NHTSA Complaint #10626701 — 2010 HONDA CIVIC HYBRID

2010 HONDA CIVIC. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IMA POWER ASSIST SYSTEM FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS SHOWING ONLY 75 % OF THE IMA WAS BEING CHARGED. IN THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF OPERATION, THE IMA FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. HOWEVER, AFTER THAT AMOUNT OF TIME WITH THE A/C TURNED ON THE IMA BATTERY DROPPED FAIRLY RAPIDLY EVEN IF SPEED WAS MAINTAINED AND THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON FLAT TERRAIN. ALSO, WHEN THE CHARGED REACHED 50%, THE CHARGING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS NO ACCELERATION DRAG ON THE ENGINE. ONE CHARGING LIGHT REMAINED ON AS THE BATTERY TRIED TO NOT DEPLETE. ANOTHER 5-10 MINUTES OF CONSISTENT DRIVING EITHER IN TOWN OR ON BACK ROADS, THE BATTERY WOULD CHARGE AT 25%. THE BATTERY DID CONTINUE TO RE-CHARGE AS THE HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE ALONG, BUT AT 25% THERE WAS NO IMA ASSIST, WHICH MAD ACCELERATION IN TRAFFIC OR GAINING SPEED TO MERGE ONTO THE INTERSTATE TRAFFIC HAZARDOUS. WITH NO IMA ASSIST, THE VEHICLE TOOK FAR TOO LONG TO REACH SPEED NECESSARY TO MERGE SAFELY. THE PROCESS FROM DISCHARGE TO RE-CHARGE FOR IMA USAGE COULD TAKE UP TO 45 MINUTES. WHEN THE A/C WAS NOT ON, THE IMA BATTERY DID NOT DEPLETE AND THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE WITHOUT INCIDENT. IT APPEARED THAT WAS A DRAG COMING FROM THE A/C THAT CAUSED THE IMA TO DISCHARGE QUICKLY. FURTHERMORE, THERE WERE ISSUES WHEN THE BATTERY SHOWED ITSELF RE-CHARGING. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHEN THE BATTERY WAS AT 75% CHARGE, THE INDICATOR WOULD SHOW THE SYSTEM, RE-CHARGING WITHOUT CHANGING SPEED OR GRADE AND THE GREEN BAR WOULD GO OUT AND THE GRAY BAR WOULD COME ON, AND GO OFF. *JB