NHTSA Complaint #10608176 — 2006 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID

DUE TO POOR PERFORMANCE AFTER A RECENT HONDA IMA HYBRID BATTERY SOFTWARE UPDATE, THE ELECTRONIC BATTERY HAD TURNED ITSELF OFF IN ORDER TO EXTEND ITS LIFE. WHEN THE BATTERY TURNED OFF, THE PRIMARY ELECTRONIC BRAKES WERE ALSO TURNED OFF. WHEN AN ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON THE OPPOSING DIRECTION OF TRAFFIC, IT SENT DEBRIS ACROSS THE FREEWAY BARRIER INTO MY LANE. I ATTEMPTED TO DECREASE MY SPEED IN ORDER TO MANEUVER AROUND THE DEBRIS, BUT I DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT BRAKING POWER. IF THE BRAKES WERE NOT DISABLED IN ORDER TO EXTEND THE BATTERY LIFE AND DECREASE HONDA OF AMERICA'S FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO REPLACE BATTERIES UNDER WARRANTY, I WOULD NOT HAVE RAN OVER THE DEBRIS THAT ALMOST SENT ME STRAIGHT INTO THE MEDIAN WALL. I HAD SEEN THE ACCIDENT WITH PLENTY OF TIME TO SLOW DOWN AND I WOULD HAVE MADE IT SAFELY AROUND THE DEBRIS IF I HAD PROPER WORKING BRAKES. THE BRAKES REMAIN INTERMITTENT SOMETIMES WORKING AS THEY SHOULD, OTHER TIMES NOT AT ALL AS STATED ABOVE. *TR