IMA Autozone

[mgoldie]

My IMA light came on, and I made it go off by resetting via pulling the fuse as someone had instructed. If I now take it to Autozone, will they be able to pull the codes, or do I have to wait until the IMA light comes on again?

[Willie Williford]

No they cannot read the codes because the ECU has reset itself when you removed the fuse. (The codes set in memory are lost) At most auto parts when they do read the code if the IMA light is glowing, probably all they will show is (Specific manuf. code malfunction). They can read specific generic codes though.
HTH
Willie

[Cobb]

Interesting... The i2 keeps the codes til they are cleared. If you key off and on 3 times the check engine light goes out, but the code is still stored.


Sent from my Autoguide iPod touch app

[interestedguy]

My IMA would reset itself after a restart, it drove me nuts because I would drive to autozone with it on, turn off the car, go in and they would come out with the tool and the light would be out and there would be no code.

[RedJellyBean]

You can probably make that IMA light come right back on by driving it 40-50 miles and using the most of the battery assist, preferably up some decent hills.

[Eli]

Hmm.

In my testing, the DTC is set during the regen cycle after a negative recal. Someone with frequent P1447/P1449 errors and the Calpod switch should try regenning very gently. I'm not really sure if this is even possible with the car, but the Calpod switch may let you do it. In my testing of a dead pack, you can avoid the IMA light if you keep average regen to 4A or less.

I imagine doing it like this.. Let the negative recal happen. The automatic background charge will come on pretty strong, probably 8-11A. Let it happen for 30 seconds, then turn the Calpod switch on for 45 seconds. Then turn the switch back off and let the background charge happen again for 30 seconds, turning it off again for 45 seconds, etc.

Keep doing this. It will take a while, but with any luck you'll get the SoC meter to 4-6+ bars before the positive recal happens, and the IMA light may not come on. This all depends on the actual condition of your battery though... But it would be interesting.

[Willie Williford]

Yes it (the CARD switch) helps. I get a lot of negative recals and very few positive recals because of the deteriorated pack. (Since 6-2007 @ 204,469 miles)
The way I do it is turn on the battery fan as the negative or positive recal begins, when the SOC bars gets down to the bottom and the regen starts, I turn on the CARD switch and let it do it's thing. Turning on the CARD switch does lower the charge, as you can see the regen bars lessen............Note..........It doesn't work that way all the time, but the biggest percentage it does. The SOC does come back to full, but it takes a lengthy drive. About the same as letting the engine idle during a recal.
HTH
Willie

[Eli]

Oh.. I kinda forgot that the car can force regen even in neutral if the battery is totally empty. So that would probably only work for people with low to moderately deteriorated packs. If you get a positive recal after 1-2 bars, it wouldn't work.