My Aussie MY2021 HRV does not come with the start/stop feature either, thank goodness.
HR-V Battery Problem
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Hello! Found this thread after trying to help my mom with her 2020 HRV and a similar problem. Lots of detailed info in this thread which is very useful, thank you! Here’s our story.
Bought a new 2020 HRV in early 2021, around May 2021 the vehicle would not start. Honda said some cells of the battery were dead and replaced it, saying it could have been due to the vehicle sitting for a year until it was bought.
Now in Jan 2022, the vehicle would not start. Tow truck driver said the battery was completely dead and frozen. Very cold weather here -25C for a week or so, but it was in an unheated garage. Honda said it’s due to the battery being very small, and the driving pattern of very short trips plus cold weather. She needs to start it every day, drive it more, or get a trickle charger if it isn’t being used much.
This explanation didn’t sound right, having owned a Toyota Camry for 20 years, replacing the battery once in 15 years, having the same driving pattern and stored in a unheated garage in a cold climate.
The one thing that came to mind is that the battery in the fob also died in the fall of 2021. Honda seemed to be shocked by this when informed thinking it should have lasted way longer. That got me thinking, she does hang up the fob in the room next to garage being less than 10 feet away from the vehicle. Perhaps this was causing more parasitic drain on both the fob and car battery. I’ve since gotten her to store her fob deeper in the house to eliminate this chance of a continuous connection to the vehicle. This may not be the root cause of the problem but certain won’t help in combination with the small battery and short trips.
ugh, it is frustrating as she relies on the vehicle and it is her first new vehicle in 20 years.
Bought a new 2020 HRV in early 2021, around May 2021 the vehicle would not start. Honda said some cells of the battery were dead and replaced it, saying it could have been due to the vehicle sitting for a year until it was bought.
Now in Jan 2022, the vehicle would not start. Tow truck driver said the battery was completely dead and frozen. Very cold weather here -25C for a week or so, but it was in an unheated garage. Honda said it’s due to the battery being very small, and the driving pattern of very short trips plus cold weather. She needs to start it every day, drive it more, or get a trickle charger if it isn’t being used much.
This explanation didn’t sound right, having owned a Toyota Camry for 20 years, replacing the battery once in 15 years, having the same driving pattern and stored in a unheated garage in a cold climate.
The one thing that came to mind is that the battery in the fob also died in the fall of 2021. Honda seemed to be shocked by this when informed thinking it should have lasted way longer. That got me thinking, she does hang up the fob in the room next to garage being less than 10 feet away from the vehicle. Perhaps this was causing more parasitic drain on both the fob and car battery. I’ve since gotten her to store her fob deeper in the house to eliminate this chance of a continuous connection to the vehicle. This may not be the root cause of the problem but certain won’t help in combination with the small battery and short trips.
ugh, it is frustrating as she relies on the vehicle and it is her first new vehicle in 20 years.
I have a 2021 EX (AWD). When I first got it last year, I had battery issues. I started turning my headlights on no matter the weather on advice of someone here. Haven't had a problem since (knock on wood). Turning the lights on fools the electrical system into charging the battery. Personally, I think it's kind of a dumb system but I think Honda did that in order to save gas. Interestingly, my previous 2019 CR-V EX-L didn't have the same issue. I kind of miss the CR-V. When my lease runs out on the HR-V, I'm 1/2 tempted to lease/buy another CR-V.
Brilliant Sporty Blue Honda HR-V 1.5 iVTEC SE 6 Speed Manual
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Just an update to #113.
The new battery has restored my faith in my vehicles reliability, I now no longer worry that it will not start or that I'll have to regularly take it for a long drive to charge it up - trickle charging and so on just doesn't float my boat!
There have also been a few added bonuses since installation; whereas the Stop/Start used to go AWOL from October - March, it now kicks in when it should, the only exception being really short journeys of around a mile or two which is understandable. It also starts straight away, whereas previously there seemed to be a very slight hesitation or roughness when starting.
