IMA and CEL popped on last week. I pulled P1449 with a Snap-On scanner and sub code 78 with blinking light. SOC showed 19. I was past due for a 12v battery and found questionable ground cables under the hood so I replaced everything knowing it wouldn't fix the IMA. Lights were out for 4 miles. SOC read 0 then quickly went to almost 19. Had charge, assist and regen for that brief time before the lights came back on. My guess that all that was normal.
History: In service date 9/00. I bought the car 6/09 with 56K, current miles 89K. Battery module recall (06-057) was done 1/07 with 44K. I bought the car knowing about the IMA problems but the recall extension covering the car had come out so I prayed it would fail before time was up and luckily the IMA light came on 5/10 and I got what I assumed was a new battery pack. Well as all you guys know and I just found out, the replacement batteries are junk.
What I'd like is advice and the steps I need to follow to get everything working again. I've searched this forum and can't figure out which way to go. I'm not sure how long I'll keep it but I know it is better to have everything working if I do decide to sell. I'd like to fix it as reasonably as possible but not do a band-aid that will fail again in a few months for me or the next owner. The quick thing to do would be to throw money (new battery) at it. I've read about grid chargers, not cheap also, but don't know it that would fix my P1449-78 code. The good news is this is the first problem of any kind I've had with this car since I've owned it that with cost me my money. The bad news is that since I haven't had any IMA problems to deal with I don't know much about the nuts and volts. I am a mechanic so I know cars but not much about hybrid stuff other than the basics. I don't live it like you guys. Ask me about Chrysler minivan transmissions and I could write a book!
You sound like a pretty capable person. If I were you I'd build a cheap grid charger and try that, you don't even need to take the pack out. If that doesn't work try a stick-level job - cycling the sticks one at a time. Search for the 'superbrain' threads - there's a couple other people discussing the same thing over the past few days.
///grid charger and try that, you don't even need to take the pack out//
Indeed, that's what I did after taking precautions: disconnecting 12V battery, HV ima big switch off, wait.., then test terminals with VOM etc. before accessing the one hard-to-see HV positive connection screw for that add-on grid charger harness.
All to do to gain access to that partially obscured connection without battery removal was take off a supporting brace and few wires for better left arm access to the side of the battery board with a stubby phillips point and/or a small ratchet drive. It's not so tight to do as it's blind to see. The pictures really help.
Best success and welcome.
IMA and CEL popped on last week. I pulled P1449 with a Snap-On scanner and sub code 78 with blinking light. SOC showed 19. I was past due for a 12v battery and found questionable ground cables under the hood so I replaced everything knowing it wouldn't fix the IMA. Lights were out for 4 miles. SOC read 0 then quickly went to almost 19. Had charge, assist and regen for that brief time before the lights came back on. My guess that all that was normal.
History: In service date 9/00. I bought the car 6/09 with 56K, current miles 89K. Battery module recall (06-057) was done 1/07 with 44K. I bought the car knowing about the IMA problems but the recall extension covering the car had come out so I prayed it would fail before time was up and luckily the IMA light came on 5/10 and I got what I assumed was a new battery pack. Well as all you guys know and I just found out, the replacement batteries are junk.
What I'd like is advice and the steps I need to follow to get everything working again. I've searched this forum and can't figure out which way to go. I'm not sure how long I'll keep it but I know it is better to have everything working if I do decide to sell. I'd like to fix it as reasonably as possible but not do a band-aid that will fail again in a few months for me or the next owner. The quick thing to do would be to throw money (new battery) at it. I've read about grid chargers, not cheap also, but don't know it that would fix my P1449-78 code. The good news is this is the first problem of any kind I've had with this car since I've owned it that with cost me my money. The bad news is that since I haven't had any IMA problems to deal with I don't know much about the nuts and volts. I am a mechanic so I know cars but not much about hybrid stuff other than the basics. I don't live it like you guys. Ask me about Chrysler minivan transmissions and I could write a book!
I hate to say it because it makes me seem terribly biased, but just buy a new battery.
With a P1449-78, the battery is dead. You can continue to limp it along with a grid charger. You can spend a month rebuilding it and hope that the bad sticks are obvious and few. Maybe if you're lucky, you'll be able to rebuild the battery to 40-60% of it's original performance. Maybe.
There's certainly merit in trying to get the most out of your current battery, limp it along for another year or so on a grid charger, while you save.. or rebuild it a few times over a couple of years and learn a lot about batteries.
But I'm basing this off your statement. It sounds like you just want your car to be proper again, and a new battery is the only way you're going to achieve that.
As a bonus, the car will perform better than ever did with any Honda battery.
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Bumblebee Batteries, LLC - Helping your hybrid get from point A to point Bee!
I've limped along for about 13k miles since I cycled my sticks. I had a 1449-78. It works fine for the 25% or so of useable capacity I have, which is enough to squeak by - with attention to regen-ing to refill pack asap, and decent 40 amp assist and regen. As long as I don't try a new, flashy maxima battery I'll never know what I'm missing...
Thanks guys, I was looking for any and all options and you gave them to me. I think the best thing to do is take a step back and mull things over. I can still drive the car and get 50 mpg. Looks like I can keep it this way, fiddle with the current battery, or like my grandpa liked to say "Buy the best and only cry once." i.e. buy a battery. I'm a cheap skate at heart, that's why I drive an Insight btw, so spending over 2k for a battery goes against my nature but it may turn out to be the best in the long run. Not to put Eli on the spot, I know you gave me your honest opinion, but is it true that P1449-78 is as bad as it gets for an IMA battery? Is there any hope for a battery with that code?
The sad thing is it is still a great little car. Never been wrecked, decent miles, new tires, windshield, 12v battery, aftermarket stereo and cruise. Imagine if Honda had put grid chargers on these things to address what I understand is the weal link in these cars. The IMA would outlast the car? The first thing people ask me about my car is what mpg does it get. The second is how long does the battery last and how much does it cost. They like the first answer but not the second.
Thanks again for the info. This is a great forum.
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2000 M/T Silver
Other Cars:
2000 Jaguar XK8, 72 IH 1210 P/U, 57 DeSoto Sportsman, 55 Chrysler NY, 49 Dodge Coronet, 47 DeSoto Suburban, 39 Packard 120
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P1449-78 Need Plan of Attack
