Dec 18, 2007 driving 2008 Honda civic lx approx 73 MPH on interstate with cruise control engaged. Passenger unbuckled seat belt to reach for item in back seat. Seat belt disconnect beep sound, and vehicle suddenly began accelerating until cruise control manually canceled as result. After passenger rebuckled, we attempted to replicate following same steps--with same results. Thereafter, tried…
2008 Honda Civic cruise control problems
severe 19 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
19
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
3crashes
What stands out
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 18 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2008 Civics report unintended acceleration happening during braking at low speeds and stops, with the engine revving hard while the car lunges forward despite foot firmly on the brake. This occurs both with and without cruise control engaged. Dealers have confirmed reproducing the problem but computers register no fault codes, leaving technicians unable to diagnose or repair. Honda's regional representative cleared one vehicle as safe despite dealer mechanics calling it unsafe.
On hybrid models, owners describe sudden loss of electric motor assist during acceleration—most dangerous at traffic lights and highway merges when full acceleration is needed. One owner traced this to a programmed battery-reset function that disables electric assist at the worst possible moment. American Honda opened a case but refused repair because they couldn't replicate the fault.
Cruise control itself malfunctions in multiple ways: unexplained surging above set speed on highways, false engagement that prevents normal deceleration, inability to maintain a steady set speed (hunting), and complete system failure. The accelerator pedal itself has failed mechanically (detaching while depressed) and exhibits electronic lag where it stays depressed 1–2 seconds after release. Multiple owners report near-crashes or actual collisions; some have parked vehicles out of safety concerns. Dealers consistently cannot duplicate faults in controlled settings.
Same Honda Civic cruise control reports on nearby years: 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2009
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended acceleration while braking
Engine revs and vehicle lunges forward when brakes are applied, often at stops or low speeds. Occurs with or without cruise control engaged. Mechanics confirm reproducibility but computer fails to log fault codes.
When: Reported at speeds ranging from rolling/parking (near 0 mph) to 50 mph. Occurring multiple times for some owners.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine revving at high RPM while applying brakes; Vehicle lurching or surging forward despite brake pedal pressed; Multiple lurches during single braking event; No warning lights or computer codes recorded
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers unable to diagnose via computer logs. One case involved reattaching accelerator pedal at 50,000 miles; another floormats possibly contributing. No permanent repair solutions documented in complaints.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda regional rep deemed unsafe vehicle 'safe to drive' without repair. Dealers reported inability to fix without computer fault code. No recalls issued for this failure mode.
Cruise control acceleration surging
Vehicle accelerates unexpectedly while cruise control is engaged, increasing speed beyond set point. Can occur during normal highway driving and may happen intermittently or repeatedly.
When: Reported on interstate at 73 mph and highway at 68 mph. One case shows multiple occurrences; another single event unreplicable.
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden acceleration above cruise-set speed; Vehicle accelerates from 68 mph to 80 mph; Acceleration triggered by seat belt disconnect sensor; Speed hunting behavior even when set to specific speed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers unable to duplicate failures in follow-up testing. No repairs performed. Manufacturer notified but no resolution offered.
Hybrid IMA (Integrated Motor Assist) dropout
Electric motor assist suddenly disables during acceleration, leaving only gas engine. Owner research indicates programmed battery reset occurs at stop lights, disabling electric assist when it's most needed. Loss of acceleration creates hazard when merging or entering traffic.
When: Frequency escalated from once or twice monthly to couple times weekly. Initial occurrence unreported, but complaint filed after multiple dealer visits.
Symptoms owners cite: Loss of electric motor assist mid-acceleration; Greatly reduced acceleration capability; Battery charge display drops from 6-7 bars to 1-2 bars; No audible or visual warning before dropout; Most dangerous at traffic merges when acceleration demanded at stop
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers unable to replicate failure; case opened with American Honda with no resolution. Owner identified root cause as programmed IMA reset function.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: American Honda case opened; refused to repair due to inability to replicate. No recall or fix offered.
Throttle pedal stiction or electronic drive-by-wire lag
Accelerator pedal stays depressed for seconds after driver releases it, or pedal mechanically detaches from vehicle. Causes unintended acceleration until heavy braking applied.
When: One case at 50,000 miles (pedal detached). Drive-by-wire lag reported causing near-crashes within first week of ownership.
Symptoms owners cite: Accelerator pedal physically detached while partially depressed; Electronic throttle remains depressed 1-2 seconds after pedal released; Vehicle abnormally accelerates until brake applied hard; Two near-crashes in first week of ownership (SI model)
Repairs/costs cited: One pedal reattached by authorized dealer; awaiting further repair. SI owners reporting safety concerns but no fix offered.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda refused to address drive-by-wire issue for Civic SI owners. No recall.
Cruise control false engagement
Cruise control system behaves as if engaged when only powered on but not actively set. Vehicle maintains speed instead of decelerating when foot removed from gas; jerking occurs on pedal release similar to actual cruise engagement.
When: Occurring occasionally when cruise button powered on.
Symptoms owners cite: No deceleration when foot removed from accelerator; Vehicle maintains speed as if cruise engaged; Jerking or hesitation on pedal release; Behavior occurs unpredictably
Cruise control hunt/instability
Cruise control unable to maintain set speed; vehicle speeds up and slows down repeatedly even on flat sections. Requires manual braking and speed reset multiple times per drive.
When: Ongoing; complaint describes recurring behavior on turns and straightaways.
Symptoms owners cite: Uneven speed maintenance despite cruise set; Speeding up on turns and straightaways; Hunting behavior requiring manual intervention; Speed display shows set value but vehicle does not maintain it
Cruise control complete failure
Cruise control system stops functioning entirely, without warning.
When: Sudden failure; working in morning, non-functional when attempting use same day.
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control buttons unresponsive; System no longer engages
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2008 Honda Civic?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2008 Honda Civic?
It's a meaningful issue. 19 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 13 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 13,268 and 50,000 miles, with the median around 35,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 13,268; a quarter make it past 50,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2008/Honda/Civic.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.