NewOldReliable

New owner here and new to the boards...

My 2010 Insight makes an intermittant, high-pitched whine.

Is this normal for the Insight?

The whine-wheeze noise is much quieter, but similar in octive to a worn brake pad squeal.

Is this the electric motor in either assist, or charge mode?

hmayeu2

I am having the same questions. The noise I hear is exactly how you describe.

NewOldReliable

Have you questioned a senior tech @ your dealer? What did they say?

I asked and was told this is "normal electric current running through the car".

What's your mpg?

@ 500 total miles on my Insight, with ECON on, and a gentle foot, it's averaging 39.7 mpg, traveling 5.2 miles to rr station, and back, each day.

This is much better versus our old SAAB, but, I hope the Insight gets better mpg over time with break-in...

hmayeu2

I haven't called Honda about this since I have never owned a Hybrid before. My driving consists of about 4 miles city(econ on) 50 miles highway(econ off) each way and I have been averaging around 49 mpg.

I have around 2200 miles on the vehicle now.

NewOldReliable

hmayeu2,

thanks for the feedback. our 1st hybrid as for most folks...

if you do check with your dealer, post here what they say...

unfortunately, there's not a lot of user activity on this board, and it's the only one i've found so far. perhaps, as Honda sells more unit's, that will change.

i am happy with the car but it does have it's quirks. for example, depending on how you drive:

1) have you noticed the car sometimes lightly surges forward (not a high idle rpm issue), as you take your foot on or off the brake? for example, if you're the 3rd or 4th in a line of cars going thru a stop sign intersection? i nearly gently rear-ended they car in front of me.

2) in the morning, cold engine, from stop, with light throttle, the drivetrain sorta bucks, as if the electric motor's magnets' rotation is uneven(attraction / repelling), until you really get rolling to 5-10 mph.

hmayeu2

I have definitely noticed the surge. I just thought it had to do with the electric assist/engine shut-off

I have noticed the bucking too, but i think thats mainly from hitting the accelerator before the gas engine turns on all of the way. I find that letting my foot off of the brake first, letting it start to roll on its on, and then hitting the accelerator seems to help that issue.

I am also a member of the following site: http://www.insightcentral.net/
That website has a good bit of useful information

NewOldReliable

Thanks for the link. I will check out

Not sayin' anything is wrong or broken. This may be the "new normal" for this particular vehicle as designed by Honda engineers. Takes getting used to.