2017 Honda Ridgeline Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2017 Honda Ridgeline, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical9324.0%
- Engine9023.2%
- Driver assistance5614.4%
- Fuel system4511.6%
- Powertrain (other)4010.3%
- Visibility184.6%
- Brakes164.1%
- Body & structure133.4%
- Exterior lighting82.1%
- Steering41.0%
- Suspension30.8%
- Other / unspecified10.3%
- Interior & seats10.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
My car alarm randomly goes off. With no user interaction, the dashboard lights will flicker and i hear clicking noises from the dashboard. Then the alarm triggers randomly. i have to manually use the key fob to turn the alarm off. Honda has acknowledged this issue with service bulletin 21-055. This has caused my car battery to die and i was left stranded. Honda has failed to put a warranty extension or recall for this item.
Engine Wiring harness. Safety recall denied to me. NHTSA #16V888000 Safety issue details are in the safety recall. VSA braking can malfunction causing accident. Honda ran diagnostic . Problem with 3rd party Delphi wiring harnesses . I have the exact problem as the safety recall confirmed by the honda service department. yes there was the exact warning lamps associated with the safety recall I had to pay out of pocket and have tried to resolve with honda corporate vin specific is a game they play and they have a history of undercutting their issues and warranties to get out of fixing their manufacturing errors. I can give you plenty of examples
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. While the vehicle was in for routine maintenance, the mechanic discovered metal shavings inside the engine oil. The contact stated that additional diagnostic tests confirmed that the engine rod bearings and connecting rods had failed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 55,000.
Engine self destructed while driving on the highway. Lot of smoke and the car came to a stop pretty quickly. Oil and coolant dumped out of the bottom.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
See attached document for complaint.
Intermittently, when I set the speed with cruise control, right after I do that, the truck will speed up and I have to tap the brakes to slow the truck down and then try to set it again. It usually works the second time I set it.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
When driving the vehicle on I-94 near Taylor, MI, 2 codes popped up on my dashboard cluster: 1) Transmission System Problem 2) Blind Spot Info System Problem When diagnosing this at a local auto stores & the Honda dealer itself, a stored code of DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck OFF is listed. Honda has identified a problem with this under Service Bulletin 23-078, but after talking with the dealer & calling American Honda they state the issue does not relate to my vehicle, even though it falls under their 2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline model.. The model in question is a 2017 Honda Ridgeline Black Edition. American Honda is not taking ownership of the same issue as described in their bulletin stating improper specifications when manufactured.
To Whom It May Concern: I am submitting this complaint to report what I believe to be a potential safety-related defect in my Honda vehicle, as well as an unresolved dispute with American Honda regarding responsibility for resulting damage. Recently, I was informed by my case manager at American Honda that my claim had been closed and that Honda would not cover the necessary repairs. When I requested an opportunity to escalate the matter, I was told that no escalation was available. I am seeking NHTSA’s review because the circumstances involve component failures that may affect vehicle emissions, performance, and potentially safety. The fuel injectors in my vehicle failed,this failure caused the catalytic converter to become damaged, andHonda accepted responsibility for the faulty fuel injectors. Honda has refused to cover the damage to the catalytic converter. Because the catalytic converter failure was reportedly caused by faulty fuel injectors—components for which Honda accepted responsibility—I believe the manufacturer should cover all resulting damage, regardless of warranty status. I request that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Investigate whether similar fuel injector failures are occurring in Honda vehicles. Review whether these failures are causing catalytic converter or other engine damage. Determine whether the manufacturer is appropriately addressing these failures.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
Bought this vehicle in December 2025 used from a dealership. After about a month, I started hearing a noise coming from behind the steering wheel inside the dashboard area. Being that it was a new car to us. We weren’t sure if the noise was problematic so we didn’t take it in right away. The noise started getting worse after a few months and we brought it in. The mechanic couldn’t find the reason for the noise however did notice that there was metal in the oil and heard a knocking that was abnormal in the engine. After some investigation, we discovered that 2017 Honda Ridge lines were known for connecting rod, bearing failures, and many of the vehicles were under recall. We checked the VIN number of our vehicle and were told that this was not under this warranty. We called Honda Customer Care to talk to them about the fact that this problem seem to be the same problem as the service bulletin problem. We asked if they could cover the cost of the repair. They suggested we needed to have it diagnosed by a Honda dealership. We brought it to the Honda dealership who told told us that it would cost $1000 out-of-pocket to be able to diagnose this problem properly. We now have a car that potentially has a extremely dangerous and potentially catastrophic engine problem with premature deterioration and failure of the crankshaft connecting rod bearings that we are afraid to drive and we don’t have the money to fix. When doing research it suggests that there are at least 1.4 million vehicles that are under investigation for the possibility of having the problem that is addressed by the recall, and many of these vehicles are still having this engine failure and we think ours may be one of these. We have not seen any engine warning lights yet however, the mechanic suggested that it is premature crankshaft connecting rod bearing failure as evidenced by the amount of metals showing up in the oil. We just recently replaced the oil in early June (less than 2,000 miles ago).
Transmission Jutter or pulsing going up a slight incline at 45mph 50k miles on vehicle Problem repaired by dealer under extended warranty Now same problem occurring again at 90k miles
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
Sunroof randomly exploded I was traveling on a highway and we heard a very loud “pop”. We at first thought we were hit by someone else, or blew a tire. Neither occurred but then heard wind and noticed the sunroof not only shattered, but blew outward. There were glass shards all around. We have taken it to the dealership and they said while other vehicles have had problems, the Ridgeline is not under a recall. I took pictures as to document what occurred. There was absolutely no warning that it was about to happened, either through the vehicle warning system or noises prior to the loud pop. It simply came out of no where and scared us immensely until we recognized what had happened.
