ILX Hybrid Battery Issues?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 321
Likes: 34
From: Rockville, MD
ILX Hybrid Battery Issues?
I've had my 2013 ILX hybrid since Feb 2013 and now have had 2 separate incidences where there has been what I believe, accessory battery failure. Can anyone comment on similar issues or a fix?
Incident #1
Feb 2013, took car to get windows tinted. Shop said all power was left in "on" mode (just so windows can move up and down), and motor was off. Installation took 1 hour and when the car tried to start it would not. The dashboard was lit up like a christmas tree with every error/warning light. Car was jump started and the error codes cleared within minutes.
Incident #2
June 2013. Left car at airport for a week while on vacation. All power turned off. Came back to the parking garage and the car beeped to unlock the doors and trunk. When I tried to turn on the car, the dash again flickered like crazy and the motor wouldn't turn over. Had to get the airport maintenance guys to help jump start my car. Only one error code this time (power steering), but that too cleared within minutes of putting the car into drive.
Is there a problem with leaving hybrids unattended for long periods of time? Do I have a bad accessory battery? It's def not the hybrid battery because that was showing 80% charge when I finally got the car started.
Incident #1
Feb 2013, took car to get windows tinted. Shop said all power was left in "on" mode (just so windows can move up and down), and motor was off. Installation took 1 hour and when the car tried to start it would not. The dashboard was lit up like a christmas tree with every error/warning light. Car was jump started and the error codes cleared within minutes.
Incident #2
June 2013. Left car at airport for a week while on vacation. All power turned off. Came back to the parking garage and the car beeped to unlock the doors and trunk. When I tried to turn on the car, the dash again flickered like crazy and the motor wouldn't turn over. Had to get the airport maintenance guys to help jump start my car. Only one error code this time (power steering), but that too cleared within minutes of putting the car into drive.
Is there a problem with leaving hybrids unattended for long periods of time? Do I have a bad accessory battery? It's def not the hybrid battery because that was showing 80% charge when I finally got the car started.
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 109
Likes: 15
From: Bethesda, MD
Incident #1
Feb 2013, took car to get windows tinted. Shop said all power was left in "on" mode (just so windows can move up and down), and motor was off. Installation took 1 hour and when the car tried to start it would not. The dashboard was lit up like a christmas tree with every error/warning light. Car was jump started and the error codes cleared within minutes.
Feb 2013, took car to get windows tinted. Shop said all power was left in "on" mode (just so windows can move up and down), and motor was off. Installation took 1 hour and when the car tried to start it would not. The dashboard was lit up like a christmas tree with every error/warning light. Car was jump started and the error codes cleared within minutes.
That is the only issue I had with the battery though. I've left the car undriven for about 6 days while out of town and had no issues starting up afterwards.
Suzuka Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 6,803
Likes: 1,015
I've had my 2013 ILX hybrid since Feb 2013 and now have had 2 separate incidences where there has been what I believe, accessory battery failure. Can anyone comment on similar issues or a fix?
Is there a problem with leaving hybrids unattended for long periods of time? Do I have a bad accessory battery? It's def not the hybrid battery because that was showing 80% charge when I finally got the car started.
Is there a problem with leaving hybrids unattended for long periods of time? Do I have a bad accessory battery? It's def not the hybrid battery because that was showing 80% charge when I finally got the car started.
It is helpful to understand that there are essentially two electrical systems in this vehicle. There is the high-voltage system that runs the electric motor for the IMA system, and a normal 12 V system run by the battery in the engine compartment.
Generally speaking, the big battery is used to turn the IMA motor to start the car. This lithium-ion battery pack stores an enormous amount of energy (relative to the 12 V battery) and normally has power to spare. However, what we have learned in the CR-Z community is that it seems that the computers and all accessories in the car run off of the 12 V battery. So, even if you're IMA battery has power, without the small 12V battery and the computer to regulate the starting, you could be out of luck.
Most likely, this is what is happening. Something is causing your "small battery" to drain. As somebody noted it could be a stuck relay (a fuse can't get stuck), or possibly your battery wasn't in prime condition to begin with.
While I cannot point to any technical documents reinforce this, the general consensus in our forums is that if your 12 V battery is flat, once you try to start the car (and fail) the system seems to start shunting power from the IMA battery to recharge the 12 V battery. Many people have found that if you wait about 20 minutes, the car starts. The only explanation we can come up with is that the car is somehow moving energy from one battery to the other.
Generally speaking, the big battery is used to turn the IMA motor to start the car. This lithium-ion battery pack stores an enormous amount of energy (relative to the 12 V battery) and normally has power to spare. However, what we have learned in the CR-Z community is that it seems that the computers and all accessories in the car run off of the 12 V battery. So, even if you're IMA battery has power, without the small 12V battery and the computer to regulate the starting, you could be out of luck.
Most likely, this is what is happening. Something is causing your "small battery" to drain. As somebody noted it could be a stuck relay (a fuse can't get stuck), or possibly your battery wasn't in prime condition to begin with.
While I cannot point to any technical documents reinforce this, the general consensus in our forums is that if your 12 V battery is flat, once you try to start the car (and fail) the system seems to start shunting power from the IMA battery to recharge the 12 V battery. Many people have found that if you wait about 20 minutes, the car starts. The only explanation we can come up with is that the car is somehow moving energy from one battery to the other.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 321
Likes: 34
From: Rockville, MD
Thanks @tsxinva and Colin. After incident #1, I had my ILX brought back to dealership to test the accessory battery and they said it worked out fine. Now with a repeat incident under different conditions I'll bring it back to be checked out once again.
Do you remember which relay got stuck?
Do you remember which relay got stuck?
2nd Gear
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Just got an ILX Hybrid not even 2K miles on it. 1st time it refused to start with clicking sounds I chalked it up as a fluke. I went to the garage to get the owners manual and got back and tried again and it started and never looked back for a month.
Then trouble strikes when I go for a grocery run with my wife with ice cream melting away on a hot 4th of July night the car refuses to start.
Called Acura Care too long of a wait so turned to AAA for a tow to the dealership. The tow truck driver insists on giving me a jump I relent and the car starts.
The doors would lock unlock but Windows would not go up or down the dash was lit like a christmas tree.
Next day Acura Care arranges tow and dealer tells me battery was replaced "it had a bad cell" . I am suspicious since all my radio presets are still there. My blue tooth phones connect fine.
Waiting to see if it happens again.
Then trouble strikes when I go for a grocery run with my wife with ice cream melting away on a hot 4th of July night the car refuses to start.
Called Acura Care too long of a wait so turned to AAA for a tow to the dealership. The tow truck driver insists on giving me a jump I relent and the car starts.
The doors would lock unlock but Windows would not go up or down the dash was lit like a christmas tree.
Next day Acura Care arranges tow and dealer tells me battery was replaced "it had a bad cell" . I am suspicious since all my radio presets are still there. My blue tooth phones connect fine.
Waiting to see if it happens again.
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