Dead Insight
 

Help. I have a 2000 Honda Insight and I think the battery pack is dead. Is there a way to rig the car so it drives on gas all the time, with no battery assist.

I bought the car with 200,000 miles. I would get IMA warning light with no charge reading on the battery pack meter ( battery recal warnings?). I was able to reset the IMA light and engine computer by disconneting the small engine battery terminals and the car would drive fine for a few hundred miles. This would go on over and over on a daily basis. A few days later, I tried to start the car, it would crank a little bit but now will not crank at all and the battery pack meter reads zero charge. I can't start the car at all and assume the battery pack is finally dead.

Help! I can't afford a new battery pack! Is there a way to rig the car to just run on engine alone? The battery pack is used to start the car and charge the small engine bay battery. How do I bypass this?

Re: Dead Insight
 

Repair it! You probably have the best Hybrid ever made so if it is in good condition other than the pack it is worth a fix? You can get a new pack for under $2000. Is it a M/T model. I would love to own one of these babies. Reset the PC and it may be OK for a mth. or two.Have you had it checked by Honda? Maybe its just a Cat. converter and not the pack. Hal

Re: Dead Insight
 

Maybe you should try getting a new 12V battery for it? And a trickle-charger for that.

You might want to check with these folks too...

http://www.insightcentral.net/

Re: Dead Insight
 

I have the 2000 Honda Insight M/T.

I believe the battery pack is dead, since for several months before the car died, the IMA warning light would go on and the battery meter would register zero charge during any extended used of hybrid electric usage. I would just pull over, disconnect the engine bay battery to reset the computer and the car would run for a few more hundred miles before the IMA light go on again. I was doing this on a daily basis and was hoping the car would run indefinitely since I cannot afford $2000 to replace the battery pack. Now the car makes some clicking noises, but won't start. I tried jump starting the engine bay battery, replacing the engine bay battery, but same thing.... clicking noises but no cranking. I've read the IMA motor and battery pack act as the starter and don't know how to jump start 144volt battery pack... probably dangerous.

I've heard someone say for $20, the hybrid can be converted to pure gas only (ICE) and just run like a conventional gas car. HELP! DOES ANYBODY KNOW HOW TO CONVERT 2000 HONDA INSIGHT (M/T) TO RUN AS A REGULAR GAS CAR WITHOUT THE BATTERY PACK? I plan on pulling the dead weight battery pack out and trying to run the car as a conventional gas car. CAN ANYONE HELP?!

Re: Dead Insight
 

Correct, you can't jump start the 144Volt battery pack.

I've always been under the impression that the cars have a backup starter which is used when the IMA has too low a charge or when it's too cold outside. (This is on the HCH. Not sure if the same applies to the Insight.) So maybe that starter is bad?

I would definitely ask at the Insight forum at insightcentral (see the link above). Someone there can probably point you in the right direction.

Re: Dead Insight
 

I thought about the starter as the culprit too, but the car started fine before. Never had problems with starting the car. Always had problems with the battery pack and IMA going off while driving. Now I can't even drive the car.

Thanks for the tips. I'll try the insight central sight u suggested.

Re: Dead Insight
 

Sounds like a poor connection on the starter battery? The clicking you here is the salinoid not making contact. Make sure the battery connections are clean and tight. Hal

Re: Dead Insight
 

If your 12V battery is dead, converting to ICE only operation isn't going to solve the problem. Make sure your 12V system is OK and I'll try to find the instructions to disable the hybrid functionality. One easy way is to charge your 12V battery manually at your house everyday and try not to drive in the dark. Removing the PS fuse would save a little power too.

Re: Dead Insight
 

Found it:

http://www.99mpg.com/mima/faq/#cantheinsightopera

Re: Dead Insight
 

Go salvage and pick up pack for 400.00 or less

Re: Dead Insight
 

WOW! All you guys are great! Thanks for all the good advice.

I have a new 12V battery in the engine bay with good connections, so that doesn't seem to be the problem. I'll check the connections on the battery pack and starter connectors. If that doesn't fix the problem, I'll look for a salvage battery pack. I live in a small town and not sure how lucky I will be locating a salvage battery pack. Does anyone know if the HCH battery pack is compatible with the Insight? I'm just guessing Honda made more Civic Hybrids than Insights. If I have no luck with the above, I'll probably pull out the battery pack and try to run it as a non-hybrid.

Thanks again guys for all the help and the link on disabling hybrid mode. I'll keep you guys posted on my progress and post my results to help anyone else with the same problem.

Re: Dead Insight
 

Victor,
I think the battery back is a bit different between the Insight and the Civic hybrid. If you click on this link, there are several links to pictures of both kinds of packs if I remember correctly. You can probably contact the person who runs that website and ask how the batteries differ.

http://www.hybrid-battery-repair.com/insight/diy.html

Re: Dead Insight
 

Not compatible. Hal

Re: Dead Insight
 

Re: Dead Insight
 

simple fix just disconnect connector A from the BCM the car will run, a little slower naturally, but you will still get 45-54MPG thats what Iam getting now, and when you save enough money get a rebuilt one with all new cells thats it, i drive my this way even at night with wipers on and radio on even heater. there is enough juice in the IMA to charge the little 12 volt.

Re: Dead Insight
 

Re: Dead Insight
 

i have a friend who just had a mechanic put on a alternator thats it, no more problems. runs beautiful. now when he has enough money saved he will get a rebuilt, just as good as buying one from honda at half the cost