barryaz1

Feel foolish, but I can't find a thread about replacing the "regular" battery in a 2007 Civic Hybrid. Specifically, I remember a discussion of how to use a slightly larger battery than the stock and be able to get at Costco.

Thanks

barryaz1

Found the thread on GreenHybrid (and just in case this forum strips it out, it's entitled f51/12v-battery-replacement-detailed-27545):

ezone

You can really use just about any battery that physically fits in the tray and you can get the cables connected to.
Even a 12v lawnmower battery.


My search-fu is weak, and I don't remember if the hybrids battery tray is smaller than a regular civic, but you can measure your battery tray and see if this would fit (regular 51-R battery for 09 normal Civic according to the Interstate Batteries site)

Width 5.13"
Length 9.38"
Height 8.88"

If it does, then just stroll into your local Costco and ask for a battery that fits an '09 regular civic (battery type 51-R).


The hybrid doesn't really need a big 12v battery until it needs to use the conventional starter (low IMA battery state of charge, extreme cold, or an IMA failure) because under most conditions, all it has to do is run the electronics for the IMA system.

barryaz1

So I figured I'd boost the current battery first. Disconnected cables, cleaned (fairly dirty) terminals, attached charger for about an hour. Battery reads 13.3v now, vs 11.5 prior to charging. BUT, turning the key does absolutely NOTHING now, not even the slight lights and clicking I had before. Is there some some sort of reset switch needed after disconnecting battery (besides the obvious radio code)? And of course, I've checked the terminals are connected.

ezone

Define "nothing" first
Not even any lights on the dash?


Did something get hooked up backwards (probably blows 100 amp main fuse when that happens), or bad connections?

EDIT: Hazard flashers MIGHT still work if the main is blown.

barryaz1

Not even dash lights.

I'm sure about the connections (disconnected neg first, re-connected last). All I did was disconnect cables, clean with steel brush and one of those metal battery terminal cleaners, charge with a charger I've used before, and then reconnect after charging done.

I looked at the 100amp fuse, but couldn't pull it out (trick to that?). Read resistance from one terminal of that fuse to the other and it's continuous.

Weird other reading - although the battery's reading nearly 13v, if I read from the + to a car ground, it's 0.9v. Thoughts?

When my wife get in soon, I'll try a standard boost from her car.

barryaz1

Figured out the fuse "window." The two fuses there look like a dumbbell. Is that the normal look?

ezone

Bad neg connection. At the battery, cable end, or where it's bolted to the body.


I'd trace it by using the voltmeter lead, work your way from the neg post of the battery, to the cable clamp, then to where the neg cable is bolted to the body.

ezone

If one is blown, the straight link between the ends (weights?) would be melted open or missing.

barryaz1

Still strange. Started immediately from my wife's boost. Other than radio code, which I have, everything seems normal. I think it's just a bad battery, that although it "charged" to 13+, just didn't have enough to push out. Any other possibilities? I'll be headed to Costco to get an R51 and squeeze it in.

ezone

Where did you connect the jumper cables on the Civic?

barryaz1

Had to use the battery terminals. Cable wasn't long enough to get to the separate ground on the passenger side.

ezone

So, is it still dead without jumper cables on it?


(Assuming it's still dead) Based on previous info and this answer, I think it sounds like you either have a bad connection between the neg post and the neg cable, or a bad battery.


If it's a bad battery, you would probably be able to measure battery voltage right on the posts, and have voltage go away when someone turns the key on (car would be dead at that point).



If it's bad connection, you can locate it with the voltmeter...
Turn the key on or lights or whatever, make sure everything is still dead...
Connect voltmeter to battery positive POST and the neg POST on the battery. Got voltage?

Now move neg test lead to the neg cable clamp bolt. Got voltage now? Then move test lead to body, check for a voltage reading. Wherever your result changed, the problem lies between that point and the previous test point.

barryaz1

And now, having let it sit and idle for about an hour without a problem, just turned it off and immediately tried restarting. Totally dead. No lights, no nothing. Thoughts?

ezone

See last post

barryaz1

when someone turns the key on (car would be dead at that point).

So before I install my new Costco battery tomorrow, I'll do those checks. And when you say turns the key on, that means just on and not necessarily in the cranking position?

ezone

???


Whatever it takes for you to see a dead car. You aren't going to start the car if there is no electricity to anything inside the car.

(If it can't even light the headlights, that would be sufficient for the check---just leave the switch turned on for the test. If you wiggle something and the lights come on, you probably found the problem.)




The point is, if the car is electrically dead but the battery shows 12v+ on a volt meter (measured on the POSTS of the battery, not the battery cables), then you have lost a connection between the battery and the car.

If you show no voltage on the POSTS of the battery when the car is dead, that's a battery problem. (I've seen them broken internally)

HTH

barryaz1

This morning I extra-cleaned the battery terminals and clamps with one of those steel brushes tool. I thought I had done a good job yesterday, but using ezone's step-by-step testing advice, I realized the ground clamp at the battery still had crud. The voltage on the outside of the clamp was barely 1v.

Definitely waited too long on cleaning off the corrosion. Is there something about the hybrid that promotes such build-up? Haven't seen that much since living back east and near the water, and none of my other cars here have had that buildup.

After the cleaning, voltage measurement was consistent. Most importantly, car started immediately.

Eventually all batteries do die. But not this one at this time. Let's all learn something from this.

Kudos and thanks to ezone.

CraigW

iTrader: (1)

All the 8th gens seem to exhibit this corrosion/buildup.

One of the 1st things I did on my 2010 was spray my terminals with the red coating spray.

ezone

Disagree.
There are plenty in service that don't have corrosion.
Yeah it might be more prevalent on a certain some of the batteries, but ANY battery can have it happen.
Main cause is acid seepage between the lead post and the plastic battery case.

The ones that exhibit no corrosion at all after several years of service have well sealed posts/cases.



YW.

barryaz1

The old battery's finally really dead. Just replaced with the larger 51R from Costco. Fit perfectly after cutting off part of the plastic battery tray. $70, and not the dealer's $125+