2004 Civic HCH-1. Car is in the shop, I have been driving it around with the Check Engine and IMA lights on for about 19K miles or so. Where I live does not require emissions testing, so I can by-pass this during inspections and was told by my local Honda dealer that there is no harm in driving the car this way. Well, the battery light came on yesterday as well and I stopped by my garage and they are telling me that the main battery is no longer charging and the setup on these older Hybrids is manufactured in such a way that the main battery is charged, which is turn charges the regular battery. Essentially, once the main battery dies, it will be dead. This is a run around vehicle for me, living in the country/end of suburbia.

Are there any specific web sites that deal with selling these vehicles and what would be a reasonable sale price for a car in this condition? The car is in great shape (no rust, no major repairs, cosmetic damage only). 140,xxx miles.

I am not interested in putting the 3K into getting a re-manufactured battery put into it.

 

You don't have a car, you have a problem. It doesn't matter what shape you think it's in, it's not reliable transportation. It is not roadworthy without the $3K repair.

Ask yourself what would YOU pay for it in its current condition? That's what it's worth. I suspect you wouldn't pay anything for it. Your path of least resistance is to see what you can get for it from a salvage yard.

To my knowledge, there are no websites that specialize in selling non-running vehicles for more than they are worth.

All that aside, there is a bypass procedure that removes the IMA battery from the circuit and allows limited 12V charging (will not charge at idle or high rpm):

http://www.prolongima.com/hch/removal/bypass.html

Good luck,

Steve

 

Steve,

Thank you for being candid. You are right, I would not pay anything for the car, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was anybody that might salvage parts off of it or if there was a community of Honda enthusiasts that would consider taking it. That is why I asked. I'm sure that I would get a minimal offer from a dealership on a trade-in, maybe $500. Thanks for the reply though.

-Dan

 

There are no enthusiasts for the HCH1. There is very little redeeming about them once their battery goes. There are probably a few crazies out there.

IMHO, you should give the bypass option a try. Many have driven in that configuration for well over 19K miles. Highway mileage in that configuration is top notch. If you were experiencing frequent recalibrations and forced charges, that behavior will stop, and overall mileage will improve.

Also, I wouldn't rule out a 12V failure. While your scenario as described is likely, 12V failures, problems with the ground cables, etc., are just as common.

EDIT: and BTW, $3K for remanufactured? I assumed you meant new from the dealership. Bumblebee sells packs with new cells for $2095 and rebuilt batteries for $1200.