2008 Honda Ridgeline Electrical Problems

See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA ID

11645304

Incident

May 2, 2024

THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE BLOWER MOTOR MELTED BEHIND THE CENTER LOWER DASH AREA AT A CONNECTION POINT.THE VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN STARTED AND THE A/C WOULD NOT COME ON. THE A/C CAME ON BRIEFLY THE NEXT DAY AND THEN FAILED AGAIN AND HAS NOT COME BACK ON. INVESTIGATION OF THE WIRING CAME UP WITH MELTED POINT OF CONTACT. THIS COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A FIRE AND WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE YEARS PRIOR TO 2008.

NHTSA ID

11123296

Incident

Aug 20, 2018

Mileage

106,000 mi

WIRING HARNESS FOR AC AND HEATER NOT WORKING. RECALL WAS DONE TO HONDA VEHICLES UP TOO 2007 WITH SAME PROBLEM. INTERMITTING PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING AND STATIONARY.

NHTSA ID

11119916

Incident

Jan 1, 2018

Mileage

180,000 mi

A/C BLOWER MOTOR QUIT RUNNING(INTERMITTENTLY) DEC. 2016 & JULY 2017, STOPPED COMPLETELY JULY 2017. NO HEAT IN WINTER AND NO COOLING IN SUMMER. ALSO BATTERY WAS DRAINED OF IT'S CHARGE , HAD TO BE JUMP STARTED WITH POTENTIAL NEED FOR REPLACEMENT. DEALER IS WORKING ON FIXING. FOUND A TRANSISTOR FAILED THEN LATER FOUND A BURNT ELEC. CONNECTOR IN WIRING HARNESS. DEALER CONTACTED HONDA CORP., NO 2008 RECALLS BUT MFG. WILL ACCEPT 50% REDUCTION OF REPAIR PART REPLACEMENT OF HARNESS, TRUCK IS AT DEALER SERVICE FOR MON. TUES. & WED.,7/31/17 THRU. 8/2/17, RECEIVED LOANER CAR TILL IT IS FIXED. COSTS ARE NOW UP TO OVER $650 AND CLIMBING. (NOT INCLUDING MY MAJOR STRESS AND INCONVENIENCE FOR A 79 YEAR OLD.) CHECKED ON VARIOUS WEB SITES AND FOUND MANY MAJOR SAFETY AND EXPENSIVE ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH THIS HONDA ISSUE AS WELL AS FIRE DESTRUCTION IN SOME CASES, BUT NO RECALLS. DEALER STATES THIS IS A "NEW SERVICE ISSUE" TO THEM AND AFTER MY CONSTANT PRESSURE ON THEM TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM THEY ARE MORE COOPERATIVE TO FIX IT! TIME WILL TELL WHERE THIS WILL GO FROM HERE.

NHTSA ID

11012238

Incident

Jul 13, 2016

Mileage

27,275 mi

I HAVE NO BLOWER FAN TO WORK AC OR HEAT DEFROST WIRING MAYBE UNDER RATED GUAGE SIZE

NHTSA ID

10981599

Incident

Apr 25, 2017

Mileage

43,000 mi

AC/HEATER WIRE HARNESS MELTED AND NO LONGER WORKS.

NHTSA ID

10920138

Incident

Oct 6, 2015

Mileage

60,000 mi

BLOWER MOTOR WIRING FAILURE BLOWER FAN STOPPED WORKING WITH AC REPLACED RESISTOR BUT WIRING HARNESS IS NONFUNCTIONING SMELLED SMOKE.

NHTSA ID

10914872

Incident

Jul 21, 2016

Mileage

120,000 mi

HEATER BLOWER FAN STOPPED WORKING. TOOK TO DEALER 7/25/16 DEALER INSPECTED, FOUND MELTED WIRING HARNESS BENEATH DASH. COST TO REPAIR APPROXIMATELY $1000.00. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD AND HAS AFFECTED 07 AND EARLIER MODEL RIDGELINES PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V001000. SHOULD INCLUDE 2008 ALSO!

