Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | |||||
| SB-12-002 | 01/12/2012 | 10043248 | Honda: on some model vehicles, there is an alternator/starter tester (ast) module capable of testing alternators, installed on gr8 diagnostic battery station. *pe | 03/06/2012 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||||
| SB-12-048 | 09/21/2012 | SB-12-048-A | 10045879 | Honda: information on replacement and removal of junction board from old ima battery and new battery mounted before battery is installed. models 2003-11 civic hybrid, 2011-12 cr-z, 2000-06 insight, 2010-12 insight. *pe updated | 09/19/2012 |
| SB-12-048 | 10/05/2012 | SB-12-048-B | 10045879 | Honda: information on replacement and removal of junction board from old ima battery and new battery mounted before battery is installed. models 2003-11 civic hybrid, 2011-12 cr-z, 2000-06 insight, 2010-12 insight. *pe updated | 09/19/2012 |
| SB-12-048 | 09/05/2012 | 10045879 | Honda: information on replacement and removal of junction board from old ima battery and new battery mounted before battery is installed. models 2003-11 civic hybrid, 2011-12 cr-z, 2000-06 insight, 2010-12 insight. *pe | 09/19/2012 | |
| SB-10-061 | 03/25/2011 | 10040487 | Ready | 08/31/2011 | |
| SB-10-061 | 03/25/2011 | 10040487 | Honda: hybrid vehicle battery exchange information. *rm | 08/31/2011 | |
| SB-08-062 | 08/06/2008 | 10026884 | Honda: hybrid batteries can be affected and damaged by excessively high temperatures. *pe | 01/05/2009 | |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - STARTER ASSEMBLY | |||||
| SB-12-002 | 01/12/2012 | 10043248 | Honda: on some model vehicles, there is an alternator/starter tester (ast) module capable of testing alternators, installed on gr8 diagnostic battery station. *pe | 03/06/2012 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | |||
| 11/12/2012 | 25000 | 1 | |
| At the end of october 2012, i began to have issues with the ima battery failing on my honda civic hybrid (2009). i took it to the local honda shop, and the battery failed because of high voltage and deterioration. the software update was tried first. within 5 miles, the battery failed again. the car stopped using the hybrid motor, so i had no assist when i was pulling into traffic. the gas engine revved, but it did not move the car. i was in the middle of a busy road with an 85 hp engine that was revving high but going nowhere. i got lucky that i could go into reverse. the next day, i tried to return the vehicle to the shop, but the car and battery were acting funny again. i would get a green light for the battery to charge, the white lights would indicate an assist, but the car would not go in reverse, and it would rev high but not go forward. that car and its flawed battery and horrible software update could have killed me. that combination indicates a serious design and engineering flaw. it took three days to get a new battery, and that new battery is the third for this car. *tr | |||
| 09/16/2010 | 20000 | 1 | |
| The car has a propensity to lurch forward at low speeds. when making a turn or stopping at a light the engine intermittently will rev and thrust the vehicle forward. if the driver is not knowledgeable or prepared for this tendency, the vehicle can thrust forward and strike whatever is in its path. the second problem that i have encountered is that the vehicle uses a malfunctioning integrated motor assist (ima) feature that is supposed to give the vehicle extra power to enter a highway and safely merge with oncoming traffic. unfortunately, this feature is unreliable and can leave the vehicle and driver in a position of not having enough power to safely merge with high speed traffic. this differential in speed is very unsafe. in 2011 i had the li battery for my hybrid vehicle replaced. this battery failed in less than a year. i was told by the senior mechanic at the honda dealership that honda corporation was aware of this defect. and that honda knowingly replaced the li batteries last year with known defective batteries as a quick fix to appease customers. there is something seriously wrong with this technology, and i believe that honda is intentionally not disclosing the true nature of the problem with these hybrid vehicles. i would be interested in knowing if the honda civic hybrids are experiencing a higher than normal accident rate due to engine surging at low speeds and inability to safely merge with highway traffic because of loss of power due to the ima system. *tr | |||
| 09/16/2010 | 20000 | ||
| The car has a propensity to lurch forward at low speeds. when making a turn or stopping at a light the engine intermittently will rev and thrust the vehicle forward. if the driver is not knowledgeable or prepared for this tendency, the vehicle can thrust forward and strike whatever is in its path. the second problem that i have encountered is that the vehicle uses a malfunctioning integrated motor assist (ima) feature that is supposed to give the vehicle extra power to enter a highway and safely merge with oncoming traffic. unfortunately, this feature is unreliable and can leave the vehicle and driver in a position of not having enough power to safely merge with high speed traffic. this differential in speed is very unsafe. in 2011 i had the li battery for my hybrid vehicle replaced. this battery failed in less than a year. i was told by the senior mechanic at the honda dealership that honda corporation was aware of this defect. and that honda knowingly replaced the li batteries last year with known defective batteries as a quick fix to appease customers. there is something seriously wrong with this technology, and i believe that honda is intentionally not disclosing the true nature of the problem with these hybrid vehicles. i would be interested in knowing if the honda civic hybrids are experiencing a higher than normal accident rate due to engine surging at low speeds and inability to safely merge with highway traffic because of loss of power due to the ima system. | |||
