NHTSA Complaint #10247307 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

DURING WARMER TIMES OF THE YEAR (60-90 F), MY 2006 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID WILL SUDDENLY LOSE 75-100% OF THE CHARGE IN THE HIGH-VOLTAGE HYBRID IMA BATTERY WITHOUT WARNING. THE IMA HYBRID SYSTEM THEN FAILS TO FUNCTION AND LEAVES THE VEHICLE DEPENDENT UPON THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE ENTIRELY FOR PROPULSION. WHILE THE BATTERY DOES HAVE SAFEGUARDS BUILT IN TO PROTECT IT DURING EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES, IN MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I HAVE HAD THE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY TEMPORARILY FAIL AT TEMPERATURES AS LOW AS 60 DEGREES F, WHILE GARAGED AT MY HOME OR PARKED IN A SHADED, LOWER SPACE IN A PARKING DECK. DURING COLDER PERIODS, THE PROBLEM APPEARS INTERMITTENTLY AT MOST. THE VEHICLE MUST THEN RECHARGE THE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY, WHICH CAN TAKE VARYING AMOUNTS OF TIME FROM SEVERAL MINUTES TO OVER A HALF HOUR. THE IMA HYBRID SYSTEM WILL FUNCTION ON A LIMITED LEVEL WHEN THE HYBRID BATTERY IS PARTIALLY CHARGED, THOUGH OBTAINING FULL FUNCTION OF THE IMA SYSTEM FOLLOWING A "CRASH" CAN BE A PROLONGED EXPERIENCE. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE CIVIC HYBRID IS MARKEDLY SLOWER WITHOUT THE ASSISTANCE OF THE ELECTRIC MOTOR, CREATING A HAZARD IN ADVERSE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS, SUCH AS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT ACROSS TRAFFIC. I HAVE EXPERIENCED AT LEAST 1 NEAR MISS WHEN THE ELECTRIC ASSIST FAILED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE ATTEMPTING SUCH A TURN. CURRENTLY, HONDA HAS NOT ISSUED ANY TSBS OR RECALLS REGARDING THE ISSUE. *TR