[DaveW]

I recently got a 2000 Insight with 180k miles. When driving the car home after about 175 miles the IMA light came on and the charge/assist stopped working. After a little research I pulled the #4 fuse to reset the IMA and it worked ok again for a while and now it has happened again. After driving the car for a few weeks now I have been paying close attention to the charge/assist gauge, I have noticed that it will charge fully at times but will rarely go half way on the assist. And many times it will assist for just a few seconds and then fall back to nothing. I lot of times it "kicks out" just when you fell you need it to work. My question is. Is this a battery or controller problem?

 

[BillR]

It sounds like you're going to need to find out what the code is that's causing the IMA light to come on. I hope it's not too serious/expensive.

Bill

 

[DaveW]

Bill Thanks for your help. Before I pulled the fuse to reset the unit we checked it for codes. it was 1449.

Dave

 

[DaveW]

Has anyone had this problem or have any ideas?

 

[Insightful Trekker]

So you've done nothing to help yourself and find out what the code relates to (its definition) :?:

The answers are in here. Try the forum search feature and read the prominent related "sticky" thread.

And as always google is your friend.

 

[DaveW]

Yes I absolutely have. I had the list of codes before I even checked the car for codes. And I also went to my local dealer for help (what a joke).

P1449
Battery Module Overheating
P1449 Battery Cell Overheating
P1449 Battery Module Individual Voltage Input Deviation
P1449 Battery Module Deterioration
P1449 Battery Module Deviation

Since this is on my dime, I don't want to spend money on parts that I don't need. And I simply would like an opinion (or second opinion) as to what it may be.

Going by the code one would think it is the battery, but by simply pulling the fuse (for 10 seconds) and resetting the unit and everything works instantly one could easily blame the controller.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

Did you read the Sticky I referenced above :?:

If your gonna try to be a mechanic then you'll need to educate yourself a bit better. Simply removing the fuse resets the controller(s). It will take some time for any code to meet failure parameters. Its _not_ a valid diagnostic "test" for "bad" controllers. It _is_ the correct method for verifying that a code isn't merely a "glitch" (when the same code(s) recur).

See:
http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=750
(for more that you probably want to know about the IMA system)

Since your beyond the 150K warranty extension your gonna have to spend some money any way you go. Any sub component of the IMA system that _might_ erroneously generate _your_ code is part of the assembly. You have to replace the IMA battery assembly anyway.

You'd better jump on K-Sight's nearly new used IMA battery pack _and_ updated controllers (not an endorsement, I don't know the member personally).

Keep in mind the old addage: "Opinions are usually worth what you pay for them." (any in here are "free").

There are a couple of DIY IMA battery pack threads in here too.

HTH!