Honda Accord Hybrid IMA Batteries

r_ace1

I'm concerned with the drainage of battery power during day to day driving. Is it normal for the battery to drain to the point where 3 or 4 lines are showing during a 15 minute drive time?
Regarding the IMA batteries, is there a way to charge these batteries at home?

Other than the batteries, the Hybrid has been a pretty good car. As long as all regular servicing has been taken care of during normal intevals, this car will take care of it's owners.

Ogre_GEV

It really depends on what kind of terrain you are driving.

Can you charge the battery at home? No. There is a charger available for 2000-2006 Honda Insights, but not for other models yet.

viet

Ogre_GEV,

Please keep us posted with updated info. on Accord Hybrid IMA battery. Thanks.

Ogre_GEV

Remember that the battery is functionally identical to the Civic battery. There is quite a bit of discussion in the Civic Hybrid forum.

viet

Ogre_GEV,

Thanks for your instruction. Do you think the Accord IMA battery should last long for many years? I heard Toyota hybrid battery lasts very long for 150K - 200K miles.

Ogre_GEV

Based on my experience with other Honda batteries, I expect it to last an average of 7 years if the car is driven frequently, and three years if driven infrequently. Mileage has nothing to do with the longevity.

soocitysue

My car seems to be unable to switch between the gas and electric engines at lower speeds. My gas mileage is lousy (averaging 23 m intown where it used to be 26 ... even that wasn't anything to brag about). The battery symbol never seems to be full; why is that? Has anyone had this experience?

Also, on a road trip doing 75, I watched the miles per gallon drop from 34 to 24... I was horrified!!! The Honda dealer has no answer to this, and I'm leaving on a 2,000 mile road trip in 3 days. Help!

silver_streak

All I've read about on IMA battery replacement has been negative so wanted to pass along my 'good' experience.

IMA battery and engine lights came on 2,000 miles past warranty. Had the battery replaced at the dealership at a cost of $3,500. Was reimbursed $3,000 through American Honda Motor Company. The $500 is still pricey but much better than what I originally paid. The car was purchased and resides in FL. Not sure if special consideration given due to the extreme heat in our area.

accord_h

I've a 2005 Accord Hybrid also and it is also 2000 miles past warranty. Believe or not, I'm also lived in FL (orlando). The IMA light cames on this morning accompanied with the malfunction light. I'm planning to bring the car in, please share on how you get your AHMC reimbursed?

Thanks!

silver_streak

I called American Honda Customer Service and they opened a case with a case manager. 800-999-1009. Told them what was happening with the car (had taken it to the dealership for a diagnostic) and faxed them a copy of the battery replacement invoice from the dealership. The process took about 6 weeks but there was a complication of our dealership being sold between the time we purchased the new battery and the claim was opened. There's no impact on how the claim is processed whether or not you go ahead and have the battery replaced before the claim is finalized. I found the case manager to be very helpful - staying in touch with update calls. Hoping your outcome is as good (or better!) than mine.

accord_h

Thanks for your help. It is start getting a bit annoying to me. Just last month I've to replace my Noise Cancelation Speaker from the 2005 Accord hybrid out of my own packet. Again, thnaks for the info.

rickroeder

Just brought my 2005 HAH back from the dealership. They replaced my IMA battery under warranty. I had it in 2weeks ago to be have programing updated. They also did that under warranty but afterward engine light came on again. I bought car new on 12/31/2005 and now have 24000 miles on it. I seen online that many have had to pay for programming upgrade and a new IMA battery. Tampa Hondaland just said it's still under warranty.

pdptgif

Hi rickroeder,

Thanks for posting here. I've been looking all over the place and have been trying to find people in similar situations and I'm curious how you were able to get your IMA battery replaced under warranty.

I just got back from my dealership and they ran my VIN only to tell me that it's not covered under warranty. If you can provide insight or some advice on how I can get my IMA battery replaced on my 2005 HAH that would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks!

JD

scottns

Just a week shy of the 8th year anniversary (and 1 week from the end of the warranty), I had the IMA & check engine lights appear (Diagnosis code through OBD-II of POA7F).

