Three problems related to cruise control have been reported for the 2003 Honda Civic. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2003 Honda Civic based on all problems reported for the 2003 Civic.
Cruise control was stuck in accelerate and could not turn it off on the interstate. I could have been killed. Neutral and full pressure to the brakes wouldn't stop it. Taking my foot off the brakes would only accelerate it more. I went 8 miles with full brakes in neutral till I was able to stop it. None of the off switches mmade any difference, I'm lucky to be alive and that I didn't hurt anyone. It started when I was on the entrance ramp to the interstate in osseo WI. I slowed down to merge,then cruise control accelerated unstoppable.
On ~5/2/2009, Saturday morning, I was driving my 2003 Honda Civic, cross 141th street from north community to south community after yard sale, at ~15mph speed. When I cross the street, I found a SUV pass from west to east, then I try to stop my car, however I can not stop it. Then I have to turn left (east), then my car right front crashed with the SUV left side. I remembered I push the brake gear, however it can not stop, I also used my right hand to move the gear to the n, and push my the brake so hard, then my car stopped about 300 feet away from where the car crashed. I just don't understand why at that time it takes me so long time and so far away distance to stop a car at a speed ~15mph (happened only this time). Another thing about this car: when I set up cruise control for this car, it will automatically accelerate higher than what I set up. Suppose I try to set up 65mph on highway, the car will automatically accelerate to more than 70mph. Now I can not use the cruise control system in this car.
2003 Honda Civic ex with 5 speed standard transmission and with cruise control. When using cruise control, if I shift gears, after I disengage the transmission and before I re-engage the desired gear (I. E. , switching gears from 4th to 5th or 4th to third or a similar operation) , cruise control does not disengage, engine revs up to redline, and I must manually kill cruise control by tapping brakes, or I can leave cruise control on, and shift into desired gear. The point is, the car is either suppose to kill the cruise control operation automatically, or at the least, not rev the engine up in an uncontrolled method. This has been happening since I purchased the car brand new (with 0 miles on it, right off the delivery truck). I thought nothing of it until I read that the Toyota computer system may be the source of unintentional acceleration.