Problems · by component
2008 Honda Civic vehicle speed control problems
29 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2008 Honda Civic cite vehicle speed control, 3% of all 923 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
29
3% of all complaints
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the vehicle speed control
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine, steering. Purchased the car from a certified dealership in January 2026. After 3 months of driving, the car began exhibiting performance issues. During a normal acceleration pattern, the car would go into a ‘limp mode’ where all dashboard lights would turn on and the car’s performance became severely limited. Acceleration is barely possible when this happens and the car must be turned off and restarted in order to get the car out of ‘limp mode,’ which is a MAJOR safety concern communicated to Honda. It is also of major concern that every time there is a performance issue, every light illuminates, not allowing the driver to diagnose and safely operate the vehicle without Honda assistance with diagnosis. Honda scans revealed P3004 engines misfire code- recommendations included replacing a spark plug. I replaced all four spark plugs and performance returned to normal. Steering recall (Recall Campaign SJS- 2022-25 Civic EPS Grbx Safe ) was also repaired on 6/24/2026- the car was exhibiting steering tightness and locking behaviors which were resolved after this…”
“COOLANT LEAKS ARE COMING FROM ENGINE BLOCK. THE LEAK CAUSES COOLANT TO DRAIN AWAY, LEADING TO OVERHEATING OR TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE, AND SHUTS OFF IN TRAFFIC. HONDA FAILED TO ALERT ALL OWNERS STARTING IN 2010. TO DATE A RECALL STILL HAS NOT BEEN MADE ON MY VEHICLE FOR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 10-048. PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING LINKS: HTTPS://WWW.CONSUMERREPORTS.ORG/CRO/NEWS/2014/03/FREE-ENGINE-REPLACEMENT-FOR-2006-2009-HONDA-CIVICS/INDEX.HTM *TR”
“TAKATA RECALL. YES THEY ARE SAYING THEY CAN'T DO THE RECALL RIGHT NOW OR ARE WAITING FOR PARTS AS DANGEROUS TIME IS PASSING. ALSO THIS IS MY SECOND HONDA CIVIC 2007 AND 2008 WHERE THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATOR BUTTON HAS FAILED @50,000 MILES. IS THIS NOT A HAZARD AS A PERSON PLAYS WITH THE BROKE EQUIPMENT WHILE DRIVING. *TR”
“OCCASIONALLY, WHEN "CRUISE" OPTION IS TURNED ON (BUT NOT ENGAGED OR "SET"), MY HONDA CIVIC ACTS AS IF THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED. THAT IS, WHEN I REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL, THE EXPECTED DECELERATION DOES NOT HAPPEN. THE CAR CONTINUES TO TRAVEL AT THE SAME SPEED. ONLY WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE CAR STARTS TO SLOW DOWN. THIS MIMICS THE EXPECTED BEHAVIOR OF THE CAR WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED EVEN WHEN CRUISE OPTION IS NOT USED. IN FACT, ON SOME OCCASIONS, THE CAR JERKS A BIT WHEN I LIFT MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL JUST LIKE WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 68 MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY UP TO 80 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. UPDATED 8/11/14*CN”
“I WAS PARKING IN A HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT. I "ROLLED" INTO THE SPACE AND WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES THE ENGINE "ACCELERATED". I WENT OVER THE CEMENT BLOCK AT THE FRONT OF THE SPACE AND THROUGH A CHAINLINK FENCE AND ONTO THE SIDEWALK. USUALLY, THAT WALKWAY IS FILLED WITH CHILDREN. I INITIALLY THOUGHT THE FLOORMAT GOT CAUGHT UP UNDER THE GAS PEDAL. I TOOK PICTURES IMMEDIATELY AND IT DID APPEAR THAT EXACERBATED THE PROBLEM. BELL HONDA IN PHOENIX SAID "THEY COULD NOT REPEAT THE PROBLEM" AND DISMISSED ME. IT HAS SINCE HAPPENED TO MY DAUGHTER AND HUSBAND. FORTUNATELY THEY BOTH APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. AFTER THE LAST TIME, WE TOOK THE CAR TO SUPERSTITION SPRINGS HONDA. THEY SAID "THEY COULD NOT REPEAT THE PROBLEM AND NOTHING HAS COME FROM HONDA." I HAVE READ WHERE OTHERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. I JUST THANK GOD THAT SO FAR NO ONE HAS BEEN KILLED OR THAT THE CAR DIDN'T SURGE OVER A CLIFF ON OUR TRIP TO YELLOWSTONE. *TR”
Showing 6 of 29 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.