I took it to the dealership where the diagnosis was failure of the IMA battery, which was replaced under warranty. After doing some more reading about Honda's Civic Hybrids, I decided to ask if they were using a remanufactured battery, and turns out they are. How the batteries are remanufactured could not be satisfactorily answered. I asked if they replace all battery cells or just the failed cell, and I could not get an answer from the dealership or Honda's Customer Service. It seems there is no other option, as new batteries do not exist.

So I pick up the new car and it drives like a Prius and is getting the milage of a minivan (28 mpg after 2 hrs of highway driving in no traffic with average speed of 45 mph). In particular, the electric motor no longer activates at low speeds (< 25mph), and does not help at low speeds, where the performance advantage of the electric motor is greatest (ie high torque at low RPM). I called the dealership to see if any software was loaded, and it was. I'm thinking that this software patch could be similar to what Civic Hybrid owners were complaining about? Where the software patch reduces the battery usage to preserve battery life, but at the expense of performance and acceleration.

If anyone else has noticed this on their HAH please post, as I would like to compare experiences and resolutions.

Thanks,

Scott

soocitysue

You're kidding... MY IMA light just came on this week, and now the light that looks like the engine block. I haven't gotten it to the dealer yet --- I am not fond of the local dealer service departments. They were not remotely helpful with the ANC problem. I hope others will write about their experience with the IMA light, etc. This is the best service manual going!

soocitysue

Just came home from the dealer... they said they are getting me a deal: I'll only pay 20% of the cost of the hybrid battery, or $520. Somehow I think when I pick it up tomorrow, there'll be another couple of hundred tacked on. My car has about 115,000 miles on it. If anyone know how to get more off, please let me know!

jfws

Glad to see this recent activity. My 2005 Accord Hybrid has 120,000 miles and the check engine and IMA light have gone on and off intermittently for the past 10,000 miles or so. This more repeatedly happens during the colder winter months here in northern MS. The car has been absolutely great and I've owned it for the past six years without any problems other than the noise cancellation system which the dealer replaced for me with no cost shortly after I bought the car. I regularly get around 25 MPG in the city and have gotten (only once) 42 MPG on the highway. That was a fluke, as I usually hover about 34-36MPG on the highway. I will be contacting the American Honda Customer service folks tomorrow to begin the process of IMA battery replacement. I will post again once I have further action. Thanks to all who are writing here as I live in a small town in northern Mississippi and the nearest Honda dealer is more than an hour away. It's good to read other people's experiences with their Accord Hybrids.

soocitysue

I too am INCREDIBLY grateful for this forum!!! Without it I would have undoubtedly paid thousands of dollars. The Honda dealers would not acknowledge the ACN problem even when I showed them the service sheet on it. Finally they disconnected it literally to get rid of me. Having it disconnected made it bearable, although obviously something isn't working right anymore if it's disabled. (I have no idea what) I still instantly know when the car is at 1500 RPMs; that's when the ANC problem was obvious. Why Honda hasn't done a recall is beyond me. Maybe enough of us haven't complained? If not, we certainly should.

You can take your car to Auto Zone or someplace like that and tell them that the IMA light has gone on; they have a tester and can look it up. That's how my battery problem started, too. Saves you that trip to your dealer, because they will probably have to order the battery and won't have it for a day or 2. Good luck!

hybridg

I own a 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid, I took it to the dealership and got a diagnosis done on it and was told that I need to replace the IMA Battery and possibly the IMA motor. Given how expensive it would be to replace those two parts at the dealer, I decided that I would purchased the parts as recommended and take it to a shop and have them replace it for me. So I did and the problem still exist IMA battery still not charging and the IMA light and check engine light is still on. I'm in need for some great advice before I decide to put anymore money in to the car. FYI This one shop in New York told me I might have some wiring problem given the fact that the car was involved in an accident.

