I have a 2001 Insight CVT and I'm getting a major vibration on the drivers side from the engine. The engine motor mounts are in perfect condition and the vibration gets worse in reverse. Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong ?

 

where is the electric motor mounted? Does the vibration happen at idle or during driving?

 

Ya it's on the electric motor side. I don't hear any other noises while I'm driving. When I come to a stop and the gas motor is running your can barely hear it, but you put the car in reverse the noise gets a lot worse.

 

I'd take it into the shop. I'm not a mechanic, but I'm thinking it has something to do with the motor and/or drive shaft in some way.

 

Wild guess: I might have experienced this in my more agressive driving days. I think it was when I floored (or close) it, the rpms were low, so the assist was maxing out.

Just realize you have a CVT - I have a 5-speed. Don't know if you can lug your engine.

 

You checked ALL the mounts very well? Did you try having someone put the car in reverse and hold the brake while giving gas at the same time? Same for forward as well. If the mounts had any wear the motor will move quite a bit.

How many miles on the car? Has your gas mileage dropped? Almost sounds like it could be a vacuum leak, I'd think that would trigger a code though.

 

My brother is a tech for Mercedes Benz and he says that all of the engine mounts are in good condition. Ya we tried doing the holding the brake and giving it gas thing. The motor doesn't move. It just vibrates like crazy. My Insight has 74,000 miles and actually my gas mileage has gone up and I haven't gotten any flashing lights on my dash board yet. Well I'm going to take it to Honda in the morning to have them check it out. $80 bucks just to look at the car and see what's wrong. Man I need to get into the car business.

 

Have you changed the transmission fluid regularly?

 

Could your CV joint on that side be going bad?

 

DING DING DING! That one sounds like a possible winner IF it for sure only does it when drivng. Another STRONG possibilty is the EGR valve. A very common problem with the Honda hybrids.