2012 Honda Civic Cruise Control Problems
25 owner-reported cruise control complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (25)
I HAVE A 2012 HONDA CIVIC LX, IT HAS INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. IT OCCURRED TWICE ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALSO URBAN AREA. JUST THIS MORNING, IT HAPPENED AGAIN I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATES AND SPEEDS UP WITHOUT STEPPING THE GAS PEDAL. FORTUNATELY THE BRAKES RESPONDED TO SLOW DOWN. I CAME OUT OF THE HIGHWAY, AND I HAD TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT BUT STILL IT WAS A CONSTANT FIGHT ACCELERATION BY ITSELF AND STEPPING ON THE BRAKE UNTIL THE CAR WILL OPERATE NORMALLY.
I WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR TRIED TO ACCELERATE EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT WAS FIRM ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I HAD TO "STAND" ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND I IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED INTO PARK. THE ENGINE REACHED A VERY HIGH RPM UNTIL I JIGGLED THE ACCELERATION PEDAL. THEN THE ENGINE ACTED NORMALLY. THE ECO WAS NOT ENGAGED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ENGAGED. MILEAGE IS 40,078 MILES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2-3 MPH AND MAKING A U-TURN, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.
DRIVING UP TO A DRIVE-IN BANK THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I STOPPED THE CAR A FEW FEET BEYOND THE TELLER WINDOW BY A HEAVY APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND BACKED UP TO THE WINDOW. IN REVERSE THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE. UPON FINISHING MY BANKING TRANSACTION I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE. THE ENGINE SLOWED TO A NORMAL IDLE I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE FOUR DAYS LATER; THE DEALER FOUND NOTHING ABNORMAL.
DRIVING UP TO A DRIVE-IN BANK THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I STOPPED THE CAR A FEW FEET BEYOND THE TELLER WINDOW BY A HEAVY APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND BACKED UP TO THE WINDOW. IN REVERSE THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE. UPON FINISHING MY BANKING TRANSACTION I PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE. THE ENGINE SLOWED TO A NORMAL IDLE I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE FOUR DAYS LATER; THE DEALER FOUND NOTHING ABNORMAL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
I HAVE PROBLEM WITH MY 2012 CIVIC RPM , ESPECIALLY WHILE CLAMPING HILL, IT WILL SUDDENLY LOSE POWER BEFORE PICKING UP . THE RPM WILL GO UP TO 4000. WHILE GOING DOWN THE HILL IT JUST ACCELERATE EVEN IF I STEP ON BRAKE. WHEN I START THE CAR IN THE MORNING , IT ACCELERATE ITSELF. I CONSIDER THIS MODEL OF HONDA AS DANGEROUS.
CLIMBING UP HILL THE CAR LOST SPEED AND DID NOT SHIFT GEARS. THEN IT STALLED. I BELIEVE THIS VEHICLE WAS RECALLED AND NOT FIXED BY THE DEALERSHIP OR IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BY HONDA AND WAS NOT. IT EXHIBITS THE SAME DRIVE SHAFT PROBLEMS AS RECALLED HONDA CIVICS. WHILE DRIVING YOU ONLY NEED TO TAP THE SHIFT BY MISTAKE WITH YOUR ELBOW AND THE CAR GOES INTO NEUTRAL. IT IS A DANGEROUS CAR TO DRIVE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PARK POSITION, THE RPMS SUDDENLY INCREASED TO APPROXIMATELY 4,000. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO IDLE AT APPROXIMATELY 4,000 RPMS. AFTER TURNING THE ENGINE OFF AND BACK ON A SECOND TIME, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AND WAS INTERMITTENT. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE RPMS WOULD ALSO ERRONEOUSLY INCREASE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,500.
SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION : WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVING LANE ON I-5 SOUTH AT ABOUT 60MPH AND I WAS AT PASSENGER'S SEAT, MY WIFE YELLED "THE CAR IS GETTING FASTER AND FASTER." AND I TOLD HER TO STEP ON THE BRAKE. SHE SAID SHE WAS ALREADY PEDDLING THE BRAKE BUT IT DID NOT WORK, AND THE CAR WAS APPROACHING TO A BIG TRUCK IN FRONT OF US WITH FRIGHTENING SPEED. SINCE THERE WERE MANY CARS IN FRONT, BEHIND AND ON THE PASSING LANE AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, WE COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE BUT STEERING THE CAR TO THE RIGHT SIDE OFF THE DRIVING LANE IN ORDER TO AVOID FATAL ACCIDENT. THERE WAS SPACE COVERED WITH ROUGH GRASSES, BUSHES AND SOFT FENCES THERE. THE VEHICLE KEPT MOVING ALONG, CRASHING THE OBJECTS WITH HIGH SPEED OF ABOUT MORE THAN 85 MPH. FINALLY THE CAR STOPPED AFTER GOING ALONG MORE THAN 50 YARDS. AS SOON AS THE CAR STOPPED, WE BARELY OPENED THE DOORS AND ESCAPED FROM THE TERRIBLY DAMAGED CAR. THE CAR'S FRONT SIDE WAS FACING BACKWARD, AND I HEARD AFTERWARD THAT MY WIFE USED THE HAND BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. AIR BAGS OF DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEAT, AND SIDE AIRBAG WERE DEPLOYED. OTHER THREE CARS STOPPED AT THE SCENE OFF THE LANE, AND ADVISED US TO REMOVE VALUABLES INSIDE THE CAR, BECAUSE IT MAY CATCH FIRE. THEY CALLED 911, AND FIRE FIGHTERS AND THE POLICE ARRIVED AT THE SCENE. I REPORTED THE ACCIDENT TO MY INSURANCE, DMV, AND HONDA USA. MY WIFE'S RIGHT KNEE GOT BRUISE, AND I HAVE LIGHT PAIN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF MY NECK AND CHEST. MY WIFE IS PANIC, AND AFRAID OF DRIVING. I AM ALSO VERY MUCH SHOCKED. I KNOW HONDA WOULD NOT EASILY ADMIT THE DEFECT OF THE CAR, EVEN THOUGH IT WILL INVESTIGATE THE CAR. BUT I SWEAR TO GOD THAT THE SUA TOOK PLACE. NOW I BELIEVE THAT SUA OCCURS WITHOUT DRIVER'S MALOPERATION OF THE CAR, BECAUSE THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO MISOPERATION OF THE CAR. I PLEASE REQUEST NHTSA CONSIDER THIS INCIDENT VERY SERIOUSLY. THANKS *TR
THE CAR LOSES POWER WHEN GOING UP HILLS AND HAS STALLED TWICE. IF I LIGHTLY BUMP THE SHIFT WHILE DRIVING IT GOES INTO NEUTRAL. I MUST USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WHEN PARKED EVEN ON A FLAT SURFACE OR THE CAR WILL ROLL. *TR
CONTACT OWNED A 2012 HONDA CIVIC WITH 2363 MILES AT TIME OF INCIDENT. BEFORE REACHING A DOWNTOWN INTERSECTION IN THE EARLY EVENING ONE DAY LAST MONTH, CONTACT WAS GOING TO TURN RIGHT SOUTHBOUND TOWARDS HOME NEARBY. THE CAR SUDDENLY MADE A LOUD REVVING NOISE AND SHOT STRAIGHT FORWARD AT TERRIFYING SPEED. CONTACT STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND STEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE CAR DID NOT STOP AND SEEMED TO HAVE A MIND OF ITS OWN. CONTACT COULD NOT SEE WHERE IT WENT BUT HEARD IT HITTING HARD AT OBJECTS UNTIL IT FINALLY STOPPED. CONTACT DID NOT KNOW HOW LONG HAD ELAPSED BEFORE SHE SAW THROUGH A HAZE WISPS OF SMOKE COMING OUT IN FRONT OF THE CAR AND NOTICED THE AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED. FEARING THE CAR MIGHT CATCH FIRE, CONTACT PUSHED OPEN THE DOOR AND FOUND THE CAR HAD STOPPED IN THE SOUTHBOUND LANE RIGHT NEXT TO THE RAISED CONCRETE MEDIUM THAT SEPARATED NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND LANES. CONTACT SAW A BLACK CAR ON THE NORTHBOUND LANE NEXT TO THE RAISED MEDIUM WITH WHITE SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. POLICE OFFICERS AND PARAMEDICS WERE AT THE SCENE. CONTACT AND THE OTHER DRIVER BOTH SUSTAINED INJURIES. CONTACT'S CAR WAS LATER DECLARED "A TOTAL LOSS" BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. CONTACT WAS PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY SOUND BEFORE AND AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT AND HAD A TOTALLY UNBLEMISHED DRIVING RECORD IN OVER 50 YEARS. CONTACT IS UNWAVERING IN THE BELIEF THAT THE INCIDENT WAS DUE TO THE VEHICLE'S SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. CONTACT HAD STRESSED THIS MALFUNCTION TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND ALSO REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO THE AMERICAN HONDA MOTORS. WHICH CONTACT BELIEVED HAD SENT REPRESENTATIVES TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AT THE COLLISION SHOP.. *TR *TR
