According to USA Today, the national average for gas prices is hovering around $3.20, better than they have been, but still high enough to keep families from taking more road trips than are absolutely necessary. In some portions of the country, gas prices are closer to $3.62. With no clear end in sight to rising gas prices, many people have decided that hybrid vehicles are the most economical choice. With fuel economies on some of these vehicles pushing upwards of 50 miles per gallon, you might not think that there could be a downside to hybrid vehicles.
Unfortunately, any owner of an older Honda Civic or Insight might find that their hybrid batteries are not what they used to be. Users have reported that hybrid battery packs often fail to outlast the life of the car. This has left many hybrid car owners looking for repairs or replacements between six to 10 years after they originally purchased the car. The Honda Civic hybrid battery life is marketed to last the life of the vehicle, but many hybrid owners hope to hold on to their cars for longer than those six to 10 years. If your Honda Civic hybrid battery life has been depleted, you have two options.
Hybrid Battery Repair
Hybrid battery repair may be required if your hybrid vehicle is not performing at the fuel economy that it used to, or if warning messages are indicating that the battery is starting to fail. You are not quite at the point where you need the battery replaced, but without intervention, it will surely die. It takes an experienced mechanic and electrical engineer to first diagnose the problem, and second, to work with the hybrid battery packs. Repairs are generally less expensive than replacements, but prices vary from vehicle to vehicle and year to year.
Hybrid Battery Replacement
When the Honda Civic hybrid battery life in your vehicle is beyond the hope of repair, then it is time to get a replacement. The cost for a Honda Insight battery, or any hybrid battery, can be anywhere from $1,000 to $6,000 depending on whether you look for a replacement from a third-party, or from the dealer. Third-party batteries tend to cost less than dealership batteries, and can sometimes be even more reliable than what the dealership has to offer.
Reportedly, some owners have simply shelved their vehicles, rather than pay for a replacement or repair, but that is no longer necessary. The relatively expensive cost of a hybrid battery repair or replacement might scare some people away from the hybrid vehicle, but there are affordable options for anyone looking to repair or replace their battery through a third-party. Once you are sure that your battery is not still covered under warranty, seek out experts in hybrid battery repair and replacement. Good references here: bumblebeebatteries.com