scm74

I got a similar deal here in Los Angeles area. I have about 120K miles on my HAH, and over the past 3 months, the check engine light/IMA light come on intermittently. I was concerned that the light kept going away and the dealer wouldn't be able to diagnose, but when I called my local dealer, they said the code would be saved in the computer system and they could still diagnose the problem. I've called the dealer in the past and was told that a new battery runs about $3K, but the last time I called, the rep was very helpful and mentioned to take the car in and that he would contact American Honda on my behalf to see if they could provide some goodwill towards repairs costs. I was pleased to hear that they would charge about $590 I think, including the labor. At this point, I definitely don't want a new car payment, so I'm willing to fork over some costs for a battery. The dealer did mention that it's a remanufactured battery pack (they don't make them new anymore) and there's a 12 month/1 year warranty on it. I'm just concerned that a year is not very long. I'm hoping it will last another 8 years! I've read elsewhere online that the car will still run with a bad battery, the MPG will just get worse. I guess I'll take a chance if it dies again, I'll just keep driving it until I can't drive it anymore

scm74

Just wondering, since you got your battery replaced back in 2010, have you had any further problems? My HAH is at the dealer, and American Honda is providing goodwill also towards the repairs, but the service tech told me that the battery pack is remanufactured and has a 12K / 1 year warranty. I'm wondering if I should expect several more years out of a replacement remfg'd battery.

brownthrasher

Sigh. My 2005 Accord had its IMA batteries replaced under warranty at roughly 60,000 miles. For the past six months, the replacement IMA batteries have been malfunctioning. They updated the software, and the replacement battery continues to drain daily. Soooooooo, today, 2005 Honda Accord Hybrid has 118,000. I "saw" a warranty for 10yr/150,000 battery warranty for the replacements. However, the dealership is certain there is no such warranty. I'm frustrated and disappointed that I've replaced these damned batteries TWICE in eight years. Does anyone have "warranty" intelligence about the replacement batteries?? What would you do if you were me? Mileage is hovering around 24 mpg and batteries are charging themselves from my primary battery. Not impressed, Honda.

sclass

I had the IMA light, software update etc at about 108,000 miles in my 2005 HAH. I began looking for a solution when I found a site that was making grid chargers for Civic Hybrids. This was interesting but I didn't feel it was the correct solution. Next I found a guy buying old Civic battery packs and removing, testing and reconditioning individual battery "sticks". The "sticks" contain individual batteries linked together. I almost ordered the reconditioned "sticks" when I found THE answer--Using a commercially available power source that provides the correct voltage and milliamps to charge/recondition the HAH battery in place.

Disclaimer: The HAH battery pack contains a high voltage source capable of fatal electrocution. Do not attempt any repairs or contact with the battery without proper training and knowledge of this system. I accept no liability for you working on your HAH battery pack.

I learned how to completely discharge my battery and did so. I purchased all the necessary equipment and wiring to permit battery charging (reconditioning). Here's what I did:

Honda Accord Hybrid (HAH) Grid Charger
1.Purchase BioRad 300 power supply to use as a charger for HAH-eBay
2. Print BioRad manual for reference--online
3. Purchase power supply (charge cable) that allow power transfer to HAH
4. Purchase polarized power socket and plug.
5. Purchase diodes, fuses and fuse holder.
6. Purchase power wire and terminals to connect battery and power socket.

1. Connect the (+) and (-) leads of the power wire to the correct places on the pack. Place a diode as close as possible to the (+) terminal connection. Attach the inline fuse holder and fuse to the socket connection designated (+). The (-) lead only requires a terminal connection, no fuse or diode; attach to the socket connection designated (-). Carefully confirm connections are correct.
2. Charge cable from power supply requires modification. It is equipped with banana style plugs on both ends. The red lead is (+) and the black lead is (-). Cut off the plugs on one end and attach red lead to the plug terminal that matches the socket connection designated (+). Attach the black lead to the plug terminal that matches the socket connection designated (-). Confirm power output polarity is correct.