TL* THE CONTACT 2012 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE ENGINE RPM INCREASED EXCESSIVELY AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,500.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/12/13*CN
SUDDEN ACCELERATION: I HAVE BEEN OBSERVING THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATES WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL OR MERGING ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT IT WILL ACCELERATE WHEN YOU TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE SPEED IS UNCONTROLLABLE FOR FEW SECONDS BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTS THE DECELERATION. I HAVE TAKEN A VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THEY HAVE ASSURED THAT THIS IS NORMAL FUNCTION SINCE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOT ON. THE VEHICLE IS 1.5 YEARS OLD AND HAS @15K MILES ON IT. *JB
MY 2012 HONDA CIVIC HAS INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THESE OCCURRENCES ONLY OCCUR ON THE FREEWAY AND SEEM TO OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN I AM NEAR SKY HARBOR AIRPORT. THE WILL SUDDENLY GO FROM 2 RPM TO 7 RPM IN A MANNER NOT ACHIEVABLE BY APPLYING THE GAS PEDAL OR ANY OTHER METHOD. ONCE THE CAR REACHES 7 RPM IT WILL IMMEDIATELY GO BACK DOWN TO 2 RPM AND THIS CYCLE WILL OCCUR TWO MORE TIMES BEFORE THE CAR WILL OPERATE NORMALLY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000. *TR
WHEN I AM ABOUT TO GO DOWNHILL AND TAKE AN EXIT AT 40 MPH AFTER DRIVING AT CONSTANT SPEED OF 65 MPH FOR SOME TIME I SEE THIS PROBLEM. RPM IS SUDDENLY SPIKING UP FROM 1500 TO 2500 AND STAYS THERE FOR AT LEAST 5 SECONDS. HIT BRAKES OR GAS DOES NOT BRING IT DOWN. GOOD THING IS THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE IS NOT GOING UP. THAT'S THE GOOD SIGN BUT WHO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS THE PROBLEM WITH ECON DRIVE BUT I TURNED IT OFF ABOUT 3 MONTHS NOW AND STILL HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR
I AM A FUEL EFFICIENT DRIVER, DRIVE WITH THE ECON BUTTON ON MOS OF THE TIME. I DRIVE 150 MILES 5 TIMES A WEEK. EVERY TIME I AM GOING DOWNHILL AND I PUSH THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, THE RPM'S GO UP. I ALSO TRIED DRIVING WITHOUT THE ECON TO SEE IF IT WOULD CHANGE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. YOU WOULD THINK BY HITTING THE BRAKES A LITTLE HARDER WOULD DO THE TRICK TO DECREASE SPEED, BUT IT DOESN'T. AS YOU START HOLDING THE BREAKS FOR A LONG TIME, THEN THE RPS WOULD DECREASE. I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AND MANY PEOPLE ARE SAYING THE SAME THING. EXAMPLE: HTTP://WWW.CIVICFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/210-ENGINE/350659-2012-HONDA-CIVIC-EX-ENGINE-BRAKING-ECON-BUTTON.HTML. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXITING A GARAGE, HE SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND THEN REVERSE WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE ACCELERATION AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE, A WALL AND A BUILDING. THE CONTACT HAD TO POWER THE ENGINE OFF IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING ANY FURTHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT ANKLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
