Ridgeline (2nd)
Verdict Run the VIN against the long recall ledger, from the 2017-2019 fuel pump to the 2023 steering gearbox ball joint; build year and recall completion gate this truck, not engine. With the camera on in reverse, cycle the tailgate and watch for image dropouts.
Reliability Score
Complaints by Engine Code
Every complaint of any kind (brakes, airbags, electrical and the rest) whose VIN names the engine, across all model years. The score above counts only engine, transmission and drivetrain complaints, so its figures for the same engine are smaller. Fire, injury and death figures count complaints that report one.
J35Y6
3.5L 6-cyl / 280 hpView details
Complaint Breakdown
Honda Ridgeline Unidentified Engine
View details
Complaint Breakdown
Reliability Overview
The second-generation Honda Ridgeline, built from 2017 through 2025 on Honda's truck-and-SUV unibody platform shared with Pilot and Passport, has accumulated 1,410 NHTSA complaints across nine model years and 20 separate recall campaigns. That works out to roughly 157 complaints per year. The reliability story spans both individual component failures and a long cross-platform recall ledger inherited from the Honda truck-and-SUV family.
The generation runs on a single engine, the 3.5-liter J35Y6 V6 (280 horsepower), which accumulated 1,387 of the 1,410 complaints in the dataset. Engine-bucket reports number 313 and electrical-bucket reports lead the table at 330. The top complaint categories include electrical (330), engine (313), safety systems (230), fuel system (182), and exterior (142). Transmission does not appear in the top weaknesses, which contrasts with several other midsize trucks in the segment.
The recall ledger is the central pre-buy item on a Ridgeline. Fuel pump corrosion from car-wash acid exposure covered 2017-2019 trucks; a 2023 Honda-wide fuel pump recall expanded that population further. Connecting rod bearing wear affected select 2017 and 2019 Ridgelines on a narrower scope tied to specific build dates. Timing belt teeth separation covered 2019 cars on the J35 V6 platform. Hood latch striker failure covered 2017-2020. The rearview camera tailgate wiring harness has been recalled twice (2017-2019 and 2020-2024 cars) for fatigue and connection failures. A 2024 steering recall on 2023 Passport and Ridgeline addressed an inner ball joint in the steering gearbox that may detach and cause loss of steering control. Brake-booster tie-rod fastener, side-mirror heating pad bond, and passenger seat weight sensor recalls round out the lineup.
The Ridgeline 2nd generation replaces the 1st generation (2006-2014). The platform change explains why a number of the 2nd-gen recalls were issued in concert with Pilot, Passport, and other Honda models built on the same architecture. Buyers looking at a 2017-2018 Ridgeline are inheriting more of the early-build recalls (rear wiring harness water intrusion, fuel pump, hood latch, connecting rod bearing); buyers looking at 2023-2024 cars are inheriting the steering gearbox and rearview camera concerns instead.
The Ridgeline still makes sense for buyers who want a midsize truck with a unibody chassis and Honda's J35 V6, and who are willing to do recall verification on a long ledger. The single-engine architecture means the engine choice does not gate the decision; build year and recall completion do.
Owner Complaints by System
Complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Honda Ridgeline, counted across every engine. A complaint can name more than one system.
Buyer's Guide
The recall ledger is the central question on any 2nd-gen Ridgeline. Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm completion for the model-year-specific campaigns: fuel pump corrosion (2017-2019), connecting rod bearing (2017 and 2019, narrower scope), timing belt teeth separation (2019), hood latch (2017-2020), rearview camera tailgate wiring (multiple, 2017-2024), brake-booster tie-rod fastener (2020-2023), steering gearbox inner ball joint (2023 Passport and Ridgeline), and the broader 2020-2021 passenger seat weight sensor air bag campaign.
At inspection, focus on the electrical and rear-camera systems first. Open and close the tailgate while the rearview camera is active in reverse and watch for image dropouts or harness pinch points; this is a documented failure mode that has been recalled twice. Check the rear cabin and bed wiring for any signs of water intrusion, particularly on early 2017 cars. Verify the hood latch is firm under normal closing pressure. Test the brake pedal for firm response and check for any movement at the brake booster connection. Confirm the side-view mirror glass is fully bonded; on 2020-2021 cars, a heating pad bond issue allowed the mirror glass to detach.
The J35Y6 V6 has had two engine-specific recalls (timing belt teeth on 2019 cars and connecting rod bearing on a narrow set of 2017 and 2019 cars), so an OBD-II scan plus a full engine warm-up listen for any timing belt or bearing noise is reasonable on candidates with 75,000 or more miles. Used buyers should price the recall and inspection workload into the offer; the 2nd-gen Ridgeline's appeal is the car-like ride and unibody platform, but the maintenance ledger is not the lowest in the segment.
What to check on a used 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline
On a used 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline, the systems with the most NHTSA owner complaints are the electrical system (330), the engine (313) and the airbags and driver-assist systems (230). Each one has an inspection step below, with counts as of 2026-10-08. A complaint is an owner report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.