NHTSA ID

10888336

Incident

Jul 18, 2016

Mileage

110,526 mi

I STARTED MY TRUCK AND THE AIR WOULD NOT BLOW. I SMELLED THE BURNING OF ELECTRICITY. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE INSPECTED AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE DASH HARNESS WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE BLOWER MOTOR. THEY QUOTED ME $1,500 TO FIX IT. APPARENTLY THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT WAS RECALLED IN THE 2007 MODEL BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE FOR THE 2008 MODEL. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL.

NHTSA ID

10823240

Incident

Dec 31, 2015

Mileage

101,772 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA RIDGELINE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE TOP PANEL ON THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE WHERE THE COURTESY LIGHTS AND WIRING WERE HOUSED DETACHED COMPLETELY ONTO THE ROAD. IN ADDITION, THE AIR CONDITIONER BECAME INOPERABLE AND THE WIRING HARNESS MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10747848

Incident

Mar 1, 2015

Mileage

90,000 mi

POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. HEATER BLOWER MOTOR WIRING HARNESS MELTED! ( 2006 & 2007 RIDGELINES RECALLED FOR SAME PROBLEM) NOT YET THE 2008 REPLACED AT DEALERSHIP UNDER HONDA CARE EXTENDED WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10651531

Incident

Oct 28, 2014

Mileage

36,080 mi

HVAC BLOWER FAILED TO OPERATE. FUSE WAS GOOD. RELAY WAS GOOD. BROUGHT TO HONDA UNDER PLATINUM WARRANTY. HONDA REPLACED THE BLOWER MOTOR SUB-HARNESS AND THE CONNECTOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE DASH HARNESS AND REPAIRED WIRES AS NEEDED. THE WHITE/BLUE WIRE HAD MELTED AT THE CONNECTOR CAUSING AN OPEN CIRCUIT. 4.8 HOURS LABOR. NO CHARGE TO ME, UNDER WARRANTY. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON COMPLAINT. WHILE FIXING THIS PROBLEM THEY FOUND THAT THE REAR BRAKE PADS WERE WORN DOWN TO LESS THAN 3MM. THE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED LESS THAN 4000 MILES AGO BY ANOTHER SHOP. ILL BE BACK TO HONDA SOON FOR RIGHT REAR CALIPER WARRANTY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10628559

Incident

Aug 21, 2014

Mileage

63,375 mi

DRIVING ONTO HIGHWAY WITH A/C AND HEARD CRACKLING/SPUTTERING AND THEN BLOWER QUIT. TOOK TO DEALER AND THE SERVICE DEPT DETERMINED THAT WIRING CONNECTOR FROM UNDER HOOD FUSE/RELAY BOX LED TO A MELTED CONNECTOR BEHIND CONSOLE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO THE LEFT OF THE STEERING COLUM. LUCKY IT DID NOT CAUSE FIRE. VISITED RIDGLINE OWNERS SITE AND FOUND IT WAS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE AND WAS REPORTED BY SEVERAL OTHERS.. *TR

NHTSA ID

10614975

Incident

Jul 9, 2014

Mileage

51,000 mi

OWN A 2008 HONDA RIDGELINE, AROUND 90000 MILES ON IT BUT DON'T HAVE EXACT # BECAUSE IT IS AT THE DEALER. BOUGHT NEW IN 2008. THE HEATER FAN STOPPED WORKING SO IT IS AT THE DEALERS SERVICE SHOP. WAS TOLD THE WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR WAS MELTED BECAUSE OF HIGH RESISTANCE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND FIRE DANGER WITH THE RIDGELINE. FROM WHAT I CAN FIND ON MY OWN THIS IS NOT JUST ONE ISOLATED CASE IT HAS HAPPENED TO MANY RIDGELINES. WOULD BE NICE IF HONDA WOULD STEP UP AND MAKE IT RIGHT AND SAFE! ALSO OTHER HONDA RIDGELINE HAVE BEEN RECALLED OR COVERED FOR THIS PROBLEM WHY NOT THE 2008. *TR

