Improved IMA after software update

[WFalicoff]

We drove down from Santa Clarita, CA to San Diego today all the way on Interstate 5. Some of thanksgiving traffic was horendous. For several hours we averaged around 12 mph. The overall average was just over 30. As I reported a few days ago the car is exhibiting a boost in mpg after the software updates. Well if the car readout is even remotely accurate this trip, the mpgs have clearly improved. Overall mpg was 61 mpg. Before we hit the heavy traffic it was around 72. I carefully monitored the regens and the system worked flawlessly. It never turned on going uphill, even a slight uphill. The battery indicator was nearly topped the entire trip. I did run the car with econo mode and the outside temp was around 70f the whole time, car temp set to 74 on auto mode. Unfortunately, the gas tank was not topped so I won't be able to get the actual mpg. But I should be able to make a guestimate once we refill the tank as I believe the tank was very close to full. Even if the mpg readout is off by 10% the mpg has improved considerably. Has anyone else seen this boost from the software updates? The increase is so dramatic that I am dubious Honda could have achieved this with software changes alone. I need to verify that they have not just messed with the accuracy of electronic gauges. At a minimum I can say the regen problem on our vehicle has been sorted out for the type of terrain encountered on this trip.
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[fuelsipper]

So you recently brought it in to honda and they loaded some software for the IMA? Was it to update the ECM for the check engine with a P0420 code? What year is your car?

[Willie Williford]

Looks like he might have a 2010 or later.

G2 forum.
HTH
Willie

[WFalicoff]

I posted on the updates on our 2010 I2 a couple of weeks ago. My wife had 2 software updates done by Honda service in Southern Oregon in October. They stated to her the 3rd potential update was current. I was not there and I did not drive the car until she drove down from our vacation house in Oregon to our apartment in Southern CA. Posting from this phone limits my ability to check on my earlier post which detailed the software updates done by Lithia Honda, which we paid for. Clearly either the mpg readout has been rendered very optimistic or the car is getting better mpg. I can confirm that the regen problem has been addressed in the updates. I have not tested the car on a major mountain climb as yet. Can confirm the regen works appropriately on the routes I have driven the car in the last two weeks.

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[Cobb]

Fuel alone can account for a 5 mpg diff between ethanol content, summer/winter addatives, etc. Its my experience the Honda like humid air too for mpg.

Mines was made in March of 09 according to the drivers side door sticker and Ive heard the early ecus are not flashable. That was something changed in the later models of the first and thereafter models and hte flash has something to do with the cvt as well as the "bettery charger" of the 12 volt side.

I could always get a late model ecu, then program it to my vin and keys, then Ill be back where I started where it cant be flashed since its vin related. I guess I could get a flashed ecu, then get the keys programmed to it. Not sure if programming of the vin to the ecu is just something for recording keeping purpose or if it actually plays a role in how everything interacts.

One of the things I liked about the crz is the fact it will asssist if needed and as soon as you lift it regens, so in other words it wont regen while accelerating, just when coasting when its low.

[WFalicoff]

I checked the speedometer reading against the value from the gps. It is still 3% optimistic. The gas was from the same station as before Shell 87 octane.

Cobb, we bought the I2 in April, 2009. So it should be from the same production run as yours. The dealer did not mention to us they could not flash it. However, they were only able to find 2 updates out of the 3 reported on this forum. Perhaps these early models could be flashed but not for all functions.

My wife drove today in the San Diego and was driving without any concern for mpg so I expected the mpg to drop. We ended up in Carlsbad tonight. The gauge on this trip now is down to 56mpg. Still quite good.

Does anyone know if the error in the speedometer correlates to the error in mpg. What is the biggest discrepency on the forum between actual mpg vs mpg calculated by the car.


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[Cobb]

What does your sticker say on the drivers door area?

Ive checked 2 dealers and they say no updates.

Now in the colder weather my cvt sounds like a weed eater when it engages, but its abotu time to change the cvt fluid. It werent too bad driving without the phev kit those few weeks when my charger died. Maybe they did it and didnt tell me?

[WFalicoff]

It was built in Japan 02/09. So it was completed before yours. The dealer said only 2 of the 3 updates were for our car. One was for the cvt. I need to check the paperwork tomorrow for the details. The dealer charged us for the work as it was not a recall.
Something is very strange if the 2 dealers you contacted say your car cannot get a flash update. Perhaps this only true for 1 of the 3 programs that have an update. Or maybe my dealer never did the updates. Very unlikely imo.


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[egads]

I'm afraid some of the improvement may in fact be fuel formulation. Here in California we just changed from the summer to the winter formula. The non Hybrid I drive daily jumped almost 2 mpg with the last tank.

[NorthwestIL]

Cobb! How often do you change your CVT transmission fluid?? Change it or flush? By dealer or off Wal-Mart shelf --Mobile Oil fluid?