- Switch on every electrical item in turn: lights, windows, locks, wipers, climate fan, screen and power outlets.Costly repair. NHTSA has 330 owner complaints on the 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline about the electrical system.
- Start the engine cold and listen for the first 30 seconds, then again at idle once it is warm.Costly repair. NHTSA has 313 owner complaints on the 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline about the engine.
- Switch the ignition on and watch the airbag light. On the drive, check the backup camera and any collision or lane warning.Safety. NHTSA has 230 owner complaints on the 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline about the airbags and driver-assist systems.
- Let the engine idle for five minutes, walk around the car and smell for fuel.Safety. NHTSA has 182 owner complaints on the 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline about the fuel system.
- Check every exterior light, the wipers, the washers, the mirrors and the glass.Safety. NHTSA has 142 owner complaints on the 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline about the exterior lighting.
Recalls (20)
American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Honda (America Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ridgeline vehicles. The rearview camera (RVC) tailgate wire harness may fatigue and break, which can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2023 Passport and Ridgeline vehicles. The inner ball joint housing in the steering gearbox assembly may loosen and detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.
Show 15 older recalls
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2020-2022 Passport and Odyssey vehicles. The heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, allowing the mirror glass to detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Ridgeline vehicles. Opening and closing the tailgate may break the rearview camera wiring harness, causing the rearview camera to fail.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Passport, 2016-2019 Pilot, and 2017-2020 Ridgeline vehicles. The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which can result in the hood opening while driving.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, CR-V, Ridgeline, 2022 Insight and CR-V Hybrid vehicles. The automatic locking retractor on the second-row center seat belt assembly may deactivate improperly, which can result in an unsecured child restraint system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Acura MDX, MDX Sport Hybrid, RDX, TLX, Honda Accord, Civic Hatchback, Insight, 2019 Acura ILX, Honda Accord Hybrid, Civic Coupe, Civic Coupe Si, Civic Sedan, Civic Sedan Si, Civic Type R, Fit, HR-V, Odyssey, Passport, Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 CR-V vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling all Honda Genuine Accessory Tonneau Covers, part number 08Z07-T6Z-100F, sold for installation on 2017-2020 Ridgeline trucks. If the tonneau cover is not properly secured in the open or closed position, wind resistance may cause the cover to flip and buckle. If this occurs, the hinges between the center and rear panel may deform, possibly allowing the rear panel to separate from the vehicle.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Ridgeline trucks. Exposure to acids, such as from car wash soaps, can result in the fuel pump feed port cracking.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Honda Ridgeline and Pilot vehicles. The mounting holes for the clip that secures the right center pillar trim panel may be larger than intended. In the event of a crash necessitating right side curtain air bag deployment, the clip may not hold the center pillar trim panel in position and it may potentially interfere with the curtain air bag deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection," and 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Honda Insight, Odyssey, and Ridgeline vehicles. The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) control unit may have a manufacturing error, possibly resulting in the air bags or seatbelt pretensioners not deploying in the event of a crash.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018 Honda Pilot and Ridgeline vehicles and 2018 Acura MDX vehicles. The front driver and passenger powered seats in the Honda vehicles and the driver powered seats in the Acura vehicles may have been assembled with improperly manufactured rivets. In the event of a crash, the rivets can break causing the seats not to be secured to the floor. As such, these vehicles may fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 207, "Seating Systems," and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2017 Ridgeline AWD vehicles manufactured April 1, 2016, to August 11, 2016. Water may enter the rear wiring harness through the connector located under the truck bed drain hole, possibly causing the connection terminals to corrode.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline complaints?
Owners have filed 1,410 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline. The systems they name most often are the electrical system, the engine and the safety systems.
Is the 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline a good used car?
That depends on the model year, the mileage and the maintenance history of the car in front of you. Owners have filed 1,410 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline. Check which systems they name most often and whether a recall is still open on that car.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline have?
NHTSA has 1,410 owner complaints on file for the 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline as of the latest data pull. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.
What recalls affect the 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline?
NHTSA lists 20 recalls covering some 2017-2025 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. Which ones apply depends on the VIN: enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see the open campaigns on a specific car.
What should I check before buying a used Honda Ridgeline?
Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm every open recall has been done. Look hardest at the electrical system, the engine and the safety systems, the systems owners complain about most. Ask for maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the car and run a vehicle history report for prior accidents and title issues.
What are the NHTSA crash test ratings for the Ridgeline?
The 2025 Honda Ridgeline received an overall 5-star safety rating from NHTSA. Frontal crash: 5 stars. Side crash: 5 stars. Rollover: 4 stars (16.9% rollover probability). Electronic Stability Control: Standard. Forward Collision Warning: Standard. Lane Departure Warning: Standard. These ratings are based on standardized crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 1,410 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: high. Last updated: 2026-10-18.