I'VE HAD MY 2012 CIVIC FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR NOW AND HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE FOLLOWING ISSUE RIGHT AWAY: WHILE MAINTAINING SPEED AT 1500 RPMS, THEY SUDDENLY JUMP TO 2500 RPMS, PAUSE AT THE HIGHER RPM FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN COME BACK DOWN. I CANNOT RECREATE IT AT WILL, IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING ON FLAT AND STRAIGHT ROADS (AS THIS IS MY USUAL DRIVE TO WORK AND HOME), APPLYING THE BREAK DOES NOT BRING THE RPMS BACK DOWN EITHER. I HAVE DRIVEN A DECENT AMOUNT OF CARS IN MY LIFETIME INCLUDING A 2003 CIVIC IN THE SAME TRIM AS MY CURRENT CIVIC AND NONE HAVE ACTED THIS WAY. I REALIZE A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THAT '03 CIVIC MODEL, BUT NO CAR SHOULD ACT LIKE IT HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN, WHICH IS EXACTLY HOW IT FEELS EVERY TIME THIS OCCURS AND LEAVES ME WITH A VERY UNSETTLING FEELING WHILE DRIVING IT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HONDA CIVIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE ON THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO AN INCREASE TO AN ACCEPTABLE SPEED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MERGE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S DESTINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 800.
SUDDEN HIGH RPM WHEN EXCITING HIGHWAY RAMP,ENGINES RPM,S GO UP TO 4 OR 5,WHEN APPLYING BRAKE. *TR
WHILE TRYING TO SLOW ON A HIGHWAY CURVE BY PUSHING THE BRAKE, I WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE CAR CONTINUED TO SPEED UP AS I PUSHED THE BRAKE. I PULLED MY FOOT BACK AND REAPPLIED THE BRAKE WITH NO AFFECT, THE CAR WAS CONTINUING TO SPEED UP. I DO NOT KNOW IF I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE OR JUST SLAMMED THE BRAKE. THE BRAKE TOOK HOLD THE CAR JERKED. I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE. FOR A BRIEF PERIOD I DID NOT HAVE CONTROL OF THE CAR.. THIS WAS NOT MY FIRST UNEXPLAINED ACCELERATION INCIDENT. THE OTHER 2 TIMES I WAS SLOWING INTO A REDLIGHT BY JUST REMOVING MY FOOT FROM THE GAS. THE CAR SLOWED AS I EXPECTED IT TO DO THEN IT JUST BEGAN TO SLOWLY SPEED UP. I WAS NOT GOING DOWN HILL. THE BRAKES WORKED AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATED THOSE INCIDENTS. *TR
MY HONDA CIVIC EX-L 2012 FAILED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOPPED OR IDLING POSITION. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES IN THE THREE WEEKS I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE (CURRENT ODOMETER READING AS OF THIS WRITING IS 650 MILES). I HAVE NOTICED IT MOST OFTEN WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOPPED OR IDLING POSITION TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN. HOWEVER THE LEFT HAND TURN MAY BE MORE NOTICEABLE AS I AM TURNING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC/CROSSING LANES AND THE FAILURE TO ACCELERATE, AND THE COLLISION RISK THE FAILURE IMPOSES, ARE MOST ALARMING. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED A LACK OF GAS PEDAL 'RESPONSIVENESS' WHEN STOPPED OR IDLING AND ATTEMPTING TO ROLL FORWARD SLIGHTLY AS ONE WOULD ATTEMPT TO DO IN A LINE OF VEHICLES. OF NOTE, MY HUSBAND HAS A HONDA CIVIC LX 2012 WHICH HE HAS OWNED FOR FIVE MONTHS. THE SAME FAILURE TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOPPED OR IDLING POSITION HAS OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING HIS VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY THREE TIMES. HE HAS NOT NOTICED IT, BUT ALMOST ALL OF HIS MILEAGE IS HIGHWAY DRIVING. I INTEND TO BRING MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THIS WEEK TO HAVE THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD INVESTIGATED. *TR