My vehicle has 113,795 miles and it is leaking Windshield Washer Fluid. I have not attempted a repair yet, but I’m assuming it’s leaking from the reservoir.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
At approximately 20mph, Forward collision warning appeared as car in front braked quickly but continued forward after the quick brake. After I braked to slow down, I began to accelerate as the vehicle in front continued forward. As soon as I hit the accelerator, the Automatic Emergency Braking kicked in and locked up the brakes - even though the car in front of me was 20-30+ feet away. Car behind me had to slam on their brakes as it appeared that I braked without any reason
Lost brakes as I was trying to decelerate to make a left turn on FM 1472, still managed to come to a stop before hitting the traffic ahead of me that was also waiting to make a left turn. Smoke started to come out from the wheel wells. Put vehicle on parking, shut off engine, opened hood and found fire coming out from the back of the engine bay. Extinguished fire with a Fire extinguisher, and a few minutes later, a Fire Dept Truck arrived to hose it just to make sure it was properly extinguished. Waiting for Cause and Origin investigator from the insurance to inspect the vehicle.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle, it was discovered that the rear subframe, rear axle, and suspension were corroded and rusted. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V365000 (STRUCTURE, SUSPENSION). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The contact was concerned that the suspension could fail due to the corrosion. The failure mileage was 140,000.
See attached document for complaint
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
Low beam headlight. Not turning on. Not yet. No.
My incident is related to the Keyless Module Part #0 38320-T6Z-A31, My pick up was parked outside in my work parking lot. It started the alarm making sounds, my coworkers let me know it,I just went to take look check it and I just turned off the alarm and set it on again, after that the car started do it again after 5 minutes, and it was a nightmare because after several times, I tried to disable the alarm in the touch screen panel, but it doesn't have any control I was available to disable it, I was seating in my car, and I noticed the instrumental panel started to turn on and off,it was like my car tried to turn on the engine by itself for several times, and making really scared noise like is going to have a electrical short cut, I was worried it can cause making my car coughing fire. I decided to make a video of it because in case it my car coughing fire. So I decided to live open my car with out lock. I noticed it was happening before after I changed the engine start/ stop switch was changed by the dealer because it was a recall and I also started having problems with the Keyless system, after they changed it, it started working again, I noticed the alarm sometimes made the same thing but I didn't put much attention about it, because it happens sometimes, but this time was really scary, so I made appointment with the dealer and they told me my car had problems with the Keyless Module, I told them if this problem is related to the engine start/stop engine. They said it wasn't. My concern is to try to preventing the vehicles can coughing fire when they are parked. I don't know it would happening but for my experienced ,Your department should find out it. I didn't change this part yet because it's really expensive to replace it. I do believe it can be concern to be a safety issue. Link of video. https://www.mediafire.com/file/ztnwcrkhegbjb13/20220928_125159.mp4/file
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel began jerking. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.
VEHICLE BEGAN TO DISPLAY WARNING LIGHTS: VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST (VSA) PROBLEM, EMISSIONS SYSTEM PROBLEM, ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM PROBLEM, POWER STEERING SYSTEM PROBLEM, HILL START ASSIST PROBLEM AND TRAILER STABILITY ASSIST PROBLEM (TSA.) CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle, it was discovered that the rear subframe, rear axle, and suspension were corroded and rusted. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V365000 (STRUCTURE, SUSPENSION). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The contact was concerned that the suspension could fail due to the corrosion. The failure mileage was 140,000.
AT AROUND 30K MILES THE CAR BEGAN TO MAKE A THUMPING SOUND FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND PASSING OVER ANY UNEVEN SURFACE ON THE ROAD. THE SOUND SEEMS TO HAPPEN ONLY WHEN THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL HITS A BUMP AND NOT THE RIGHT WHEEL. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALER TWICE AND THEY STATED THEY COULD NOT HEAR THE NOISE OR RECREATE IT AND THAT ALL COMPONENTS WHERE WORKING CORRECTLY. I EVEN ROAD WITH THE TECH TO SHOW THEM THE SOUND AND THEY REPORTED AFTERWARDS THAT THE SOUNDS WAS GONE WHEN THEY TEST DROVE IT 4 TIMES BEFORE I PICKED IT UP. DRIVING OUT FROM THE DEALER, THE SOUND WAS STILL THERE. THEY TOLD ME TO LET IT GET WORSE SO THEY CAN FIND IT EASIER AND DIAGNOSE IT. THE NOISE CAN BE HEARD ESPECIALLY WHEN PASSING OVER CONSECUTIVE AND SMALL BUMPS. THE CAR NOW SOUNDS LIKE AN OLD CAR WITH STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Ridgeline. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: (20E068000 (EQUIPMENT) and would like to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer and manufacturer were contacted.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
Seat release handle is defective and breaks due to product design. Poor quality plastic material can not withstand tension from metal cable when actuated and a plastic component breaks inside the component of the seat lever causing seat to be locked in place which could potentially trap a child or the seat can not lock and stay in unlocked position and the seat will not flip up and rest in a lock position. Which is also a hazard because seat is not secured and will flop around. Honda does not sell the plastic part separately they are gouging the consumer by charging $477.92 for a replacement kit when the only part needed is a $10 plastic handle, which can easily be switched out by consumer. Average dealer cost to replace is $799 for the repair. Contacted Honda they will not sell plastic handle separately and are aware at the issue with their product.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .