IMA Battery Replacement and UK Warranty

[retepsnikrep]

The battery on my yellow 2002 UK Insight threw a detrioration code a while back, and I have been arguing with Honda UK about a replacement.

The 8/80,000 mile warranty only applies to UK Insights from 2003 onwards. Honda UK would not offer a warranty replacement to me even though my 2002 car had only done 70,000 miles.

I eventually negotiated a deal, and they let me have a new non exchange IMA battery for £800 + vat. Expensive but better than the list price of £2043 inc vat.

Now my old battery is still perfectly useable since it threw the code some months ago, although it is weak (always was) and had been recalibrating about every 150 miles. I am still getting high 90's mpg and during this recent UK heatwave am easily getting 100mpg+ for my 26 mile work commute. I expect a significant improvement when I fit the new one.

I shall photo document the exchange/replacement process and post my thoughts on it later. I have the full workshop manuals.

I will also end up with a servicable but weak IMA battery to tinker with, a very useful spare for our two insights. I shall def investigate the pack and attempt to identify, replace the weak cells. I intend to write to Panasonic EV Energy who make the cells, and get a few sticks sent over as samples if possible. I have a few friends in the UK oem market who may be able to approach them in such a way as to secure some cells. If this is succesful it could be a away of providing a rolling replacement IMA pack for UK enthusiasts on an exchange basis.

1) UK Insight owner IMA pack dies and out of warranty.

2) I supply my old pack fitted with new cells for a reasonable price.

3) They give me their old pack and cycle continues!

That's the plan.

Regards

Peter

[retepsnikrep]

I have completed my IMA battery swap, no real issues, took about 2.5 hours. Been for a short trip and now showing charged to max capacity. Feels responsive and more lively, reset trip meter and showing 110mpg over last 10 miles. Some unedited photos are here.

http://www.solarvan.co.uk/insight/battery001.jpg

Just change the number on the end up to 033 to get the photos, all are about 500kb jpg unedited. The odd one is missing as they were out of focus or whatever. Just step to the next number if you get file not found.

Peter

[Insightful Trekker]

Glad to gear you got partial satisfaction Peter.

IMA pack disassembly has been tried by another member before. I know you've got a lot of recharable battery array expereince, but maybe read his thread to avoid the mistake(s) already made.

Replacing IMA Pack Cells
http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... php?t=3413

HTH!

[mrlab]

Peter,

Do you know why the 8yr/80k warranty is not applicable to < 03 insights in the uk?

Toby

[The Citrus Smoothie]

The UK warranty limitation was something we found out relatively recently. I believe Mark Elvin found it out. The 8 yr / 80,000 mile IMA warranty only applies to UK spec 2003 or younger Insights in the UK (presumably due to the change in battery management from 2003 onwards). This means that the vast majority of Insights in the UK do not have the additional warranty on their IMA systems Another example of rip-off Britain, made especially worse by some states in America now having a 10yr / 150,000 mile IMA warranty.

[windmill]

Originally Posted by The Citrus Smoothie

This means that the vast majority of Insights in the UK do not have the additional warranty on their IMA systems Another example of rip-off Britain, made especially worse by some states in America now having a 10yr / 150,000 mile IMA warranty.

Why was my battery pack replaced under warranty from Honda UK 1/2 year ago ? I did not get warranty from Honda the Netherlands and germany. If so than this is not fair for people from the UK