We drove down from Santa Clarita, CA to San Diego today all the way on Interstate 5. Some of thanksgiving traffic was horendous. For several hours we averaged around 12 mph. The overall average was just over 30. As I reported a few days ago the car is exhibiting a boost in mpg after the software updates. Well if the car readout is even remotely accurate this trip, the mpgs have clearly improved. Overall mpg was 61 mpg. Before we hit the heavy traffic it was around 72. I carefully monitored the regens and the system worked flawlessly. It never turned on going uphill, even a slight uphill. The battery indicator was nearly topped the entire trip. I did run the car with econo mode and the outside temp was around 70f the whole time, car temp set to 74 on auto mode. Unfortunately, the gas tank was not topped so I won't be able to get the actual mpg. But I should be able to make a guestimate once we refill the tank as I believe the tank was very close to full. Even if the mpg readout is off by 10% the mpg has improved considerably. Has anyone else seen this boost from the software updates? The increase is so dramatic that I am dubious Honda could have achieved this with software changes alone. I need to verify that they have not just messed with the accuracy of electronic gauges. At a minimum I can say the regen problem on our vehicle has been sorted out for the type of terrain encountered on this trip.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using AutoGuide.Com Free App
So you recently brought it in to honda and they loaded some software for the IMA? Was it to update the ECM for the check engine with a P0420 code? What year is your car?
I posted on the updates on our 2010 I2 a couple of weeks ago. My wife had 2 software updates done by Honda service in Southern Oregon in October. They stated to her the 3rd potential update was current. I was not there and I did not drive the car until she drove down from our vacation house in Oregon to our apartment in Southern CA. Posting from this phone limits my ability to check on my earlier post which detailed the software updates done by Lithia Honda, which we paid for. Clearly either the mpg readout has been rendered very optimistic or the car is getting better mpg. I can confirm that the regen problem has been addressed in the updates. I have not tested the car on a major mountain climb as yet. Can confirm the regen works appropriately on the routes I have driven the car in the last two weeks.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using AutoGuide.Com Free App
Fuel alone can account for a 5 mpg diff between ethanol content, summer/winter addatives, etc. Its my experience the Honda like humid air too for mpg.
Mines was made in March of 09 according to the drivers side door sticker and Ive heard the early ecus are not flashable. That was something changed in the later models of the first and thereafter models and hte flash has something to do with the cvt as well as the "bettery charger" of the 12 volt side.
I could always get a late model ecu, then program it to my vin and keys, then Ill be back where I started where it cant be flashed since its vin related. I guess I could get a flashed ecu, then get the keys programmed to it. Not sure if programming of the vin to the ecu is just something for recording keeping purpose or if it actually plays a role in how everything interacts. :evil:
One of the things I liked about the crz is the fact it will asssist if needed and as soon as you lift it regens, so in other words it wont regen while accelerating, just when coasting when its low.
I checked the speedometer reading against the value from the gps. It is still 3% optimistic. The gas was from the same station as before Shell 87 octane.
Cobb, we bought the I2 in April, 2009. So it should be from the same production run as yours. The dealer did not mention to us they could not flash it. However, they were only able to find 2 updates out of the 3 reported on this forum. Perhaps these early models could be flashed but not for all functions.
My wife drove today in the San Diego and was driving without any concern for mpg so I expected the mpg to drop. We ended up in Carlsbad tonight. The gauge on this trip now is down to 56mpg. Still quite good.
Does anyone know if the error in the speedometer correlates to the error in mpg. What is the biggest discrepency on the forum between actual mpg vs mpg calculated by the car.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using AutoGuide.Com Free App
What does your sticker say on the drivers door area?
Ive checked 2 dealers and they say no updates.
Now in the colder weather my cvt sounds like a weed eater when it engages, but its abotu time to change the cvt fluid. It werent too bad driving without the phev kit those few weeks when my charger died. Maybe they did it and didnt tell me?
It was built in Japan 02/09. So it was completed before yours. The dealer said only 2 of the 3 updates were for our car. One was for the cvt. I need to check the paperwork tomorrow for the details. The dealer charged us for the work as it was not a recall.
Something is very strange if the 2 dealers you contacted say your car cannot get a flash update. Perhaps this only true for 1 of the 3 programs that have an update. Or maybe my dealer never did the updates. Very unlikely imo.
Sent from my HTC Glacier using AutoGuide.Com Free App
I'm afraid some of the improvement may in fact be fuel formulation. Here in California we just changed from the summer to the winter formula. The non Hybrid I drive daily jumped almost 2 mpg with the last tank.
I change it myself with the engine oil, use honda cvt fluid, every other change I do the inline filter. I also clean the drain plug too. Last time it had a slight silt like coating. THis time around Ive been more agressive driving. Wonder if Ill see any changes?
OK, just had my software updated yesterday. Here is my story.
I'm in the Southern Suburbs of the Twin Cities in MN. I got one of the first Insights off the boat back in the spring of 2009. I called two dealerships, neither knew about the updates, they checked on their computer looking for relevant service bulletins but no joy.
Apparently the only way to find out about the updates is to bring in the car and have them connect up their computer to the car, then presto, the computer informs them that there are 3 software updates available. They will not normally hook up the computer for normal maintenance such as oil change, only if there is a problem or if you specifically request it.
The car is performing much better, a better driving experience. Initial indications are that I picked up 3-4 MPG in my nearly 100% suburban driving, no difference on the hiway. The jerkiness on start from a stoplight is nearly gone. Most importantly, the forced battery charge while going up a hill is no longer there. This was a real pet peeve of mine. The car now behaves like it has a bigger battery also. I drove around randomly yesterday because it was different enough and fun.
The dealer performed the update for free (38,000 miles). He pulled me aside, gave me his card and asked to please let him know the results of the update. He said no one had ever requested it before and he was very interested.