| 06/16/2012 | 67100 | ||
| 1) visors cracked - driver's side does not stay up. 2) hybrid battery light showed it failed - dealership reprogramed the car fall 2011 and since then the car does not accelerate as well. i have noticed lessened ability to acclerate when merging. 3) two of the doors fail to lock when the car reaches locking speed. one of these is a back seat passenger door where a child sits. | |||
| 06/12/2009 | 12000 | ||
| Honda civic hybrid has a problem with the battery that the system uses to run the integrated motor assist between the transmission and the engine to assist the gas engine when accelerating. as the battery deteriorates, it does not charge as well, hold a charge and therefore does not assist as well to accelerate, causing a dangerous situation at times to merge with traffic or accelerate from a stand still. | |||
| 06/25/2011 | 40000 | ||
| I own a 2009 honda civic hybrid. i've had issues with low power and halting acceleration due to low battery conditions accompanied with the dash engine light coming on. honda dealership has applied software updates to my vehicle to address this twice, but those simply trade mileage for battery life, degrading the value of a hybrid. i believe that the ima battery has known problems and that honda is not addressing the issue. i'm afraid to merge onto highways with a low battery due to the lack of power and acceleration. | |||
| 10/13/2010 | 9800 | ||
| Honda is calling in hch owners for a software update to preserve the battery. the result of this software update essentially shuts the ima battery down frequently, leaving the car to run on just the motor which was intended to run with the ima. aside from the switch and bate issues (mileage dropped below a standard civic), the safety issue involved is a frequent lack of acceleration capability, especially on an incline or merging into traffic. | |||
| 12/09/2009 | 9815 | 2 | 05/14/2009 |
| 2009 honda civic hybrid. consumer requests immediate replacement of a defective battery pack. *tgw the consumer stated the (ima) integrated motor assist light illuminated. the diagnosis indicated a battery condition monitor module intermittent malfunction. the light illuminated again two months later. although, each visit resulted in electrical repairs with specific code reviews, recalibrations, clearance and resetting, the underlying condition still has not been resolved. *jb | |||
| 02/13/2010 | 7065 | 1 | |
| I have owned a 2009 honda civic hybrid since 12/8/08 and have had numerous problems with the battery and the hybrid system. on october 5, 2009, as i was entering an on-ramp in arlington, va, the ima system completely failed and the regular internal combustible engine (ice) revved to over 4500 rpm to provide power on the on-ramp due to there being no ima assistance. without the hybrid power assist, i was nearly hit by other traffic. at that time, the ima warning light and check engine light illuminated. i brought the vehicle to ourisman and they spent several days getting a new ima battery system ordered and installed, claiming there was a bad cell in the 10-month old ima battery. in nov and dec 09, i discovered the car battery dead twice in the garage. on the night of february 13, 2010, the electrical system (battery and hybrid drive) failed on a busy street off of military rd, nw. the car was backing out of a driveway into the road when it completely died. as there was no power for hazard lights, i personally directed traffic around the dead car until i could get a jump. after a battery jump, i tried to charge the battery for a time, but when i put the car into reverse, the car died again and i had to get a second jump. 15 minutes later, i disconnected the cables and drove to ourisman honda in bethesda, md. on the way, the vehicle almost died twice but i was able to get the car to ourisman honda. they replaced the battery, but a week later on february 23, 2010, the car died again and i was barely able to get it to ourisman honda for service again. after several days, they identified the problem as being with the relay near the hybrid system. the car still acts strangely and they hybrid assist does not work as well as it used to. acceleration is not normal, the hybrid assist does not come on at normal times, and there are incidents of acceleration and engine revving when i release the gas to brake before a stop sign. *tr | |||
| 12/04/2009 | 13300 | 1 | |
| 2009 honda civic hybrid ima and engine light on, service recoded the ecu and gas mileage has gone down to 24. battery was replaced and engine was recoded twice again and still the mileage is down to 24. i have found service bulletins on the car for batteries and excessive high temperatures. car has been to the service center three times for this same concern. 12/04/09, 12/10/09 and 12/14/09, all for ima light on. *tr | |||
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BATTERY | |||
| 12/09/2009 | 9815 | 2 | 05/14/2009 |
| 2009 honda civic hybrid. consumer requests immediate replacement of a defective battery pack. *tgw the consumer stated the (ima) integrated motor assist light illuminated. the diagnosis indicated a battery condition monitor module intermittent malfunction. the light illuminated again two months later. although, each visit resulted in electrical repairs with specific code reviews, recalibrations, clearance and resetting, the underlying condition still has not been resolved. *jb | |||
| 04/01/2009 | 14000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2009 honda civic hybrid. when the contact attempted to merge into traffic, the vehicle would not accelerate. he avoided crashing several times. he took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the battery was weak, thus preventing the vehicle from receiving the needed electrical connection. the diagnostic results did not register a specific code; therefore, the dealer stated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. the vin and speed were unknown. the failure and current mileages were 14,000. | |||