Help/advice on my new 5 speed. IMA light on despite new battery 200 miles ago.

**mkeeton** · 08-16-2011, 11:02 PM

Hi,

I have just picked up a 2000 5 speed with 99400 miles. It came from Florida and just arrived today in Salt Lake City. It came off the truck with about 3 bars of charge. I headed home and within 5 miles of some stop start in traffic with a downhill run it was fully charged. It seemed to charge far faster than my CVT does on the same trip. Anyway, hit the highway and by the time I came to my offramp was at 82mpg for 13 miles. Best the CVT has done at that point was 71 mpg.

Started climbing the steep hill to home. Battery was fully charged. Shifted to second and got about 3/4 throttle and the assist came to full bars. About 3 seconds into this the assist quit, charge went to 1 bar and IMA light came on.

Now I specifically bought a car that had the battery replaced. 200 miles ago the dealership replaced the battery. They test drove and the IMA light came back on. Techline told them to try a second battery which they did. IMA light came back on. So, they got sent a battery control module which fixed the problem. So, 200 miles ago the car got a new batter and battery control module to the tune of $3568.

My question... I am now in a different state to the dealership that did the repair. This was an out of warranty repair paid for by the owner from whom I bought the car. Do I have any recourse with our local dealership? Any ideas as to what the problem might be? I suspect the car sat after being repaired as the tires pressures were low and the owner had bought a new Insight and probably wasn't driving this one very much if at all.

Should I go straight to the dealer and get the codes read while the IMA light is set? Should I try a reset by disconnecting the battery, pulling the EPS fuse and running above 3500 rpm till charged?

Any advice much appreciated. Still got home at 67mpg despite no assist up the hill. Best on the CVT has been 63mpg.

Thanks, Mark

Eli · 08-17-2011, 01:12 AM

The new battery has a warranty, any Honda dealership will honor it.

That's very odd though, definitely not normal. Even if the car sat it shouldn't be throwing IMA codes with such a new battery, something is wrong.

Don't clear the codes, take it in.

**mkeeton** · 08-17-2011, 08:19 AM

Thanks Eli,

I found in reading the forum that the new battery has at least 36000 or 3 years or even perhaps the original warranty. So, off to the dealership for my first visit to a Honda repair shop. My CVT so far has been perfect.

I assume the warranty is transferable. The car is actually still in the sellers name since I haven't registered it yet, so either way I should be covered.

Mark.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli

The new battery has a warranty, any Honda dealership will honor it.

That's very odd though, definitely not normal. Even if the car sat it shouldn't be throwing IMA codes with such a new battery, something is wrong.

Don't clear the codes, take it in.

Eli · 08-17-2011, 12:25 PM

You said the battery was put in 200 miles ago, but how long has it been since the car was driven, do you have any idea? If it sat for 2 years, the 200 miles part doesn't matter much.

lol

jessemac · 08-17-2011, 12:45 PM

I'm looking at a 03 CVT with 107,000 miles from a junk yard that runs perfectly looks great but American Honda has never replaced the batterypack. It has a salvage title but the yard said has never been in an accident they say any car they register is assumed by the DMV to be branded. Probably a lie. He's asking 4900 what should I offer?

Eli · 08-17-2011, 12:51 PM

How did it get in a junk yard if it hasn't been in an accident? I'd be wary, and at $4900 it's likely you could do better, though the low mileage is nice.

Run a Carfax. If it does have a salvage title, it's not elligable for Honda's extended battery warranty. However, CVTs use the battery much differently than manual transmission versions do. It's likely the battery is very much useable.

I'd offer $3500 and see what his reaction is.

**mkeeton** · 08-17-2011, 12:52 PM

No...just went in 2 months ago. So, theoretically new!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli

You said the battery was put in 200 miles ago, but how long has it been since the car was driven, do you have any idea? If it sat for 2 years, the 200 miles part doesn't matter much.

lol

Eli · 08-17-2011, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkeeton

No...just went in 2 months ago. So, theoretically new!

Oh wow, yeah that's very odd. That shouldn't really hurt the battery at all. It will be about fully discharged, but it should charge back up just fine.

Any idea what the code is? I'm curious.

Willie Williford · 08-17-2011, 12:56 PM

Jessemac;
so why is there a "salvaged title" ?. Accident, Theft? A CARFAX might show the reason.
Which yard? Maybe they have had run ins with the DMV before and are on the "List".
HTH
Willie

**mkeeton** · 08-18-2011, 09:17 AM

Hi Eli,

Code was P1449. Yes it charged up really quickly.. well at least compared to the CVT. It was fully charged with some careful regen within 3 miles. It seemed to be fine until I put a big load with full assist climbing a steep hill. Haven't heard back from Honda yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eli

Oh wow, yeah that's very odd. That shouldn't really hurt the battery at all. It will be about fully discharged, but it should charge back up just fine.

Any idea what the code is? I'm curious.