NHTSA ID

10609410

Incident

Jun 2, 2014

Mileage

90,000 mi

OVER THE COURSE OF 2 WEEKS WE WOULD TURN THE DIAL FOR THE HEAT AND IT WOULD KICK IN AND BLOW WARM AIR AND THEN IT WOULD STOP. WE TOOK IT TO INVER GROVE HONDA TO GET IT FIXED AND THEY REPLACED THE BLOWER. IT ACTUALLY WORKED FOR ABOUT A WEEK, THEN STOPPED AGAIN ...COMPLETELY... ON A DAY THAT IT WAS -20 DEGREES WITH WIND CHILL. THEY NOW HAVE TOLD US THAT THE WIRING FOR THAT UNIT IS MELTED AND THE ENTIRE WIRE HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS RUNNING US AROUND $1800. THE MECHANIC TOLD MY HUSBAND THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME HE'S SEEN THIS. WE THEN RESEARCHED FURTHER TO FIND THE PROBLEM ALL OVER THE INTERNET. SEE HERE: HTTP://WWW.RIDGELINEOWNERSCLUB.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?P=418168 I CALLED HONDA FOR AN EXPLANATION, GUARANTEE THAT THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN OR FURTHER START MY VEHICLE ON FIRE. AFTER ALL, HOW DOES A WIRE MELT? IT MUST GET HOT... THEREFORE THIS IS A CONCERN TO ME WITH CHILDREN IN MY VEHICLE A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THE TIME. THEY SAID THEY CAN NOT GUARANTEE THIS WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN AND DUE TO THE MILEAGE THEY CAN'T FINANCIALLY HELP FUND THE REPAIR. THEY HAVE NO EXPLANATION AS TO HOW THIS HAPPENED. THE CLAIM NUMBER SUBMITTED WAS: [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10566306

Incident

Feb 21, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi

THE BLOWER MOTOR IN MY 2008 HONDA RIDGELINE QUIT FUNCTIONING. A LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT A DASH WIRE HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A BURNT OUT PIN CONNECTOR...? I AM LUCKY THAT MY TRUCK DIDN'T START ON FIRE! THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS 2008 MODEL SO I HAD TO PAY FOR THIS FAULTY WIRE HARNESS CONNECTION OUT OF MY POCKET. *TR

NHTSA ID

10559417

Incident

Jan 4, 2014

Mileage

81,000 mi

I DRIVE MY 2008 RIDGELINE ON A DAILY BASIS. IN THE MORNING OF THE 18TH OF DECEMBER MY HEAT AND AIR WORKED FINE. LATER IN THE EVENING I WENT TO GO OUT AND MY FAN/HEAT/AIR WOULD NOT WORK. I CHANGED A FEW FUSES BUT STILL GOT NOTHING. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO MY DEALER WHERE I GET ALL OF MY REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE DONE. THEY STATED IT WAS MORE THAN LIKELY A RELAY SINCE THE MOTOR WAS WORKING PROPERLY. I RECEIVED A CALL TODAY THAT THE PROBLEM IS A WIRING HARNESS THAT MELTED AND THEN SHE TELLS ME ITS A 9 HOUR JOB TO REPLACE AND COSTS OVER 600.00 DOLLARS. WELL IT LOOKS LIKE THE 2006,AND 2007 RIDGELINES HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND I THINK HONDA NEEDS TO BE PERSUADED TO INCLUDE THE 2008 MODELS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT. I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM AND HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL OTHER 2008'S AROUND THE U.S. THANKS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10557293

Incident

Dec 18, 2013

Mileage

52,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA RIDGELINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING BLOWER FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN MENTIONED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HAD BURNED AND MELTED, WHICH CAUSED THE HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING BLOWER TO FAIL. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,000.

NHTSA ID

10543920

Incident

Sep 10, 2013

Mileage

61,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HONDA RIDGELINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER NOTICED SPARKS AT THE VEHICLE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED TO ANOTHER PARKING SPOT AND WITHIN SECONDS, THE VEHICLE'S HOOD WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE SPREAD TO THE WINDSHIELD AND THE DASH BOARD AREA. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS PRESENT. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 10V001000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