CHARGING
1. Clear any trouble codes if they exist. Remove the key from the ignition.
2. Plug the charge cable into the BioRad 300 power supply; connect to the polarized socket in the trunk.
3. Power up the BioRad 300 and set amperage to 400ma. Charge for minimum of 10 hours. Repeat charging on subsequent days for a total of (3) charge sessions.
4. Itâ&#128;&#153;s a good idea to reset the ECM by the fuse removal procedure. This allows system to recalibrate on the new state of hybrid battery.
5. Note: A single 24-30 hour charge may be required to completely balance all the cells in the pack. If IMA light continues to be set, several or all of the cells may require replacement.
6. Some ownerâ&#128;&#153;s grid charge their cars every night. Iâ&#128;&#153;m hopeful I can rebalance my pack and keep in top shape with monthly or weekly charging.
7. I charge my pack 24 hours every 3-4 months or when my IMA light comes on. I'm closing in on 130,000 miles and 18 months using this system. As far as I know my battery is original.
8. My total cost was less than $200.

Check out these sites for more: ecomodder.com and http://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/f51/battery-refurbish-process-imax-b6-27116/i- ndex9.html.

My solution applied everything I learned about Civic Hybrid to my Accord Hybrid. Unfortunately, little grassroots support exists for the HAH because it's a luxury model only made for 3 years. The HCH is much less expensive and still in production. Good luck with your HAH's

kbobohio

can you give me more info on who you called and what else you had to do to get this huge discount? any information would help. thanks

nosroc

Sclass... How about an update on how your system is working. I'm intrigued by your solution and hope it might work for me

soocitysue

I love everything about this car but the ANC problem. Other than that, it was been a terrific car. But I (and my passengers) know every single time the engine is at or near 1500 rpms -- which is constantly around town, needless to say. Perhaps it's getting worse because the car is older. It's SO ANNOYING. I an angry at Honda that they don't do a recall on it, and when it's time to buy a new car, I'll be looking at Hundais because of it. Too bad!

Thank heaven for this forum!!!

burrzy

I would like to provide you with an answer to your ANC problem. I fixed mine in about an hour. Under the steering column there is a grey thing that holds 8-10 wires. There is a red and green one some are like a candy cane look, some sorta of checkered. Either way, it is red and green. You will cut it and then attach a wire to it with a connector and ground it out to the post. No more A/C problems and the parts cost $6. Don't go randomly cutting wires though.

This Asian man saved me $850. At first I thought it was skipping steps, when I realized he really did show where everything was on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnzQ7My--nk

burrzy

There are some states that have 10/150.000 Most are 8/80,000. You will know cause in your manual it will read PZEV which means you have the 10/150,000 warranty.

vegasbc

I have that same problem with my '05 HAH. I got in an argument with the dealership service dept because they couldn't duplicate the sound when they drove the car, even though Honda had a bulletin out about this problem. I eventually found the fix on a HAH forum which is:

If your harmonic drone sound is most apparent between 1500 and 1700 RPM try this.
1. Accord Hybrids with Navigations system: Turn the ignition switch to ACC (1) or ON (II)
2. Turn the Audio Unit off. (Radio on and Off button, push to off)
3. While holding down the upper part of both the "CH/DISK" and "SEEK/SKIP" buttons simultaneously, press the VOL/Pwr knob.
This will place it in Diagnostic mode...DIAG will appear in the upper window above the Nav unit.
Now while the engine is stopped and while in DIAG mode, turn the ANC ON and OFF by pressing the SCAN Button, you may have to push SCAN button ON and Off a couple times... While in the OFF mode, This will be displayed in the upper window above the Nav unit..... a low frequency hum (50HZ should be heard. While this low frequency tone is sounding turn the engine on and the sound should go away. IF it does your ANC is working and now is reset to the on position automatically. Now drive your car and see if the low frequency drone is gone!

If you do not have the NAV unit follow this procedure.
1. Turn the ignition switch to ACC (1) or ON (11)
2. Turn the audio unit ON.
3. While holding down both the "Preset1" and "Preset6" buttons simultaneously, press the AUDIO PWR knob.
4. "DIAG" will appear on the audio unit display to indicate you have entered the self-diagnostic mode.

