2023 Honda Ridgeline Steering Problems

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving, the steering wheel was loose, and the vehicle became difficult to control. The contact stated that there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact researched and was made aware of a recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.

NHTSA ID

11773195

Incident

Jul 15, 2026

Mileage

18,000 mi

I own a 2023 Ridgeline with an abnormal clunking noise from front right side and occasional steering wheel vibration at highway speeds. Clunking noise most noticeable when driving on bumpy dirt roads, typically at low speeds 10-25 MPH. I am estimating the problem became noticeable at about 35,000 miles. Over time the clunking noise became noticeable on paved roads up to about 40 MPH when going over small to medium pot holes (depth). On dirt roads at low speeds 10-25MPH, it became more difficult to isolate to right side as noise seemed now to be noticeable in center of vehicle as well as right side. Also was able to produce noise with vehicle in park when simply turning wheel from right to left and sound came from right side only. At 46148 miles I took the vehicle to a local repair shop and preliminary assessment was an inner tie rod failure. Owner of repair shop called and told me the clunking noise was not related to the right-side inner tie rod but was being caused by an estimated .25-.50 inches of play of the steering rack and a replacement steering rack assembly was needed. The repair was completed on 10/2/2026. The replaced steering rack assembly S/N did not match either of the S/N's listed in service bulletin 24-018. I drove the vehicle to the same dirt road where previously the location of the noise was noticeable at both the center and right of vehicle. No noise was noticed at all. The vehicle now has 46770 miles and has been driven on pavement, dirt roads and tested at park by turning the steering wheel left to right. The noise is gone.

NHTSA ID

11772609

Incident

Oct 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50-54 MPH and making a gradual left turn on the highway, the vehicle unintendedly made a quick sharp left turn, grazed the concrete barrier and veered to the opposite side of the road before coming to a stop. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the front driver's side tire was completely flat and was pointing left at a 90 degrees angle, and the ball joint had disassembled. The contact could not determine whether the damage caused the crash or whether the crash caused the damage. The contact stated that the failure might be associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V184000 (Steering). A Police report was filed. The contact's wife notified the dealer of the failure. The vehicle was towed to the body shop and was scheduled for repair. The vehicle was inspected by the insurance company. The failure mileage was approximately 32,000.

NHTSA ID

11767743

Incident

Sep 12, 2026

Mileage

32,000 mi

At approximately 31,800 miles, my 2023 Honda Ridgeline failed Massachusetts state inspection due to excessive play in the steering rack. A Honda dealership technician confirmed the steering rack and both inner and outer tie rods required replacement. This vehicle is the same year and model covered under NHTSA Recall 24V184000 (steering gearbox inner ball joint housing detaching from steering rack). My VIN was not included in that recall batch; however the failure is identical in nature — premature steering component failure at extremely low mileage. Steering racks are designed to last 100,000 to 150,000+ miles under normal use. This failure occurred at roughly one-third of the minimum expected lifespan, with no prior warning signs, no crashes, no unusual road conditions, and regular maintenance. Vehicle was driven exclusively on paved roads. Component is available for inspection upon request. Failure confirmed by Honda dealership. No warning lamps preceded the failure. Safety risk: potential loss of steering control at highway speed.

NHTSA ID

11740685

Incident

May 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact The contact stated he experienced knocking in the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an air compressor failure; however, the issue persisted. The contact also stated another issue is the rearview camera displayed a distorted image. The contact also experienced loss of steering control with the vehicle pulling to the right. intermittently veering towards The contact associated the issues with NHTSA Campaign Numbers 24V321000 (Back Over Prevention) and 24V184000 (Steering) The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired for these issues. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 32,000.

NHTSA ID

11740559

Incident

May 7, 2026

Mileage

32,000 mi

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that on several occasions at various speeds, when the vehicle went over bumps in the road, it shook more than usual. Additionally, when the vehicle was slowed down and the brake pedal was depressed, it took more effort to depress the pedal. The vehicle was taken for inspection, where it was determined that there was a steering suspension failure and the inner and outer tie rods were damaged. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 33,604.

NHTSA ID

11737114

Incident

Sep 15, 2025

Mileage

33,604 mi

At roughly 20,000 miles, I began to notice a slight rattle/clucking sound from the front end of the vehicle on gravel surfaces. The issue gradually became more noticeable and upon owner inspection, inner tie rods had noticeable play. Independent shop (Frantz Automotive, Cary, NC) confirmed the play, and upon removing the tie rods and boots, discovered play within the steering rack itself (have video that could not be uploaded), and notified me that there was a recall for this issue on some 2023 Ridgelines (as noted on receipt). I then took the truck to the dealership where purchased (Autopark Honda, Cary, NC), which confirmed the issue (as noted on receipt) and offered to replace at a "goodwill" rate of $500, which they termed a "deductible." Given the safety concern and I needed the truck for transportation, I paid for the repair and will request a refund from Honda America.

NHTSA ID

11736739

Incident

Apr 2, 2026

Inner tie rods unnaturally worn. Steering was loose. Internal play in the rack Steering Gearbox, Electric Power Steering needed replacement Honda stated this was similar to manufacturing problems they had with Civics but that Ridgeline was not part of the recall. Issue was fixed by Honda but at my cost.

NHTSA ID

11676500

Incident

May 3, 2025

My steering locked up while moving at a very low speed (<5mph) and turning my wheel (not all the way). Voltage in the vehicle dropped (HVAC speed and lighting). A yellow caution/warning blipped for a second on the dash. I would not normally submit an issue like this but if this had happened at high speed, going down the road, the results could be catastrophic. I have seen the HVAC fan speed drop before while turning the wheel but never the steering lockup. This only happened once on Tuesday Night 1/2/24 at 11pm. This was not just the Power steering stopping working where i could overcome the turning with strength, it was locked up hard for less than a second (like the security steering solenoid engaging). This has to be a huge safety issue!!! I brought this to the dealer and the battery cable was loose. Since tightening the cable the issues has not re-occurred. I think that even with a loss of power/voltage, the steering should not lock up while the vehicle is moving. Please investigate.

NHTSA ID

11585836

Incident

Jan 2, 2024