 to 50 mpg. When it gets shipped to your house, just install, (did it myself pretty easy and took about an hour) put the old battery in the box the new one was shipped in and send it back. They then return your core deposit. Couldn't be more happy and the car runs like new again.

 

Update. Due to the weather drying up, the battery is coming back on and at least not draining. There is still a possibility to revive it. Are there any other solutions, short of replacing the whole IMA battery, that can make the battery codes and check engine light go away?

 

Not sure how "weather drying up" can affect your battery.

Once an IMA battery has deteriorated to the point that it interferes with DC-DC converter operation (12V light coming on), it's likely past the point of no return.

Hybrid Automotive sells a reconditioning package that charges/discharges at the pack level. Success depends on the level of deterioration, and there are no guarantees that it will work for you.