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I need some direction on a problem I have been observing in my 2001 Insight 5 speed.
About a month ago, I started seeing the SOC gauge dropping to 3 bars and staying there for days. I don't have a regular commute, but do some driving, a lot of freeway. About 2 weeks ago, I made a trip of about 200 miles. SOC started at 3 bars, about 25 miles on freeway, SOC slowly climbed to full charge and stayed close to full for the remainder of the trip. But since then it slowly dropped to half, then less than half, and for the last 4 or 5 days has remained constantly at 3 bars. Assist gauge is showing green and orange also appears normal. Car has 105K, IMA pack was changed at about 96K. Have never seen IMA light on.

Any ideas on what is happening here? My mileage is consistently in the 70-75 MPG range, so that seems normal.

Try doing a IMA forced charging:

1. Remove the 40A EPS fuse (No. 15) from the under the hood fuse box, then start the engine. The EPS warning light on the dashboard will come on because the EPS fuse is missing. The warning light will go off when the EPS fuse is reinstalled.
2. Then, run the engine at 3500 rpm for 5-10 minutes. Watch the Battery Level Gauge for movement.
3. It's done when the IMA Battery Level Gauge shows fully charged.
4. Reinstall the 40A EPS fuse (No. 15).


Or is it possibly just an aging 12 volt battery causing this problem? Something to consider.


And the last thing, but I hope it's not the case, when they changed the battery, I hope they also changed the BCM/MCM.

Hope your Insight comes around.

Hi BlueBullitIP:

___Performing a forced recal via Fuse as Don just passed on is a quick fix to see if it’s the BCM, Pack or something else. Has your commute changed to a mostly city type commute? I wouldn’t think so given your FE but if so, you might be sitting continuously in a forced Charge area most of the time (3 to 5 bars of SoC showing) although Assist should almost stop until you are up to and beyond 10 of 20 bars? Highway drives always took the Insight’s SoC up to 18 or 19 of 20 bars with a healthy or unhealthy pack so that appears to be working properly.

___I would go after the terminals of the 12V first thing as well as a replacement soon afterwards. Your battery replacement was the 144V HV pack, right? What was the reason for the swap if you did not have an IMA light pop?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Xcel,

I was not the owner when the IMA system was replaced, so I don't know the exact reason.

The 12V battery could be the problem as it appears to have been put in service on 12/1999, according to the stickers on it. That would make it about 7 years old. It's a Honda 100 month battery larger size.

I will check the 12V condition and will also run the forced recal via fuse.

Thank you very much for the info.

Thanks for the advice. Please see my reply to Xcel. I will let you know the results.

I have the same problem if I do a key off FAS. I pull the negative cable for 10 seconds. Reinstall, and charge will go back to 100% within a few miles.

You might check the ground cables on the engine and transmission.

Thanks for all the info.

I did the forced IMA charge this morning. Took about 12-23 minutes but did get up to full charge with fuse 15 removed. I will check the ground cables and battery cables as suggested. There doesn't appear to be any corrosion on either battery terminal, but I suspect that 7 year old battery could be the culprit.

Ken

Why does removing a fuse for power steering have anything
to do with force-charging the IMA?
.
_H*

Hi Hobbit:

___Not the EPS but the std. IMA fuse pull which forces a recal thus allowing the BCM to see the pack with a known SoC. You can do the same by pulling the 12V terminals for a minute or two. You have to start with the basics and if the Fuse pull to force a recal and cleaning the terminals/replacing the 12V doesn’t cure you of the problems, you have an idea that it may in fact still be the 144V pack or BCM causing the mischief. Honda’s Insight pack replacements have been found to include refurbished/used cel’s and this is what would scare me the most after receiving a “new” pack from them …

___Good Luck

___Wayne

To all who have replied to my request:

Saturday morning I removed the negative 12V cable and cleaned it, then started and ran for 3-4 minutes till SoC was up to max. Have driven 2-3 days now with SoC staying above 10 bars the whole time. I still plan to have the 12V tested for condition due to its age.

BTW on a 67.2 mile segment (mostly freeway at 55MPH) on Sunday achieved 88.5 MPG with tailwind. On return trip of same distance 80.1 MPG (head to side wind and colder). My speed on return was probably avg 5-10 MPH slower.

Today on 30.8 mile segment 86 MPG! (First half was about 95MPG). Having fun now.

Still using warm air tube and partial grill block. Air intake temp ranged from 85-105 and coolant temp 195-200.

Does anyone have any idea of the optimum intake air temp and coolant temp for Insight?