NHTSA Complaint #10305036 — 2007 HONDA CIVIC

WHILE DRIVING MY 2007 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID, I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC ON A BUSY STREET. I WAS WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN INTO A BUSINESS. WHEN I WENT TO TURN, THE CAR WAS VERY SLUGGISH AND HAD WHAT APPEARED TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS ACCELERATION THAN NORMAL. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE CAR'S COMPUTER RECALIBRATING THE BATTERY. THIS RECALIBRATING STARTED HAPPENING AFTER A SOFTWARE UPDATE. IT HAPPENS EVERY FEW DAYS AND THERE IS NO WARNING. WHEN IT HAPPENS THE COMPUTER ARTIFICIALLY LOWER THE CHARGE STATE FORCING THE CAR TO GO INTO REGENERATION STATE TO FULLY CHARGE THE BATTERS. EVEN THOUGH THE BATTER IS NOT REALLY EMPTY, SINCE THE COMPUTER SET THE BATTERY LEVEL TO BE EMPTY, THE ELECTRIC MOTOR IS NO LONGER USED. THERE SHOULD BE A WARNING TONE OR SOMETHING TO INDICATE THAT THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF POWER. I BELIEVE THAT HONDA DID THIS SOFTWARE UPDATE TO MAKE THE BATTERIES SEEM TO LAST LONGER, BUT IT'S REALLY LESS SAFE! IT'S ALSO CAUSED MY MILEAGE TO GO DOWN BY ABOUT 10% BUT I REALIZE THAT IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR