I just purchased a 2010 Honda Civic hybrid, have racked over 900 miles and averaging 42 MPG, am I running the latest software upgrade and if so it working here (engine shuts down at a stop, IMA kicks in when I do quick acceleration or in cruise control going up a incline, battery charges when decelerating and braking), let me know.

 

Actually, no it will not. Especially in the summer. The "regular" motor oil Honda had been using was 5W-20. They are switching their cars to 0W-20 (even my new CR-V uses 0W-20). However, there is no detectable difference in the summer between 0W-20 and 5W-20 simply because the 0 and 5 refer to minimum viscosity under coldest conditions - think minus 20 in Vermont. Our temperatures have been 90 and the engine warms quickly.

Stories that motor oil can save you 5 mpg are as old as the 100 mpg carburator - and equally valid.

So, even if they did put in the wrong oil, it would not explain the mpg loss and especially not the change in IMA behavior.

I am also surprised by the significantly higher maintenance and parts requirements you listed. I agree that many out there are finding the Honda IMA system is very resource intensive. Any savings in gas are lost in the need to replace batteries and other components. All-in-all, a very disappointing technology (IMA).

 

If you put the wrong oil viscosity in the hybrid engine you can ruin the engine and it will drop your mpgs significantly while the car is still running. Its a serious issue. The engine requires very thin motor oil and the engine is entirely different from the standard civic. Sounds like you didn't bother to check actually. I already know what happens from the experience of people on this board when the car first came out. The mistake was common.

My 06 gets 50 MPG no problem. The gas savings for me is around $1300 per year so the net present value of the savings plus reduced maintenance and parts replacement cost makes it financially sensible, even with a battery pack replacement every three years. The environmental benefit is subjective based on different folks sensibilities about car emissions. Your brakes last longer, and there is no alternator in a conventional sense.

Its an interim technology on the way to something else to be sure. But a decent step really.

 

right. So here's a post on this from another civic hybrid forum:

The noise is from the oil being a little too thick and not as easily making it to everywhere it needs to be. I would recommend changing your oil immediately and then in another 1500 miles change it again...this will assist in the recoating of the oil on all the delicate parts inside the motor...continuous running of the wrong weight will damage the engine...however your highway driving will be less detrimental than if she was in a lot of city traffic...

This was in response to a poster who found out that the dealership had put 5w-20 in the hybrid engine instead of the correct weight, followed by decreased performance and MPG.