The next one I did a bit of a search about as I thought my imagination was playing up, but acceleration now seems smoother. I have had the ECON deactivated for almost a year, which noticeably improved engine response, however, it seems to have improved even more since the new battery was installed. Sure enough there were a few posts about how installing a new battery on a car that is a few years old can reset the Engine Management System back to its original factory settings that it may have wandered off from over time.
Whether that is the case or not, I'm just glad to have my reliable car back.
The new battery has restored my faith in my vehicles reliability, I now no longer worry that it will not start or that I'll have to regularly take it for a long drive to charge it up - trickle charging and so on just doesn't float my boat!
There have also been a few added bonuses since installation; whereas the Stop/Start used to go AWOL from October - March, it now kicks in when it should, the only exception being really short journeys of around a mile or two which is understandable. It also starts straight away, whereas previously there seemed to be a very slight hesitation or roughness when starting.
The next one I did a bit of a search about as I thought my imagination was playing up, but acceleration now seems smoother. I have had the ECON deactivated for almost a year, which noticeably improved engine response, however, it seems to have improved even more since the new battery was installed. Sure enough there were a few posts about how installing a new battery on a car that is a few years old can reset the Engine Management System back to its original factory settings that it may have wandered off from over time.
Whether that is the case or not, I'm just glad to have my reliable car back.
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Good you don't have a BMW. Or, maybe you do. Newer ones require a new battery be coded to the vehicle, which is not a DIY, and it has to be a BMW battery I do believe. (however, believing is not knowing. Understood?).
My E46 is always parked in a garage, and I always disconnect the negative cable to prevent a drain from the security system. I may not drive it for a couple of weeks at a time.
The HRV had to go to the dealer because when assembled, a small tube was forgotten for the sunroof drain resulting in the pass. floor under the carpet being flooded.
The loaner HRV, which was filthy, btw, wouldn't start at home, and I had to charge the battery so I could return to pick mine up. I should have called and made them waste their resources
as a lesson to them. But I do try to be an ok human most of the time.
The HRV solution may be for the home DIY mechanic to simply crawl under the dash and snip all the blue wires with the white tracer, right? Or the red. I can't recall. LOL, LOL, LOL and LOL.
Is someone here a giggler like the U.S. V.P? What is so funny I cannot comprehend. LOL ! Sigh... Roll eyes.. and, fart twice.
My E46 is always parked in a garage, and I always disconnect the negative cable to prevent a drain from the security system. I may not drive it for a couple of weeks at a time.
The HRV had to go to the dealer because when assembled, a small tube was forgotten for the sunroof drain resulting in the pass. floor under the carpet being flooded.
The loaner HRV, which was filthy, btw, wouldn't start at home, and I had to charge the battery so I could return to pick mine up. I should have called and made them waste their resources
as a lesson to them. But I do try to be an ok human most of the time.
The HRV solution may be for the home DIY mechanic to simply crawl under the dash and snip all the blue wires with the white tracer, right? Or the red. I can't recall. LOL, LOL, LOL and LOL.
Is someone here a giggler like the U.S. V.P? What is so funny I cannot comprehend. LOL ! Sigh... Roll eyes.. and, fart twice.
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My mom has had to replace or revive her 2016 HRV battery about 10 times now and has had ENOUGH! how did you eventually resolve your issue?
I bought a CTEK MXS 5.0 charger, I put my car on the charger every 21 days. My battery was replaced back in Feb 2022 under Warranty.
I do average approx. >500kms a week though running Grandkids to & from school plus traveling to my golf course which
is a combined 60 min drive.
So far, so good. Time will tell though.
I do average approx. >500kms a week though running Grandkids to & from school plus traveling to my golf course which
is a combined 60 min drive.
So far, so good. Time will tell though.
Brilliant Sporty Blue Honda HR-V 1.5 iVTEC SE 6 Speed Manual
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If you mum has had to actually replace the battery several times in six years, rather than just charge it up, there could be an actual issue with the charging system on your vehicle. It may be worth getting an auto electrician to check it out to see if there is a problem.
I have recently had to replace the 6 year old battery on my 2016 HR-V, but I kind of expected that as the batteries on my previous (non Honda) vehicle tended to require replacing at around the 5 year mark.
