2017 Honda Accord cruise control problems
severe 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
The failure pattern owners describe
Ten owners of 2017 Honda Accords report three distinct failure patterns related to powertrain control and acceleration.
Unintended acceleration during parking is the most dramatic complaint. Six owners describe violent forward acceleration while pulling into parking spaces with their foot on the brake. Three incidents caused crashes: one vehicle jumped a curb, crossed a sidewalk, and nearly hit a building; another hit a tree; a third hit the curb and sidewalk. One owner had to shift into Park to stop the car. All events occurred at low speed during steering input (turning left or right into the space). Dealerships and manufacturer inspectors could not duplicate the problem or find fault codes.
Loss of power and refusal to accelerate affects three owners. Two report sudden loss of power at highway speeds (65 mph, 45 mph) with all warning lights illuminating; the vehicle then refuses to exceed 20–50 mph. One owner reports jerking and hesitation on acceleration as if starved of fuel, nearly causing an accident on an interstate merge. Dealers found no codes despite the illuminated warnings and performed valve adjustments and fuel injector testing, but the problem persisted.
Unintended braking and idle issues reported by one owner: after releasing the gas pedal, the car applies hard brakes abruptly without obstacles ahead, then resumes slow deceleration, then brakes again. Idle RPM runs abnormally high (over 750 versus normal 500), causing jolting. The car also will not hold a steady cruising speed, speeding up and slowing down on its own.
Same Honda Accord cruise control reports on nearby years: 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2018 · 2019
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended acceleration while parking or turning
Vehicle suddenly accelerates forward while driver has foot on brake, typically during low-speed parking maneuvers or when steering wheel is turned. Owners report the car accelerates violently despite brake application, sometimes requiring shift to Park to stop the vehicle. Multiple incidents resulted in crashes into curbs, sidewalks, trees, buildings, and other vehicles.
When: Low speed parking situations, some incidents noted as early as 3,600 miles; others at 9,800–12,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Violent unintended acceleration during parking; Acceleration occurs despite brake pedal being depressed; Steering wheel turned left or right at time of event; Vehicle unable to stop with normal brake application; Crashes into curbs, sidewalks, trees, buildings
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers unable to diagnose or reproduce the fault; manufacturer inspections found no defect; one vehicle declared total loss by insurance
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda service departments and manufacturer representatives unable to duplicate incidents and found no codes; owner case opened with Honda America but closed without remedy; vehicle returned to owner unrepaired
Unintended braking and unstable idle
After releasing gas pedal, vehicle applies brakes abruptly without warning or nearby obstacles, overriding driver's brake application and causing jerky deceleration patterns. Vehicle maintains higher than normal idle RPM (over 750 RPM instead of expected 500 RPM in Park or with foot on brake), causing jolting when brake is released.
When: Occurs during normal driving at 25–65 mph; idle issue present while parked or stopped
Symptoms owners cite: Abrupt unexpected braking after releasing gas pedal; Hard braking followed by gradual deceleration then hard braking again; Braking occurs without vehicles ahead; Elevated idle RPM (over 750 vs. normal 500); Jolting sensation when releasing brake without applying gas; Abnormal noise during braking; Difficulty maintaining constant cruising speed—car speeds up or decelerates on its own
Loss of power and acceleration hesitation
Vehicle suddenly loses power and refuses to accelerate or will not exceed 20–50 mph after losing power. Warning lights illuminate on dashboard during events. Occurs at highway speeds and during acceleration on ramps. Owner reports jerking and hesitation as if not receiving fuel despite pressing accelerator.
When: 37,100 miles (first event); repeated two months later; also reported at 65 mph and on interstate ramps; some cases at 100,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of power while driving at 65 mph; Speed drops instantly to 30 mph or lower; Vehicle will not exceed 20–50 mph after failure; All dashboard warning lights illuminate; Jerking and hesitation on acceleration; Difficulty accelerating onto highway; Feels like fuel starvation despite accelerator input
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer service found no codes despite all warning lights illuminating; fuel injectors tested and working as designed; valve adjustment performed but failure persisted
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers unable to find fault codes or duplicate the condition; one owner noted V6 models are under recall but 4-cylinder models excluded despite identical symptoms reported by multiple owners
Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2017 Honda Accord?
It's a meaningful issue. 10 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?
Based on the 10 complaints filed, cruise control issues most often appear around 29,217 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
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.