NOW, while in Diag mode turn the ANC ON to OFF by pressing the #1 button, A LOW
frequency hum (50HZ) should sound for up to a minute. While this low frequency HUM is Sounding turn the engine on and the HUM should GO AWAY. Now drive your car and see if the low frequency drone has gone away!

There have been numerous cases where the ANC appears to toggle off all on its own.

soocitysue

Thanks for writing that all out... I'll try it tomorrow. Mine is almost more of a vibration than a sound. It's really a nuisance. Such a shame on a really nice car!

I have 120,000 on the car now and am wondering if it's time to have the struts looked at. I asked at my local garage and they want $1,600 for all 4. GULP. Is that realistic? Gosh, I hope not!!!

penta09

soocitysue, we had the same issue but had the car in for the issue several times while under warranty but were never able to fix the issue. When we went to trade the vehicle in they tried to deduct the repair cost from the trade-in price after a test drive. When I asked what the repair was I was told the issue was with the air handling system and it would need to be replaced. Great. We decided to keep the car. The noise was our main reason for getting rid of the car. The dealer researched our files to show where we've been bringing the car to them since 2009 for this issue and they agreed to fix it for free. I hope this helps.

jaggsmiami

http://www.bkhondaparts.com/parts-catalog/honda/accord-hybrid/2005/hybrid/5-spee- d-automatic/electrical-exhaust-heater-fuel/center-module

The above link will lead you to a site to purchase the part. The part is item #9. Look on you Tube for the installation instruction http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6IKK-C1-QQ

msantimanzano

Does anyone have or know where I can obtain the specifications to the HAH battery pack? I want to make my own grid charger, but I don't have any information on the batteries, what is the maximum voltage they can be charged to, how many cells/sticks the pack holds, how many individual cells/batteries are in each stick, what are their voltages etc. Without this information, I am afraid to try and grid charge as I don't know what is the max voltage and amperage I should be setting the charger to. I really wish someone who has built a grid charger for the Accord Hybrid had taken the time to document the process, details, connections so that those of us catching up can follow in their footsteps. I am frustrated with the lack of support for our car as it applies to DIY charging/refreshing of the battery.

agermain

I have a 2005 HAH with 145K miles. Recently the check engine light came on -- went off again 2 days later. If the IMA light came on I did not notice it. I had the code checked and they said it was the hybrid battery. No surprise after 10 years and all those miles. Anyway, I would prefer not to spend the $3K if I don't have to. After all, the HAH has 3 energy saving features (3 cylinder mode, shuts off the gas engine at stoplights, and the IMA). Only the IMA needs the hybrid battery (right? Or is it needed to restart when in "Auto-stop"?) So what happens if the hybrid battery is dead? Can I still get home? Etc.

Thanks!

krazykrow

I have a 2006 HAH V6 with over 165,000 miles. I take a lot of weekend drives from SoCal to Mammoth and NorCal. My engine light and IMA lights came on about five years ago.  I immediately pulled off the road and turned my car off for a couple of minutes. I thought nothing of it because they went off and never came on again. Last weekend, the lights went on again, but this time they stayed on for the rest of my 200 mile drive. After that drive, only the engine light came on. I managed to make  it back from Mammoth last weekend without incident. By the end of the weekend, even my engine light no longer came on and my car is still running as beautifully as ever. But, I took my car in to Honda today. They said my battery has "seriously deteriorated". I almost bought a new car today because of it. Instead, I came home to do some research. After reading all these posts, I'm now thinking I can drive it a bit longer, save up some cash, then make a more informed decision about my next auto purchase. Thanks, guys!

PF_Flyer

krazykrow said:

I have a 2006 HAH V6 with over 165,000 miles. I take a lot of weekend drives from SoCal to Mammoth and NorCal. My engine light and IMA lights came on about five years ago.  I immediately pulled off the road and turned my car off for a couple of minutes. I thought nothing of it because they went off and never came on again. Last weekend, the lights went on again, but this time they stayed on for the rest of my 200 mile drive. After that drive, only the engine light came on. I managed to make  it back from Mammoth last weekend without incident. By the end of the weekend, even my engine light no longer came on and my car is still running as beautifully as ever. But, I took my car in to Honda today. They said my battery has "seriously deteriorated". I almost bought a new car today because of it. Instead, I came home to do some research. After reading all these posts, I'm now thinking I can drive it a bit longer, save up some cash, then make a more informed decision about my next auto purchase. Thanks, guys!

