Civic hybrid reliability?

Our 06 is still with our son, around 220,000 km. Lights came on regarding the hybrid battery around 160,000. But this was after YEARS of frustration, with a hybrid battery obviously compromised. The replacement battery is starting to exhibit the same behaviours.

If you can, take an extended test drive. What the state-of-charge indicator: is it around half, two thirds? In particular, if you see a sudden drop, accompanied by loss of idle-stop (car won't shut down at red lights) and steady charging, even when stopped, this is what's known as "recalibration".

Basically: the car's computer gauges the hybrid battery state of charge based on what it's added and subtracted. When the battery's deteriorating, there'll be progressively more recalibrations, as the battery comes up short, and the car's computer resorts to recalibration, to force charge and reestablish (likely at a lower level) what constitutes a "full" battery.

This process can drag on for years, before the car finally throws a code. And being out of warranty, you're likely on the hook for replacement battery, which is up around $3000~4000.

FWIW, ours WAS out of warranty, but Honda Canada sprung for replacement battery. They've discontinued the hybrid, and I'd suspect they had batteries to spare.

 

Don't do it.

Friends don't let friends buy Civic Hybrids.

Especially Civic Hybrids with CVTs.

You will need to buy a replacement battery. In fact if you look at the dealer records for the Civic Hybrid you are considering, there is a high likelihood that the current owner has already brought it in for a failing Hybrid battery and that is why they are selling it.

Seriously, just move on. Get a different brand of hybrid.
Or buy a non-hybrid.

I have worked on hybrids for over a decade. I know what I'm talking about.

 

I loved my 07. My kid is driving it now with 190k on the original brakes and CVT. I replaced the main O2 sensor for about $100, new tires, oil changes and transmission fluid as needed. And the Hybrid Battery.

2300 bucks for a bumblebee aftermarket battery...much better than the Honda OEM...two people, the right tools and an hour is all you need to complete the repair.

If the entirity of the above does not fit in to your purchase model stay away.

 

$2300. Did that include shipping?
And who pays the shipping if you have a warranty claim?

 

Some possibilities
- get out of balance
- become internally shorted
- lose much of their usable capacity,

 

It was 2800 with a 500 core depsoit that was refunded after they received my old battery. I believe that included all of the freight, but there may of.been an additional 75. I'll look at the invoice later. I'm responsible for any warranty freight should the need arise and I can live with that. The bumblebee battery is composed of more robust, higher capacity cells vs. the Honda OEM POS.

A large percentage of Honda batteries seriously degrade and then fail between 90 and 150k miles. Mine lasted a.bit over 160k, but the last 18 months was a slow.grind into oblivion into a nightmare constant recals and almost no assist duration. i should of replaced it a year earlier. I liked driving it at highway speed 50 to 70 more than my Plug in Prius in Hybrid Mode..Just about every thing else about the PiP is far superior.

 

No one does it better if ain't a Toyota. Stick to your Toyota/Lexus. Honda is notorious for weak transmissions. Toyota is the benchmark in reliability and steadily maintained that year after year.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

The Honda Civic hybrid CVT has been problematic. Ours was/is fine but there are reports of slipping. Dealerships resorted to a "burnishing" procedure, I think forced slipping the clutch plate??

 

One big difference is that Honda has cylindrical cells, Prius has prismatic.

 

There was also issues with the first Insight. Honda allowed the software to be more aggressive with the battery for better EPA numbers. This lead to problems as the batteries degraded. Eventually Honda could no longer deny it was a problem on their end, and newer models had better battery management.

 

Aaaannnd just got a call from a Civic Hybrid owner with 90,000 miles and a bad battery.

I know of 3 more sitting on dealer lots in the area with bad packs.
There are 2 on Craigslist, both with bad packs.

Believe me, I know they are tempting, but the pack will die. Do not buy one unless you have the money to immediately buy a new pack.

 

Parents have a civic hybrid. Battery failed right before warranty so got it replaced. Had poor capacity long before that.

 

How's the replacement doing? Ours is starting to act up a bit, latest software and all.

 

In what way is it acting up?

 

Occasional "recalibration events". This is on the replacement battery from Honda, put in maybe 18 months back.

 

Grrr. Honda packs and recalibration events. Makes me crazy.
At this point I never use Honda packs. Even when "new", they never seem to last.

For my business I only use packs that have aftermarket cells from Asia.

 

Yeah, the price was right.

Thanks for the tip.