Black Smoke & Power Loss: Honda Freed Exhaust Mystery

Hey there! I had similar issues with my 2010 Honda Insight. The symptoms you're describing match exactly what I experienced, black smoke, power loss, and that distinct exhaust smell. The culprit turned out to be a faulty lambda sensor (oxygen sensor). Got it diagnosed at the garage last month. The mechanic showed me that the sensor wasn't reading the air-fuel mixture correctly, which was causing the engine to run rich (too much fuel). The fix wasn't too complex, but it needed to be addressed promptly as these symptoms can lead to catalytic converter damage if left unchecked. In my case, they replaced the downstream O2 sensor and cleared the engine codes. The car's been running smoothly since then, no more black smoke or power issues. Given the similar symptoms, it might be worth getting your lambda sensors checked. It's definitely better to address this sooner rather than later. Good luck with the fix!

Oh yeah, I remember having the exact same issue! The lambda sensor replacement sorted it out for me too. By the way, do you recall how much you had to pay for the fix? And has everything been running smoothly since then, or have you noticed any other issues popping up? Just asking 'cause sometimes these things can be connected, you know?

Hey again! Yeah, happy to share, I actually just had this fixed last month. The whole thing, including parts and labor, came to 375€ for replacing the faulty lambda sensor. Honestly, considering how much better the car runs now, it was money well spent! The exhaust aftertreatment malfunction warning is completely gone now, and my Insight's running like a dream. No more black smoke, weird smells, or power issues. Haven't noticed any other problems popping up either, it's all been smooth sailing since the fix. Looking back, I should've probably gotten it checked sooner, but you know how it goes, you keep putting these things off! But seriously, if anyone else is experiencing similar symptoms, don't wait around like I did. Getting that lambda sensor replaced made such a huge difference to how the car performs. Hope this helps with the cost comparison! Let me know if you need any other info.

Thanks for the detailed info about the costs and follow-up! Yeah, I actually took the plunge and got it fixed at a new mechanic I found through a. What a difference! Ended up paying about 400 for everything, but honestly, it was totally worth it. Had to laugh because I went through the exact same thought process, kept putting it off thinking it might fix itself (spoiler: it didn't!). The mechanic I found was super straightforward, showed me the old sensor and explained everything. Really different from my last experience! The car's running great now, no more black smoke shows, got my power back, and that annoying smell is gone. They also did a quick check of the surrounding components while they were at it, said everything else looked good. Thanks again for helping me make the decision to get it sorted! Sometimes you just need that extra push to stop procrastinating on these car issues, right?