Welcome to the forums! Glad that we could be of help. You'll also find all sorts of shopping info here to help with your choice. If you have any questions about the forums, just click on my username or one of the other moderators and ask.

tibuone

my HAH 2005 IMA light came on at about 200,000 miles. I drive a lot for work and my car runs great. The problem now is that it did not pass the Smog Test. I took it to the dealer and they told me that the battery needs to be replaced and the cost of just the battery is $3,482.00. They tried to sell me a new car but right now i rather not have a car payment. After reading these blogs, I am going to contact honda cars of america and see how they can help. Any other advise is always appreciated!

thecardoc3

Top independent shops can offer you a more affordable solution.

tibuone

i will research for those shops that work on hybrid cars. thank you!

tibuone

Unfortunately Honda Customer Service says they cannot do anything about it and don't have any type of help. Had I know this was going to be such an expensive repair, i would have never buy a hybrid car. That is not going to happen for sure anymore.

stever

Well, it's not unheard of for a regular car to need an expensive repair at 200,000 miles and it's unusual for any manufacturer to step in that far out of warranty to do anything. If my engine or transmission went out in my minivan, the repair would cost more than the car is worth.

Here's one outfit that lists the battery for $1,700 (plus installation); a net search should turn up some others, and hopefully one or two won't be that far from you. Be worth getting a quote if nothing else.

isellhondas

Back before I retired I never could understand why anyone would want to buy a hybrid. They cost more to begin with, they don't have as much power they are more complicated etc.

We did the math once and not counting the price of the replacement batteries when they eventually fail a person had to drive over 150,000 to make up the difference in the original price.

And, they didn't get that mush better mileage than a non hybrid.

Still, we sold a few.

isellhondas

stever said:

Well, it's not unheard of for a regular car to need an expensive repair at 200,000 miles and it's unusual for any manufacturer to step in that far out of warranty to do anything. If my engine or transmission went out in my minivan, the repair would cost more than the car is worth.

Here's one outfit that lists the battery for $1,700 (plus installation); a net search should turn up some others, and hopefully one or two won't be that far from you. Be worth getting a quote if nothing else.

Funny you would say this. On a 12 year old Accord with 200,000 miles, a 3400.00 battery could well exceed the value of the car just like a replacement engine or transmission.

stever

And then you don't know if the AC or brakes will be next.

On the other hand, $3,400 is just six or seven car payments, and you get to continue driving a car that you know very well and one that may fit you like a glove.

hahbummer

I own a HAH 2005, 110,000 miles and my SECOND IMA battery has failed. First one was replaced just before warranty expired at 8 years/75,000 miles. I keep my car indoors, drive it regularly on paved roads and keep it well-maintained and yet this has happened. According to the dealers I've spoken to, this has never happened to anyone ever before. (-:

Have gone back to Honda Customer Service, even escalated and got a response from the executive office and they won't do a thing for me. Any suggestions on how to get the problem resolved without being forced to spend $5K for parts and labor? I live in the NY metro area.

PF_Flyer

How many years/miles did the first IMA battery last? (closer to the 8 years or 75,000 miles)

COspaceman

Old thread here but hopefully some has info for me.

Dealing with the same IMA battery replacement needs as most from this thread and debating between an independent shop (greentec auto) vs going through Honda. Would cost roughly $1200+ less to go through Greentec who has 11 yrs in the industry and 24 shops nationwide. Main concern is safety and making sure that there is no know issues going with an independent shop and their batteries. The battery sits right behind the back seat which is right where my young kids are strapped into carseats. Equivalent warranty as Honda and favorable reviews of the business online, anything else I should be thinking about / concerned about / or might be missing? Am I overthinking it too much?

Thanks for any info and help!