[krobinso]

Does anyone have a dealer they've had good experiences with in Massachusetts, especially Boston?

I'm pretty sure my IMA battery is dead (it has virtually no capacity) and probably the 12-V batt as well (the car has to be jump-started with increasing regularity; at least once a day when it's cold out after sitting parked for more than an hour). The dealership I called gave the standard "we've never had a problem with the IMA battery" argument, and the "service manager" said it might not even be possible for me to talk in person to a mechanic!

Thanks
Karen

 

[Yves M.]

Have you thought of replacing the 12 V battery yourself (or with the help of a friend) before going to the dealer. If you think it is bad or if it is about 3 years old, it is time for a change (it is surely dead)
It would cost less if things are not covered under warranty, to do the obvious first. Maybe after this, the IMA will be OK. It is two post to unscrew and the braket that holds the battery.

I have a Civic type battery and it was a simple exchange.

 

[Delta Flyer]

I don't know the whole story, but a couple of times when my OEM 12-v battery was going bad, it would go dead on the weekend, and completely drain the IMA battery in the process. Just a possibility.

 

[Tim Maddux]

Every time your 12V battery dies (needs a jump), it resets the computer that is tracking your IMA battery state, so you will see an empty IMA state of charge after your battery is jumped. So, based on what you have written, there is not a clear indication that you have an IMA battery problem, but it is clear that you have a 12V battery in need of replacement. Give that a try, and then report back. Good luck!

 

[sunhunter]

http://www.lundgrenhonda.com is in auburn, quite a hual from boston, but they were good to my dad, they replaced the battery pack and controller under warrantee

 

[nemystic]

I'd agree with some of the previous suggestions that you check the 12V battery condition before heading for the dealer for service, if possible.
When and if you do need service, I'd highly recommend Peters Honda in Nashua, NH. ('Not too far from Beantown, and no sales tax on parts.) They're very customer friendly, and in my experiences, quite competent.
I didn't buy my Insight there, but I've had quite a bit of warranty work done, including replacement of the dashboard display; something they'd never done before. 'No hassles, no problems.
Good luck.

 

[krobinso]

Thanks. I replaced the 12-V battery, and so far it's been 40 pleasant, uneventful miles.

 

[MikeF]

I bought my used '02 at Cambridge Honda, 275 Fresh Pond Parkway, 617-864-5900. They seem to be okay, not great, but I've never had a serious problem either.

Biggest problem with them: after I get the car serviced, I have to head west on Rt. 2 up the long, long hill that crests at the Mormon temple in Belmont. At about the halfway point, my battery is drained and I have to pull over to the right lane to keep from getting run over.

MF

 

[Willie Williford]

If you are in that scenerio, down shift to third, run around 3200 RPM and you will charge the IMA battery back up. (Even uphill) TOO MUCH use of the IMA battery (draining consistently) will definately shorten the life of the battery. Sacrific a few miles per gallon and save the battery.

 

[Guest]

Hi MikeF:

___Follow Willie’s advice and simply don’t use the pack. And let us not discuss sacrificing anything. To charge the pack back up, take a long, steady, and slow cruise down the highway without using assist in any way, shape, or form. Within 15 - 20 minutes, your SoC should be back at 19 of 20 bars via hidden charging where it should be.

___Best practice for your Insight’s health well into the future is to keep the SoC up at 18 - 19 of 20 bars under almost all circumstances. Maybe twice a year when stuck in heavy traffic or climbing, bring it down to 12 or 13 of 20 and then let her climb right back up and stay there until the next exercise 5 to 6 months later.

___And lets us not forget thermal management. Never lock up your little beauty tight in summer temps with the sun beating through those windows. All you are doing is creating a solar oven to cook the pack. Leave the windows cracked and the pack won’t see but maybe 10 + degrees above ambient. Just make sure you close them before it rains or your butt will be wet for the ride home

___As for the long climb and getting run over, how do the 18-wheelers make it up? Probably gearing down and climbing slow in the far right lane where you should be in the fist place! Remember, you are driving a hybrid, not a Corvette. Follow the truckers lead and stop worrying about what someone else will do or think. It’s your car after all, not the knuckle head that you think will run you over. Don’t worry, he won’t.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___[email:3flrb9wa][email protected][/email:3flrb9wa]

 

[murasaki]

Karen & other MA Insighters,

I bought my '03 Insight new from BOCH HONDA ( http://www.BOCHhonda.com 781-619-6776 ) on Route 1 in Norwood, MA, the so-called "automile". They have over 55 service bays and you don't need to make appts. They are open Mon.-Sat. 7-9pm and Sun. 9-5. They have a huge waiting area with an equally huge TV and free coffee & donuts etc. in the mornings. I've only had my car since April 2004 and just had it in for its' first oil change and to have my Hakka 2s ( snow tires) put on. I followed the advice of others on the board and brought my own oil & filter. They returned the unused oil but they initially looked at me kind of weird when I said I had brought my own oil and filter and wanted them to just put in 2.6 or so quarts. I also had my own tires too! The whole bill was only $16---so pretty cheap over all, especially since they offered me 2 free oil changes at the time of purchase !! The only problem I had was that they didn't put the rear skirts back on properly, and so they had to do it over until it passed my "inspection".

Murasaki