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I've had to replace the battery in my HRV twice since purchase in 2019. The dealer has not admitted to any known faults nor identified any problems with the vehicle. I don't want to be stuck when my car won't start again so am considering getting a portable jump starter from Amazon (only source currently available outside of US). Can anyone recommend one that is suitable and safe to use on my HRV?
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I have this one. There are less expensive one, but I like to be prepared. https://www.amazon.com/HULKMAN-Alph...d+6l+diesel+engines+space+gray+,aps,66&sr=8-3
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Raise your hood once and put in a Duracell or a new Honda battery. Both are made by Penn National. Honda switched up to save face
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They said the same thing to me and I have been driving at least 50km per week or more. I’m so mad it’s dies as soon as it get cold. They are ripping us off
Early 2021 build HRV RS, used sparingly, still quite below 30,K Klms....battery dead one morning. 7.5V Replaced, all good for last few days. Since the car literally turns itself off....and nothing was left on.....Not happy. Its not a stop/Start version the Australian versions are non stop/start
Of course not the end of the world but enough to peeve me off. Japanese batteries were supposed to be one of the best....pffft!
Honda in Australia have been doing their best to wreck the brand thru disappearing models, limited model range, huge price increases (now fixed price agency), dissolving service and sales centre's (I now have to travel 90klms to get to a service centre, it was just 15klms. And they close at 5pm...having the habit of calling you at 4.30pm telling you the car is ready....jeeeez, really how do i get there in that time?). I've had 4 successive civics, then an Accord, then a Hyundai Tuscon...then HRV.
Its all going bad in Australia...if they cannot : lower their price...then I'm moving brands I suspect its Honda Australia is the issue. Nice fat salaries and pats on the back. Gone from around #5/6 car market volume sales tin the country to ~ #15 in the space of 12 years. It really is a low speed train wreck
FWIW.....
Of course not the end of the world but enough to peeve me off. Japanese batteries were supposed to be one of the best....pffft!
Honda in Australia have been doing their best to wreck the brand thru disappearing models, limited model range, huge price increases (now fixed price agency), dissolving service and sales centre's (I now have to travel 90klms to get to a service centre, it was just 15klms. And they close at 5pm...having the habit of calling you at 4.30pm telling you the car is ready....jeeeez, really how do i get there in that time?). I've had 4 successive civics, then an Accord, then a Hyundai Tuscon...then HRV.
Its all going bad in Australia...if they cannot : lower their price...then I'm moving brands I suspect its Honda Australia is the issue. Nice fat salaries and pats on the back. Gone from around #5/6 car market volume sales tin the country to ~ #15 in the space of 12 years. It really is a low speed train wreck
FWIW.....
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Yes I have the same problem with my 2017 HR-V
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Batteries have doubled in price over the last few year, so I expect manufacturers are doing everything possible to keep costs down with less than first class materials.
I've generally kept my Honda's for 20 + years and sold them all with just the first replacement battery in them.
Honda's ELD prevents overcharging which kills batteries.
I've generally kept my Honda's for 20 + years and sold them all with just the first replacement battery in them.
Honda's ELD prevents overcharging which kills batteries.
My dealership detected that my HRV was hard to start at my 50,000Km service, (now up to 84,000Km), so they replaced it for a new one under warranty.
Ever since then I put a Ctek MX5.0 Battery Charger on overnight at least once a month.
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Sadly, Honda's ELD (electronic load detection) or variable charging strategy is a major part of the battery problems in the HRV.
Re-read this thread for proof!
The HRV ELD and charging system undercharges the small 51R (500CCA) battery.
If you don't believe this thread, connect an in-cabin voltmeter of some kind.
If I was more ambitious, I would try to find a way to disable the ELD system.
You will find lots of info if you google "Disable Honda ELD" but nearly all the info is for much older Honda's.
As many have mentioned over the years, you can sort of "disable" the ELD in the HRV by turning on the headlights.
This will activate the HRV charging system to run at 14V+.
Just for comparison, our 2006 Acura TSX does not have any kind of Honda ELD and charges the battery fully at 14V+ from the moment you start it up until you turn the engine off.
The HRV is not like this at all..
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