[clayrolfs]

114K, two weeks ago I praised my car and Honda for the technology. Now, I'm not too sure. I drove my Insight when when the IMA light had come on a couple of times and sometimes the Check Engine light came on...but both went off after a couple of months and there seemed to be no effect to the car. This last time they came on and stayed on for a couple of months until my hybrid side went out... I drove one more week with the reduced power and then I took it in to the dealer. $5800.00 is the price to fix it they say. But now hearing some of you talk that maybe I don't need all three parts (Big Battery, Control Unit and Module Motor). The dealer said I could drive it without the hybrid side with no problem, like I had done for the last week. Then he called back and said no I couldn't. So now I hear from previous people, that there is a way of shutting that side down and go like I have been for the last week. I've gotten 50 miles per gallon and I'm perfectly happy with that. I just want a car back. I'm not happy with $5800 fix to a car that is worth about $7K-9K.

Has anyone had the dealer disconnect the hybrid side? If so, how much? How does the car run in the longterm?

Has anyone just replaced the battery and the other two parts were fine? I've found some parts on the internet that are much cheaper than the dealers. What a bunch of crap these dealers push out.

What size of Honda IC Engine would fit if I did change it to IC only?

Thanks to all that reply

 

[bfivelover]

I can't believe you drove the car for a couple of months with the IMA and check engine lights on and you didn't get it checked. You're lucky you're not paying a lot more than $5800 :roll: What year is it?

 

[clayrolfs]

Year of Car is 2000

I bought the Insight in 2001 at Moss Motors in Lafayette, LA. It was one year old but only had 150 miles. People test drove it.

I did bring it to the dealer twice, once for a recall and once for a pressure plate. I also had a accident where someone t-boned me. The car was hit between the front and back tire. Any chance that had anything to do with the IMA failure?

 

[b1shmu63]

A strong side impact could have done internal damage to the IMA pack. That's at least as likely as a manufacturing defect. If one or more of the 120 cells was damaged it would put an abnormal stress on the rest of the pack.

 

[figgy]

If the problem is caused by the accident, then why don't you ask the t-boner's insurance company to pay the $5800 - unless it was in 2001...

 

[clayrolfs]

Honda is going to pay for the parts, I pay the labor

Thanks for the notes back. Actually if things didn't work out with Honda's Customer service, I was going to go the route of trying to get the insurance company to pay for the repairs. But things are much better today than last week.

I must be a blessed person because the service department told me today that Honda would pay for the parts if I paid the $382.50 to install them. When I had heard that the bill was $5800 I called Honda Costumer Service. I got a case number and I'm not sure what happend but they determined that they would pay for the parts. The telephone number is 800-999-1009 for those that want to try and get that done. I had 114,000 miles on the car so the warranty was up, but Honda, being a GREAT company extended the 80,000 mile warranty on the IMA. I couldn't be happier.

Clay

 

[Rick]

I'd say that's a deal!

 

[figgy]

Makes me not worry about having a problem myself in the future (and wonder why I got an extended warranty)!

 

[james]

That's sure nice of Honda. But if it doesn't work out, just remember that a dealer - any dealer of any make - is going to be the most expensive place to get work done that's not covered by warranty.

You could probably have gotten that $5800 price cut in half by getting used parts & a different shop.

 

[commuter]

Re: Honda is going to pay for the parts, I pay the labor

I must be a blessed person because the service department told me today that Honda would pay for the parts if I paid the $382.50 to install them. When I had heard that the bill was $5800 I called Honda Costumer Service. I got a case number and I'm not sure what happend but they determined that they would pay for the parts. The telephone number is 800-999-1009 for those that want to try and get that done. I had 114,000 miles on the car so the warranty was up, but Honda, being a GREAT company extended the 80,000 mile warranty on the IMA. I couldn't be happier.

Clay

Clay,

Exactly why is Honda going to do the work for the cost of labor? What did you say to Honda Customer service to get them to pay for everything? This may be very useful information for future IMA failures.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[clayrolfs]

Honda is paying for the parts...I pay for the install labor

I'm not looking the gift horse in the mouth and asking questions so I don't understand why they are doing this...I lead a good life and try to do good things for people. So my Karma is very good.

commuter -
The parts were $5500 and the labor was $382.00. I think the reason I'm paying for the labor is that my Honda service department isn't making any money if I don't, since Honda is supplying the parts. So it may not be a true "under warranty" kind of situation.

I said alot when calling Honda's customer service 800 number. One of which was that this is rediculous (at the time, I thought I was the only one out there with this problem) and that I didn't think it was right that a car that only had 114K miles and only 5 years old would cost this much to keep running. That it would have a huge impact on current consumers thinking about buying a hybrid. I said that I had been to Japan and went to Honda's plant and that I felt that we (Honda and consumers) were part of a team. I took a chance on them and they should keep that in mind. I said alot of things, so I'm not sure why they are covering the parts. I didn't get any help from the service department. I got the phone number from a different source.

The big thing is that you have to get a "case" number...it's not the person that picks up the phone that gives the go ahead....but that person must give you a case number or nothing happens. After that I talked to my case guy once. He talked to the Honda dealer. I think it was best to take the car to a Honda dealer. I called the Dealer management as well, it isn't the same dealer that I bought the car from but I had been there a couple of times before. Everyone sounded like they understood my frustration. We really shouldn't have to pay that much for the IMA.

If we, as hybrid consumers, make it an issue then car companies may have to change or people just won't buy the technology. That a big can of worms. I'm not the one for that.

Rick -
didn't you say that if Panasonic to sell us the appropriate cells it wouldn't be too much to rebuild the pack.

Good luck!

Clay

P.S. I feel a bit guilty if others paid the large amount to get it fixed. But I feel worse for people that bought the car from a person that probably knew what was going on with the battery and dumped the car off on some unspecting dealer to resell. Bad Karma.

 

[Rick]

Clay, they sell the batteries, but not with the proper terminals (to us anyways). Granted a pack you get from Honda is made up of optimally matched cells which should make things last longer plus it's all pre-packaged. But in short if I could get my hands on the appropriate cells there's no doubt in my mind that given a few hours I could rebuild one. Heck, given the right equipment I could probably even figure out which cells would be matched best also.

 

[Insightful Trekker]

Hi Clay,

Just to scratch another little worry off your list. The Insight's clutch system is hydraulic so mash it to the floor with confidence :!:

 

[Insightful Trekker]

<snip>

$5800.00 is the price to fix it they say. But now hearing some of you talk that maybe I don't need all three parts (Big Battery, Control Unit and Module Motor). The dealer said I could drive it without the hybrid side with no problem, like I had done for the last week. Then he called back and said no I couldn't. So now I hear from previous people, that there is a way of shutting that side down and go like I have been for the last week. I've gotten 50 miles per gallon and I'm perfectly happy with that. I just want a car back. I'm not happy with $5800 fix to a car that is worth about $7K-9K.

In regard to the cost of repairs, if you want the IMA system back on line in this case the IMA batteries are a requirement. about $2100 should be the installed cost. Updated controllers are what you have been quoted in addition and are desirable but not required.

See:

http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... 7&start=45

Also there have been a couple of members that have driven their Insights for several weeks without a fully functional IMA system. However some IMA failures will "kill" the alternator function and the 12v battery will go dead. Doesn't sound like the latter is your case though.


Ripping out the IMA system :?: Expensive and unproven.

See:

http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... php?t=3191

But as you've already posted all this is moot since Honda is covering the repairs under a goodwill extension of the warranty

HTH!