Jim Plumb

I took our Honda Civic Hybrid over to the dealer to get the ECM recall done last week. My wife drives the car the most and she reports noticing slightly more “pep”. I could see why that might be if, as Honda reports, the fuel mixture was too lean. Our mileage seems to be running the same: high 40s to low 50s, so no difference there.

I’m gonna give a plug to the dealer, Ragsdale Honda in Westborough, MA. The building is shiny new and their service department is open to 9 p.m. and friendly as well.

On a related note, a day or two before we brought the car in for the recall, the engine light came on. They diagnosed the light and found problems with the catalytic converter and sensor. Luckily these items are under warranty.

Got something interesting in the mail the other day, a recall notice for my Civic Hybrid. It seems the car may be running a little lean. Is that how I’m able to get such good gas mileage?

Text of the notice:

July 2005
Product Update: 2003-05 Civic Hybrid

Dear Civic Owner:

This letter is to notify you of a potential problem with your Civic Hybrid and what you should do to resolve it.

What is the problem?
The engine control module (ECM) software in certain 2003-05 Civic Hybrids is improperly programmed, making the engine run slightly lean. Eventually, this can cause the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) on the instrument panel to come on and lead to failure of an important part of the vehicle’s emission system, the catalytic converter. Also the ECM could misinterpret normal oil pressure rise during the first engine start after an oil change.

Additionally, we will update your IMA battery management system to meet the current specifications.

What should you do?
Call your Honda dealer and make an appointment to have your vehicle updated. The dealer will update the software in the ECM to protect the catalytic converter and the IMA battery from damage. This work will be done free of charge. Please plan to leave your vehicle at the dealer for half a day to allow them flexibility in scheduling.

California Residents
After doing the repair, your dealer will give you a Proof of Correction certificate. Keep this certificate for your records as proof that the product update was complete. Submit this certificate to the DMV only if they request it.

NOTE: This free product update offer expires July 31, 2006

What to do if you feel this notice is in error.
Our records show that you are the current owner or lessee of a 2003-05 Civic Hybrid involved in this product update. If this is not the case, or the name/address information is incorrect, please fill out and return the enclosed, postage-paid Information Change Card. We will then update our records.

If you have questions.
If you have any questions about this notice, or need assistance with contacting a Honda Dealer, please call Honda Automotive Customer Service at (800) 999-1009.

We apologize for any inconvenience this update may cause you.

Sincerely,
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Honda Automobile Division

Seeing that gas is now running around $2.20 or so, the civic hybrid sure looks like a great buy. We’re still getting 50 or so mles per gallon in the summer. It’s been less in the winter, 47-48, probably because of the heater/defroster might be on a lot and also, one of the great gas-saving features, auto-stop, doesn’t kick in.

Here’s something interesting that happened recently, and another good reason to get a hybrid. Besides the great mileage, we found a feature in our civic hybrid we weren’t aware of until recently. We were getting very good mileage on the current tankful, something like 53 or 54 and we had 640 miles on the tank. I knew we were getting close to empty, but I wanted to get home and take a picture of the dash to show the mileage. Unfortunately, I didn’t make it home because I ran out of gas…but I didn’t need to call AAA or whatever to come and give me gas, because I was able to drive on the electric part of the engine! I drove the 1/2 mile to the nearest gas station on that electric engine at a snail’s pace of 10 mph. I ended up with 642 miles on that tankful of gas.

I read in a Wired story as well as the referenced blog about the guy with the underperforming Civic Hybrid. He’s not getting very good mileage and is understandably pissed. So I wanted to get another side of the story out here and hence this blog.

My wife and I bought a 2003 hybrid late last summer and have been pretty happy with it so far. Our mileage is consistently in the high 40s to low 50s and now that the weather’s better (warmer anyways), we have been in the low 50s. See photo for current tank of gas showing us at 51.4 mpg after 368.3 miles. So we should be getting around 600 miles to this tank.

This photo was taken a couple of days ago. Today we are at 50.7 mpg.
Probably because I drove into Boston and averaged 75-80 on the Pike (we live about 30 miles west of Boston, in Hopkinton).

Hopefully I’ll remember to take another photo of the instrument panel the next time we’re at the gas pump.

UPDATE

Here’s a photo of the instrument panel just before we filled up the tank. This was taken on 6-03-2004.
At the pump the mpg showed 51.0 and the total mileage on this tank of gas was 608.3.