[MyInsight]

I purchased a used 2000 Insight several weeks ago and the fuel mileage isn't what I expected. It is totally stock with 5spd and a/c. Has over 100k on the miles but runs fine. The battery charges as the greeen lights show charging and the yellow shows assist. The battery will be fully charged at times but mostly about 33% full. All of my driving is in town. The IMA light has come on a couple of times but I just unhook the battery under the hood for a couple of minues and it is back to normal. It has been very hot here (97 degrees in the afternoon) so I noticed from your helpful site that can be an issue but I don't feel like it is the only factor here. The auto stop is working fine. I have tried various driving techniques....coasting.......accelerating quickly to speed and accelerating gently to speed...all to no avail. Still 35mpg average. The economy meter will read 150mpg when coasting and functions properly. I have tried premium unleaded gas too. There is no local Honda dealer but I really don't feel like being charged to diagnose it when it runs fine and the system appears to be functioning properly. The maintenance required light is on and it was when I bought it but I looked in the manual and it says that it is only for service and when you take it in the dealer can reset it or you can reset it yourself by turning on the key to position2 and then holding the trip button. I did this several times but would only make the light flash once. When I start the car it is still on. Any suggestions guys and thanks! Also, the lifetime mpg shows 46.5.

 

[onefstsnake]

I get ~35mpg in the city as well. But around here you have to accelerate very quickly at times which kills your gas mileage...

I also noticed that when it is very hot outside 90+ the battery doesnt want to charge as fast. And will only show a few bars of charge.

I do my best to downshift as much as I can to keep the battery charged and the MPG up. It also works well as a brake.

0-35mph 1st gear
35-65mph 2nd gear

I downshift according to that. The higher the MPH the more charge you will get, be easy on the clutch though. 35mph is redline in 1st.

 

[jbrasure]

How long is your typical drive? If you make a lot of 10 minute trips, then your mileage will be pretty bad. The worst mileage happens in the first 5 minutes of a trip. Just a thought.

 

[Dougie]

I would take it out on the highway and charge up the battery as a start. Then take some trips on back roads and see what you get in no traffic at 50 mph. To verify it's all working right.

Lots of starts and stops is really, really hard to deal with. I can get close to 75 mpg with a fully loaded car in the mountains going up and down long steep grades, but it drops down quickly when I get back into town.

Also, when you accelerate "slowly" you have to re-define what you mean by slow. I get the best results by shifting as soon as possible, like at 1200 rpm. 4th gear at 25 mph. Try to never see the assist light.

Squeeze every milliJoule of energy out of that gas!

 

[onefstsnake]

dont shift at 1200rpm...

I accelerate as quickly as possible. And from my house to work I get ~ 53mpg

Whats the point of having a hybrid if you never use the IMA?

 

[Allen]

EGR did it to my MPG

Coming into Denver from the Valley I averaged up and over passes 75+ mpg on my way to Honda dealer to replace EGR valve diagnosed by diag code 2 weeks earlier (first day off showroom floor)
minor repair.

The repair made replaced the EGR valve but when I left the shop my mpg dropped to 25mpg. :shock:

I called the dealer, brought the car in the next morning and found out my bad MPG was caused by blockage in the head in the EGR port, giving bad EGR reading.
Solution: replace the head on my brand new 2005 Honda Insight :shock:

It has been returned to me (one month later, head was on backorder) but the engine is not quiet like it was before the repair. It burrrrooms instead of purrooms especially noticable at idle, no longer whisper quiet.

Hope this info helps.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

Hi MyInsight and welcome to the forum :!:

As far as good MPG on short trips it won't be there.

But compared to any other car it will be much higher (given the same style and conditions), just not as high as an Insight is capable of under "better" conditions. There are a couple of other Insighters driving in the frequent short trip pattern. The high MPG techniques you read about in here will also help just not as much, sorry. Try the forum search feature :!:

Check out this old thread here:

http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... php?t=1276


p.s. Allen's multipost should be replied to in his main thread here:

http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... php?t=3659

HTH!

 

[Insightful Trekker]

My Insight's posted reply in a different (new) thread:
(since deleted and reply moved here)

Thanks guys....this site is great!. you seem to divide on the accelerate slowly and/or shift as soon as possible and the keep it in gear as long as you can....like never get out of second gear in town....of which I have tried both methods. Yes, my driving is almost entirely ten minute trips, but I have a mile or two of highway included in that. I do want to take it on a full highway trip and see what it gets, but I have not yet. What do you think about the maintenance required light being on and only flashes once when I try and reset it? I am following the manual procedure. It flashes then remains on. THANKS

 

[gobuchul74]

After the service engine light blinks, release and press the trip button again.