HELP! I have had the dreaded IMA light come on in my 2005 gen I HCH, went to local dealership and was told only code is for deteriorated IMA battery. I replaced the battery with another one out of a wrecked gen I HCH. The IMA was still fully functioning and no IMA light on when we took it out of donor car and put in mine. Battery is balanced, all sticks are reading 7.54v each but IMA light still comes on and no assist and not charging. Maybe dealership diagnosis was wrong and its something other than the IMA battery? Any suggestions greatly appreciated!

 

"Balanced" = all sticks have been discharge tested, IR measured and self-discharge measured, OR the pack has been grid charged to peak voltage, deep discharged and charged again to peak voltage. All sticks measuring 7.54V means nothing in terms of "balance".

Salvage yard packs are a total crapshoot. You replaced your pack with a pack that may be 10-12 years old... just like yours... it may or may not have been functional when it was wrecked. A lot of people drive around with IMA lights on.

Your first step here is to get the sheet from the dealer that lists the codes. Report back. Your second step is to read the current codes. Buy yourself a bluetooth ELM327 OBD2 reader or take it to an auto parts store.

Essentially, you have said, "my car is broke, the service engine light is on, what's wrong with it?" Your car is trying to tell you what is wrong with it. Listen to it with a code reader.

Lastly, please clarify. When you first installed the pack, it fixed your IMA light and appeared to work properly?

IMA symptoms can be triggered or made worse by an ailing 12V battery. Confirm with a load test that it is a good 12V, but read codes first!

 

Thanks for the reply S Keith!

Code read by Honda dealership diagnostic machine is P1433. The replacement battery is not from a salvage yard. The car replacement was removed from was wrecked in the front end but car could be started and showed no codes and no IMA light on before removing battery. The battery was fully functional with no lights and no codes right before being removed, so why would it need to be deep discharged and recharged again? I'm still trying to grasp the way these battery packs work. I understand if the condition of the battery was unknown before removal then it should be tested first. In this case I know the battery was fully functional and checked it in the donor car before removing it, so I did not see a need for the discharge, recharge cycle and only checked the voltage readings after removing it and installing in my car. Wouldn't be the first time my assumption was wrong so I guess that is my next step in this process.

I have an OBD2 reader and it is still reading same code with replacement battery (that did not throw any codes while in donor car).

No, the IMA did not go off or work properly when replacement battery was first installed. The only time the IMA light goes off is when you use OBD2 reader and erase codes but then it instantly comes back on. I've also tried the intermittent "turning off ignition" and when it starts back up the light is off and shows its starting to charge for a second and then the IMA light comes back on and then no charge and no assist.

The 12v battery is a new battery so it shouldn't be the issue but I will pull it off and check it to make sure it hasn't gone bad.

 

Thank you for the clarification. If the donor car sat for a significant period of time, the IMA battery could have self-discharged to low levels. After checking out your 12V, try the following...

Presuming you disconnected the 12V to check it, if not, disconnect for 30 seconds and reconnect.

Start car. Let it idle. Note if the 12V is charging. You can check the voltage at the terminals. It should be between 13.5 and 15.0; however, when the IMA battery is weak, it could be as low as the low 12's. In any case, note if the red 12V battery light is illuminated at idle.

Rev to 3500 and hold. IMA battery should start charging. 12V should be charging with the red battery light off. If IMA doesn't charge after 60 seconds, disconnect 12V for 30 seconds and reconnect. Repeat start and 3500rpm hold for charge.

Once charging begins, continue charging until SoC reads full. Repeat two more times via 12V disconnect/reconnect and rpm hold to force charge to max SoC. The 2nd and 3rd runs should take progressively less time and may completely nearly immediately.

Good luck,

Steve

 

Thanks for the info and luck but looks like I need a miracle with this car

Ok here is the outcome so far. The 12v battery checked out good. Reconnect and red battery light is on, rev up to 3500rpm and red battery light goes off but comes back on (sometimes while still up to 3500 and sometimes after going back to idle) It stays on during idle and the gauge never measures charging nor assist no matter what. Tried this several times and same result.

I did notice something when I turn ignition on and off and wondering if it is normal or not. When i first turn the key on, i hear a "click" coming from IMA battery and modules area. When it clicks the first time, the IMA light is off, then it "clicks" a second time and that's when the IMA light comes on. It does this even if you don't start the car and just turn ignition to the accessory or on position. After turning ignition back to off, it "clicks" again.

 

Mine click as well. Did you ever measure the pack voltage?

Will the 12V light go off if you hold 2000 rpm?

 

The 12v light does go off at 2000 rpm and stays off until rpm under 1500. After reading multiple posts I have decided to get a grid charger from Hybrid Automotive. Thank you S Keith for all your help! Hopefully that's all this replacement battery pack needs!

 

You've confirmed your DC-DC converter is working.

Have you confirmed pack voltage? Check the tech resources on hybridautomotive's website. It shows you where to attach the grid charger leads. This is where you check pack voltage... OR if you're careful, you can check the main leads with ignition on.

 

Get you a grid charger!! It will fix you up by the 2nd or 3rd time you charge it I'm willing to bet!! It is worth a shot and definitely beats and expensive battery.

 

ZOMBIE THREAD ARISE!!!!!

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