mainer

So I have a 2005 HCH, currently with 237,xxx miles. I drive alot, so far in 2014 I have driven 18,000 miles. I have averaged 50.7 mpg since I reset trip A odometer at 111,000 miles. ORIGINAL BRAKES AND IMA BATTERY! This last winter up here in Maine has been rough and recently my car has been doing some strange things. When driving along I will notice that the car loses power and the motor will be at 3k rpm instead of 2.2k while doing 50mph on a flat straightaway. Also, some trips I have done are just way off in mpg average. Today for example one trip of 105 miles averaged 48.8, but the next trip of 73 miles averaged 56.7. Most of that was the same roads. Also the electric motor stopped working twice today. Like no acceleration assist or regen brake. I turned off the car and restarted it (while at speed, I do hypermile) and the electric motor came back. I did run seafoam through the oil and fuel at 190,000 which fixed the idle hop that I had. I do keep my tire pressure to the max psi on the tire, I took the snorkel air induction thing off of the front of the engine cover and put a K&N air filter in it to get a little better power which I have noticed (about 150,000 miles on that modification). The transmition does studder at the line (right about 4-6 mph) but I don't know if that is the trans or the electric motor (maybe a sensor on the system somewhere), it feels like the ABS kicks in at the same time as the electric motor but I don't know much about that part of the system. More pronounced on a slope, I have noticed that I am losing trans fluid at about 2 oz a month.

Oh and the check engine light has been on since 2009 due to the O2 sensor but I am way too cheap to pay $450 for a new one, plus I have not noticed a drop in mpg.

ezone

Mileage drop sounds like it's likely due to the RPM being higher than usual. Possible trans issue, got codes and data?

Odd....

I'd be looking in IMA data and codes.

That's probably 'start clutch judder', it's kinda average in that CVT trans. Most seem to do it, but nobody wants to fix it.
This is the place to start now. See if there are IMA codes. It sounds like it might be time for an IMA battery, or there is some issue with IMA motor control. See if there are new and different engine and trans codes.

Generic scanner/code reader can't get IMA codes.

mainer

I am going to the dealer today to see what codes are activated. The unfortunate thing about Maine is that there are no tuner places around here unless you like big trucks. I know that the battery should have been replaced 3 times at least now (60-80,000 miles) but it seems to work fine. I thought about putting a cheaper regular civic o2 sensor in and see what happens. Any thoughts about that.

ezone

You don't need any tuner place, you simply need someone that has working brain cells, CARES enough to do a good job, and has the right equipment to do so.

No, it doesn't work that way. The batteries have widely varying lifespans depending on driving habits/use and care.

Seems like the people that drive the cars the most get the longest battery life.
Long periods of non-use and lack of periodic recharging seems to kill the IMA battery rapidly.
And everything inbetween.



The IMA battery only gets replaced when there are IMA codes or information specifically directing you to replace it. (That's how it works at the dealer, anyway.)



I know many people dislike their dealerships, but there are several reasons to be on good terms with the dealer. There are so many things that the average independent shop just can't do or know about. These cars might just be cars to some people, but the IMA related stuff is quite specialized.

There have been numerous software updates. There have been IMA battery revisions, and software to match. There have been software updates for the engine and trans, many related to various codes.

Several years back, there was a warranty extension for an issue with the CVT trans drive belt slipping. Was that ever completed? If it wasn't done within the specified period, you missed out.
There was a similar extension for the start clutch judder. Same deal.
Your car is way beyond the warranty extension period now though. If you missed it you missed it. Seems like nobody wants to pay to fix it now that it costs money.




Absolutely not.
What code DID it have? What code(s) does it have now?
You ABSOLUTELY CANNOT replace an Air/Fuel ratio sensor with an O2 sensor, if that's what you were thinking. They might look about the same, do about the same job, but they operate completely different and are not interchangeable.

You got almost a quarter million miles out of the car with apparently pretty minimal expense, now it's time to pony up some coin.


The correct sensors can be purchased through sources other than your local dealership. ALWAYS use the OEM brand the car was originally equipped with. If you remove an NTK sensor, you need to reinstall the identical NTK sensor. Figure out what sensor you need, see who made it, then visit that manufacturers website.

These cars are so finicky it isn't funny. They don't like cheap crap parts.



Damn, I need coffee.