NHTSA ID

10509863

Incident

Apr 26, 2013

Mileage

56,000 mi

SMELLED BURNING WIRES ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BUT ASSUMED WAS SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT. ON THE REFERENCED DATE THE BLOWER MOTOR QUIT WORKING. UPON FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS THE WIRING HARNESS FROM THE BLOWER MOTOR WAS FOUND TO BE MELTED AT THE POWER WIRE CONNECTION LOCATED UNDER THE CENTER CONSOLE. STILL TRYING TO GET AN ANSWER FROM HONDA SINCE THE '06 '07 RIDGELINES HAVE A SIMILAR SAFETY RECALL AND AN ONLINE SEARCH SHOWS MANY ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE EVEN INTO THE "08'S BUT WITHOUT A RECALL. A BURNING/MELTING WIRE HARNESS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULDN'T BE IGNORED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10508055

Incident

Apr 3, 2013

Mileage

97,000 mi

HEATER BLOWER FAN STOPPED WORKING. TOOK TO DEALER 11/29/12. DEALER INSPECTED, FOUND MELTED WIRING HARNESS BENEATH DASH. COST TO REPAIR APPROXIMATELY $900.00. THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD AND HAS AFFECTED 07 AND EARLIER MODEL RIDGELINES PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V001000. RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE 2008 MODELS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10486455

Incident

Nov 21, 2012

Mileage

89,000 mi

HONDA RIDGELINE WAS PARKED. STARTED TRUCK, AC WAS ON, SET AT 66 BUT NO COLD AIR WAS BLOWING. MOVED THE MANUAL BLOWER BUTTON TO HIGH, STILL NO COLD AIR BLOWING. SHUT AC OFF AND SWITCHED TO HEATER NO AIR WAS BLOWING. *TR TOOK TRUCK TO HONDA DEALER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR OIL CHANGE/TIRE ROTATION AND HAD THEM LOOK AT AC/HEATER PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT BLOWER MOTOR MAY HAVE A BAD RESISTOR, IF THEY REPLACE RESISTOR AND BLOWER STILL NOT WORKING THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE BLOWER MOTOR. DEALER LOOKED AT RECALL HISTORY FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR HONDA RIDGLINE, SAID THERE WAS RECALL FOR AC/HEATER ISSUES BUT NOT FOR MY YEAR (2008). I GOOGLED HONDA RIDGELINE 2008 AC PROBLEMS AND FOUND OTHER TRUCK OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10465743

Incident

Jun 28, 2012

Mileage

82,400 mi

HVAC FAN MOTOR STOPPED RUNNING AT APPROXIMATELY 72,000 MILES ON 2008 HONDA RIDGELINE RTL; NO FIRE, SMOKE OR SMELL. TOOK TO DEALER TO TROUBLESHOOT, AND ADVISED WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR HAD MELTED (ASKED FOR PART BACK, AND OBSERVED LARGE GREY CONNECTOR WAS MELTED/BURNED AT THE LARGEST BLUE-ON-WHITE WIRE). REPAIR COST $190.26, BUT AM CONCERNED THAT HVAC FAN, AND POSSIBLY OTHER HVAC COMPENTS, MAY ALSO BE DAMAGED AND MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED--WORKING FINE NOW. HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS IS FAIRLY COMMON ISSUE WITH RIDGELINE'S, WAS SUBJECT TO SAFETY RECALL FOR 2006 THRU 2007 MODELS OF SPECIFIC MANUFACTURE DATES, BUT SEEMS TO STILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR THOUGH THE 2008 MODELS AS WELL--APPEARS TO BE FACTORY DEFECT, AND FEEL AMERICAN HONDA SHOULD REIMBURSE ALL WITH THIS ISSUE. DEFINTELY COULD BE SERIOUS FIRE AND SAFETY HAZARD. *TT

NHTSA ID

10445959

Incident

Jan 9, 2012

Mileage

72,000 mi

2008 HONDA RIDGELINE BLOWER FAN STOPPED WORKING DUE TO FAILURE OF WIRING HARNESS WITH MELTED CONNECTOR. THE 2008 MODEL YEAR IS NOT COVERED BY RECALL FOR SAME PROBLEM FOR PREVIOUS HONDA RIDGELINES (2005-07). *TR

NHTSA ID

10389647

Incident

Mar 4, 2011

Mileage

19,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 HONDA RIDGELINE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND SHUT OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED A FIRE STARTED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INSURANCE LOT WHERE THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF DIAGNOSING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 50,500. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10378008

Incident

Jan 13, 2011

Mileage

50,500 mi