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#1 (permalink) |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Augusta, GA
Posts: 979
Jason
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New Tricks or Tips for the Civic Hybrid.
With this thread lets talk about anything you think you've figured out about the Civic Hybrid that other people might not know.
I didn't see another thread like this one so I hope there isn't one. I'll start with what I've found: When you're sitting a stop light with the Auto Stop engaged and lets say you wanted the engine running so you could take off quicker yet you still need to hold the brakes.... well you can just hold the brake with your left foot and tap the gas (quickly and lightly with your other foot) and the engine will start up and stay running until you're ready to go. |
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#2 (permalink) |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Augusta, GA
Posts: 979
Jason
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What? Nobody else wants to play?
Oh well, I'll keep it goin. As I'm sure other Hybrid drivers have noticed the amount of charging that takes place as well as the amount of energy that's released or used with the electric motor is directly related to the charge left in the battery. It seems to be linear and by that I mean with a low battery charge of only one or two bars you'll only see one or two bars representing energy going to the assist motor. Likewise the amount of regenerative charging that takes place is directly related to how much charging is needed. Regenerative braking will even cease completely if you have a full charge which makes braking different, since you're relying on the discs and drums. So what's the trick then? If you're cruising up a lot of hills on the interstate or any road trip you can save what charge is available to you by holding Acel on the cruise control instead of mashing the gas. It's not an exact thing but I've found the cruise control is a Lot less likely to use the electric motor in accelerating, although it will use up to three bars at times especially at low speeds with plenty of charge left. This trick is really for long rides up a lot of hills like the ones I saw in Wyoming. It's extreme hills like these, that start at about two or three-thousand feet and peak at near seven-thousand. You have to assume Honda never thought people would use the Hybrid to climb hills like that very often which is why their claim that the battery is completely self sufficient isn't 100% accurate. Last edited by bluetwo; 09-13-2008 at 03:41 PM. |
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#3 (permalink) |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 164
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Auto climate control, particularly with summertime air conditioning, drains the charge in crawling, slow-moving traffic. In a situation like this you can continue to drive in D and let the system manage itself but you'll probably have no IMA assist. The better way is to select S (for Second), which will keep the engine running, acceleration will be better, and there will be a lot of positive regeneration. This recommendation is in the manual but it is easy to overlook.
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#4 (permalink) |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Augusta, GA
Posts: 979
Jason
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Oh yeah, you can use "S" to get more of a charge when slowing to a stop. Likewise if you take off in Second you'll get more output from the engine and usually you'll use less of the electric motor, but the higher RPMs make you use more gas. It's just one of those tradeoffs, if you happen to need more charge in your battery.
Another thing I've found with the AC is (in non-auto climate control) you can just switch the AC off whenever you're going to be stopping. If it's really hot outside, use the AC as much as you have to because just turning it off part of the time will decrease the amount of charge used. Last edited by bluetwo; 09-15-2008 at 01:15 PM. |
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#5 (permalink) |
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 37
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One trick I have learned is with ACC off, pushing the mode button will allow air flow through the vents but the fan will not run. Push the mode button repeatedly to change which vents open. On a cool day, this maneuver is enough to keep some fresh air in the car without using any extra power. I don't know if the manual describes this maneuver.
![]() One trick I will never do again is to brake just enough on a steep downhill to engage autostop, but let the car keep rolling and pick up speed to ~ 15 mph. Riding my brakes yes, I know, not smart, but there is more. This trick completely confused the transmission, and when traffic started moving again MY CAR WOULD NOT. I had to turn the engine off then back on again to get the car going. Do not do this. Yes I can be pretty stoopid sometimes. ![]() Another trick I am sorry I tried is adjusting the windshield washer nozzles. They can be adjusted, with a small screwdriver, but if you can improve upon their original positions you are more skilled than I am. Ever since I tried to adjust them, they are worse off, and I can't them back to the way they were. |
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#6 (permalink) |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Northeast
Posts: 2,878
I'm me
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I've found you can accelerate with only assist and no engine. It's slow but after hitting the gas a second just ease off then slowly reapply. On a flat surface or downgrade you'll slowly accelerate off the assist motor alone. Works well in parking lots or traffic.
Last edited by GoHuskies; 09-19-2008 at 02:37 PM. |
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#7 (permalink) | |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Augusta, GA
Posts: 979
Jason
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#8 (permalink) | |
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VIP Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: SoCal
Posts: 5,211
Dan
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#9 (permalink) |
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 2
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Sorry if this is an old trick but i just read that removing the #22 interior fuse from a 2006 hch2 (HAC, not sure what that means?) that the A/C will no longer run off the battery when auto stop is activated thus reducing the battery being drained and gaining more assist power on acceleration. True?
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#10 (permalink) | |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Stockton Ca
Age: 25
Posts: 7,678
Chue Hang
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Set cruise control on at 45 mph in a road with hardly any stop signs or red lights to achieve 70+ MPG easily depend on the road surface.
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#12 (permalink) | |
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VIP Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: SoCal
Posts: 5,211
Dan
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#13 (permalink) | |
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VIP Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: SoCal
Posts: 5,211
Dan
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#14 (permalink) |
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VIP Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: SoCal
Posts: 5,211
Dan
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in city traffic especially in between stoplights u can use s(second) to both extra charge the batteries as well as brake. so if don't have some tailgater behind you instead of breaking to the next stoplight, u can just throw in in S and let it slow down for you and extra charge at the same time....
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