NHTSA Complaint #10394048 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC

IN RESPONSE TO AUGUST, 2010 RECALL NOTICE FROM HONDA FOR 2006 CIVIC HYBRID, I HAD THE INTEGRATED MOTOR ASSIST (IMA) SOFTWARE UPDATED AT THE DEALERSHIP ON 8/4/2010. SINCE THEN, THE SOFTWARE HAS BEEN EXECUTING THE IMA BATTERY RECALIBRATION ROUTINE WITH INCREASING FREQUENCY, TO THE POINT NOW WHERE THE RECALIBRATION IS OCCURRING 1-2 TIMES PER DAY AT UNPREDICTABLE TIMES DURING MY COMMUTE TO AND FROM WORK. DURING THE RECALIBRATION PERIOD OF ABOUT 5-7 MINUTES, THE IMA IS NOT AVAILABLE TO ASSIST ACCELERATION. THE ACCELERATION IS SUDDENLY SLUGGISH WHEN RECALIBRATION BEGINS, AND DOES NOT RESUME ITS NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC UNTIL THE RECALIBRATION FINISHES. THE CAR IS SEVERELY UNDERPOWERED AND CAN BE DANGEROUS WHEN THE EXPECTED ACCELERATION FOR ENTERING A FREEWAY OR MAKING A TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC, DOES NOT OCCUR. HONDA DOES NOT DEFINE THIS BEHAVIOR AS A FAILURE, SO NO CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. *TR