me thinks, theres no more of that at this forum cause the people who knew how to get the big numbers were pushed outta here in a hurry and also cause the GH mpg database went down the tubes.

anyways, those fellas are still getting the big numbers 60,70 at another forum where getting good mpg is encouraged and not mocked; heck, many are even gettin better than 70 plus mpg.
here's a puzzle: from my reading some of them also got all the software updates since 2006 and not a single prob with the mpg always going up.

ks

 

No one's been pushed out of this forum as far as I know.

But back to the software update. The concept that a software update can make up for a hardware problem is plausible but is fraught with difficulties.

Simple review of the nhtsa file complaints show that the software update immediately impacted a number of HCH 2 drivers negatively.

Let's face it - you have three model years of vehicles out there with different batches of hybrid battery packs, different places in the 12 software upgrades you mention and different hybrid battery pack conditions at the time of update. Even if every software update goes smoothly ( not any more likely than software updates all going smoothly in desktop computers) - a percentage of drivers are going to be negatively impacted due to the aggressive nature of this update.

My opinion is that if your battery pack is partially kaput, this software update and Honda's policy of not replacing battery packs until complete death and an IMA light occurs pretty much messes you over. And that's exactly what's happened. Check out mycarstats.org ( or com) and check out the consumer complaints since this update started officially on August 1. Its a far different scene than the previous updates.

Finally, look at the Honda Insight and its curb weight and EPA mileage vs the sticker on the HCH 2. Something is defiently up. Honda MAY be trying to kill the model. The battery pack is good for about three years for a hot humid climiate at 15,000 miles of use per year. Then it needs replacing - unless there has been an imporvement in the battery pack itself - which is likely.

PS - the service at my dealership has been very good for this car.

 

yeah, I remember well; they were pushed out alright. back then some GH mods wanted to run them out badly and they did it by deleting and editing harmless posts and then later bad-mouthing them after they left.

ks

 

Yes, there was a mass exodus from this site by many of its key participants. No need to rehash the details, but it did happen.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled topic...

 

Days are hot again, lots of city stop and go driving so far. Oil has been changed to precisely 3.2 quarts. All season Michelin Hydroedge tires are aired to 42psi (max is ~44). 100 miles into this next tank of gas and am averaging 28-32 on the fuel computer depending on how the battery is. Assist is pretty much gone most of the time as the car tries to constantly charge the battery.

Honda won't do anything. They say its a function of the software update and are aware of it. Nice. When drilled further about if they have or can test my battery capacity, again told that Honda has not provided a means to do this and they have to rely on the IMA light. So Dumb, so dumb homeboy. (come on, need a little bit of laughter in crummy situation!)

My final impression of this software update after almost 3000 milesIt does not fix an ailing battery and greatly exacerbates the negative behaviors in the heat. Cool weather driving seems somewhat unaffected.

Details
In the heat my car is Mr. Hyde: it randomly reduces the assist when charge is available and not in forced recharging mode. Auto stop is randomly avoided occasionally when charge is available, but I cannot find a pattern to it. Even when in forced recharge and no assist mode, car will still auto stop much of the time and run the electric a/c in stop and go, never allowing the battery to recharge and even running it down to two bars. This prevents the battery from charging and keeps the hybrid system from fully activating again with normal assist levels. I firmly believe this behavior is the biggest contributor for the mileage drop in the heat. When in forced recharge mode, which can last 10-15 miles easily, the mileage monitor will steadily drop in stop and go traffic until the hybrid system fully reactivates again.

When it cooler out, say below approx 85, the cars behavior changes back to Mr. Jekyll. It is better able to sustain the charge with the IMA system staying fully active longer and the mileage goes up. More battery capacity feels like its available for use. Mileage is generally comes back up to pre update levels of 37-41, although anything higher mileage points seem elusive. Hopefully this fall season with more sustained cooler weather may prove higher than 41 is available again.

Car info
07 HCH II with almost 65,000 miles, leased new then purchased after motor rotor sensor failure and extended warranty placed on it. Used in the midwest, hilly region, lots of highway miles up front (sustained 65-75 mph), although mostly city now for the last 10,000 miles (stop and go with 65-70 local interstate). 100+ degree summer days, 0-10 degree winters. Only garaged during winter, kids bikes, toys and my camaro win out for the garage space in the summer.

 

Bummer, sorry to hear.

 

28-32 isn't even in the game for this car. Yikes. Comment - the battery pack will not be usable if the battery temp gets too high. there are too large vents behind the backseat on the inside of the car. That's what ventilates the battery pack and compartment - use of air conditioning is very important in order to keep your battery temp down in the hot weather. trust me - i have been doing this in Houston Texas since 2006.

I had a similar situation to yours today, and it dropped my mpg to......46 MPG. Really. It was hittin around 49 prior to this. As a reminder, the optimal speed points for this car are 40 MPH in the city and 58 MPH on the highway.

At 28-32, I'd say bye bye to the car. My Murano can get 25 MPG on the highway at 75 MPH. Geez that's bad.

 

Fully agree on both points. I took the center headrest out a long time ago to ensure additional airflow through the vents (plus it just annoyed me in the rear view mirror). As for the air conditioning, when the car was new I initially tried to run the ac at 77-78 degrees thinking it'd be more economical and ran into limited assist presumably because the battery and ima electronics were hot. I keep it at 74 now all the time and under the original software it avoided the limited assist conditions.

I also have tinted my windows with good metallic tint, use a custom windshield cover i purchased from the honda dealership and try to keep the windows cracked as well when parked as long as it isn't going to rain. I roll all the windows down asap to vent any remaining heat before I get rolling. All of these techniques seem to allow the assist available sooner on really hot days. Not sure what else I can do to given that I don't have covered parking at work.

 

You must live in a very hot climate. Houston has been really hot this summer. I started a new tank today and am at 47 MPG right now. Your car is not operating properly. has your battery pack been replaced? Maybe the regular car battery is dead? That's a cheaper fix.

 

By the way, the whole thing with the Honda Insight car is telling. The car weighs 150 lbs less is 5 inches shorter than the HCH 2, and gets worse gas mileage. So we know Honda has been monkeying with the IMA software to the detriment of mileage. Its very obvious.

My car was rated at 49/51 when it came out and that's exactly what it got before the software monkeys started up. I wonder what the 2010 model year drivers are getting with their HCH 2s?