Attilla - thanks for sharing those details. I only recently discovered this forum although I'vs had my I2 since 2009. I called my local dealer, and he had no clue. I'll definitely get in there and have them plug the car into the computer. The regen uphill is a real annoyance. That fix alone could dramatically improve my MPGs on the steep hills I'll see at Christmas time.
Sent from my ADR6425LVW using AutoGuide.Com Free App
They did hook me up for the tpms reset. I notice my map reading was blank on my sg2, cant say anyother differences. The dealer I use to go to said its basically 100 bucks to take the car around and I need to make an appointment.
The other dealer I may of burn my bridges with as i had to use my ebrake to get out of the service bay after they blocked me in when I complained about the tpms light coming back on and how they needed my car for the whole day to fix it.
For the approximate 300 miles during this trip there were 2 forced regens going up hill. Both occurred on the way back (none on the drive down). The traffic was horrendous on the way back. The first regen occurred shortly we got going and was on a shallow upward slope (somewhat unusual). The second regen occured on the last hill climb on the I5 going into the Santa Clarita Valley, right at the end of the journey, The climb is several miles long. So all in all the number of "bad" forced regens was very low on the trip. The mpg readout on the car was 55 mpg. IF this was true than it would be fantastic as we hit bumper to bumper traffic for several hours on the trip home (and heavy traffic going down). Unfortunately my wife filled the car on her trip up North the next day and did not fill it up. So I don't know the actual mpg. I know that the speedometer is 3% optimistic. I am guessing that the 55mpg should be closer to 50 mpg, 10% optimistic. (I am basing this on the gas gauge position at the end of the trip and the computer estimate of how many miles were left to go before the tank was empty). I believe that the dash readout mpg error is higher than before and I am not sure why. Still 50 mpg is very good considering the heavy traffic encountered in both directions. Other than the strange regen at the start of the journey heading North, I was very pleased with the improvement in the way the IMA system handled the regens.
So I called the local dealer, and they want $100 just to hook it up to the computer! What a rip off! It takes them what, less than 5 minutes? Cobb- I see you had the same experience. If resetting the TPMS doesn't trigger the check, does anyone know what will? Sadly, I may have to do without this update, nice as it may be. It's really frustrating that Honda won't proactively maintain the software on their products. Could you imagine what it would be like to live in a world in which Microsoft never updated their software for existing customers?
We paid, if my memory serves me, around $50 for the dealer to update the software. As it was piggy-backed onto a regular service the price was more reasonable. My suggestion is to wait when you are getting a service and add on the request for the updates. My guess is that most dealers will discount the update in light of the known regen problem. Some will do it for free, as has been the case for several people on this forum.
I kind of miss the service the toy dealer had. They were always ready for me, always had a choice of loaner cars and any diagnostic fees were applied to the service if they performed it. So, a hundred bucks to check something, if they serviced it, you got 100 off.
Lets not forget the free goodies in the waiting area. :smile:
Thanks for posting about the software update! I ended up taking my '10 insight in for the update by making an appointment and was advised it would be free. When I got there it was a different story.
I had to talk to a service coordinator who didn't know what I was talking about and after going back and forth with her and her talking to a service tech and coming back to me she said that since there was no bulletin she couldn't help me. Instead of fighting her I just asked do I just take it somewhere else and she had me talk to someone with her. This person knew what I was talking about and said she had to phrase it that I had concerns with fuel economy to check for the update. Once he said this they started the check.
Unfortunately my 3 years expired in Nov '12 and they said it would be charged as a service diagnostic. I ended up paying $128 for the 3 updates and a free car wash :S
Anyway, my initial reaction is the drive feels much better, will keep tracking my mileage to see what the increase in efficiency is for me.
Hello all,
Newbie here, just picked up my 2012 Insight a week ago, now going about learning what I can.
One of the first things I've noticed is that on my long hill climb in the last few miles before home every day, halfway up the hill it starts to show a charge cycle occurring with the charge needle deflecting half way down. I presume that's what you're referring to as a forced regen. Certainly doesn't make sense to have the engine work harder going up a steep hill at that point.
I would have thought that the software update that applies to the '09s and '10s here would be built in to a 12, but maybe it was developed after my '12 was built. Anybody know?
Thanks in advance, loving my I2, fun to drive. Coming off a Diesel smart that got killer mileage, but was getting on in miles and the roads here were just murdering it's non-suspension. That, and waiting for 10 miles to get warm enough in the winter was killing me.
The 2012 has the latest software in it. Regarding charging after pulling a hill for a while, there is a limited amount of assist available before the battery needs to recharge. Sounds pretty normal. @ adamd I got my software updated under warranty. As much as it improved my car, I'd have paid for it without hesitation.
Thanks for sharing this. I'm still going back and forth about paying $100 to hook up the car to a computer. Seems absurd. Plus, what if I only find out I have a non-update-able car (I have one of the first I2s off the line). What to do
Vehicle operating systems have been updatable for quite a few years. I can't imagine yours couldn't be.
In all fairness, the charge is reasonable.
There is a pretty high equipment cost involved, plus costs from Honda to the dealership. Same for independents, they have to buy the diagnostic equipment and pay the subscription costs to use the factory tool. The person working on your car deserves to be paid. It is quite more than a 5 minute job. You'll forget about that cost pretty quickly considering how much improved you car will be. At least that how it worked out for me.
When I went to the dealership and they were not aware of the update. I told them that the update notification would appear once they connected the car to the computer. They informed me that the software update might have negative effects and that it was not reversible and that the software update might issue a check engine light. They also said that they would charge me ~$50 just to check. I was okay with that. After they applied software update there was a check engine light. They cleared the check engine light and drove it around without any issue. In the end, I was not charge for anything.