This problem has existed for several months. The problem is that the car suddenly does not have power when starting from a stopped condition. At the same time the indicated drive battery level drops and the dashboard indicates the gas motor is charging the battery. After maybe 30 seconds the reduction of power is less. There seems to be some reduction in power until the drive battery is mostly charged. During this time it appears that the electric assist is not working. Have also observed during this several month period the gas mileage is reduced. The problem is more likely to occur after the car has sat without running for a few hours. The hazard here is that this has occurred when pulling into traffic. When it occurs even pushing the gas pedal to the floor does not have much effect. Have been lucky not to have been hit by another car. Took the car to the dealer. The dealer installed new software that has helped the problem, but not eliminated it. Will continue to pursue with the dealer. Noticed that others seem to be having the same problem, I suspect it is related to a design problem with the hybrid powertrain. Am not convinced they will address this dangerous situation.

- Shawnee, KS, USA

Upon receiving the 'mandatory' ima recall issued by Honda, I noticed my Honda Civic hybrid (2008) acted very differently when it came to accelerating from a stop, particularly on a hill. From a stop it takes several seconds before the car will move forward at a reasonable speed (which it did not do prior to the update). Prior to the update, the car would accelerate like a normal car with the ima kicking in to assist the car forward. Post update it's like the gas engine wants the ima to engage but the new firmware won't allow it to. The first time I experienced this, I was nearly hit coming out into traffic as my car hesitated. Honda has stated there is no way to reverse the update. This decrease in power continues to affect me today (at 60,000 miles and climbing). This update has affected my fuel economy as well (having dropped between 30-33 mpg on a "good" day). While the fuel economy may not be a personal safety issue, it is an environmental safety issue.

- Burlington, VT, USA

My 2008 Honda Civic hybrid was reprogrammed in 2010 due to problems with the hybrid battery system. It was a mandatory reprogram that has resulted in a significant decrease in the utilization of the integrated motor assist (ima) hybrid system. This decrease in use has had the direct effect of reducing power of the vehicle when starting from a stop, and poses a safety threat when maneuvering at intersections and in traffic. In some instances, the vehicle will accelerate very slowly regardless of the amount of pressure applied to the accelerator. This problem was not present before the hybrid system was reprogrammed by Honda, and they will not revert the system to its original state because it will result in costs associated with replacing defective batteries under warranty.

- Springfield, VT, USA