2023 Honda Ridgeline Complaint Log

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving or while stopped at a stop light, the Auto Idle Stop system activated, and the vehicle hesitated to respond. The message "Auto Idle Stop Temporarily Unavailable" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 53,000.

03/09/26 Driver side Headlight assembly filling with a lot of water when driving in wet conditions. Headlight has a significant amount of water and condensation inside. It is very noticeable. I can see a slight difference in positioning of the driver side headlamp vs the passenger side. Driver side looks slightly misaligned on the part closest to the midline of the truck. Available to inspect upon request. Called Dealer to bring it in to inspect immediately. They told me to come in without an appointment bc they said i didnt need one for this issue and I can come right in. I drove all the way there and was told they couldn't help me bc they were to busy now. Scheduled service with Dealer on 3/23/26. They were unable to take me earlier and told me that it's not an emergency and that I can drive the vehicle saftely until the 23rd, in wet or dry conditions. I Inspected light and took photos. Was told by local mechanics that a dealer would need to inspect it for defects / warranty repair. Dealer will be able to see the water and condensation throughoyt the entire headlamp as soon as they look at it. You can't miss it, it looks ridiculous. Ive noticed my day time running lights aren't working consistently since the water has been in the headlamp. Also, they will be able to reproduce the water flooding into the headlamp with no problem. If they run it through a carwash, water will hemorrhage into it. No symptoms or warning indicators / messages prior to part failure. I've attached photos and have more upon request. The photos show the water in the headlamp is now frozen over the inside of the headlight. This is affecting visibility and I am concerned about this damaging other components / electrical systems.

A car turning left on a one lane both way street. The the auto breaking system hit the breaks I was about 6’ away from car going 10 miles per hour. Car behind me almost hit the back of my truck. It took second before breaks let off. System was in normal mode.

While driving home on 2/21/26 at night in light sleet/snow conditions, I noticed a dramatic decrease in headlight effectiveness in my Honda Ridgeline. When I stopped to check the headlights, they were coated with ice that needed to be scraped off. This is my first vehicle that has LED headlights so this was unexpected. I never had this issue with my previous vehicles that used incandescent /halogen headlights. I suspect this snow/sleet buildup is due to the fact the LED headlights, by their nature, are much more thermally efficient and generate less than 10% of the heat of an incandescent light source. As a result, LED headlamps do not generate enough head to melt any snow/sleet accumulations on the headlight lens. While this might not be an issue in southern states, it is a significant safety and visibility issue in areas where winter snows are the norm. NHTSB should consider requiring a wiping mechanism (as is done on Volvo headlights) or implement a defrost mechanism into the headlamp assembly or lens of vehicles with LED headlamps.

The infotainment system failed intermittently two times prior, causing failure of the backup camera and cross traffic warning sensor system. The entire system failed a month ago and Honda has no idea when they can get parts.

Engine had complete loss of power and loud knocking noise.

There is constant water intrusion on the driverside headlight causing poor headlamp performance. I have reported the issue to a dealer for a warranty claim and was told that it is normal for water to be inside the headlight housing. If this is the case than I believe there is potential for a safety hazard. Issue was escalated to Honda Customer Service who initially offered to help get the repair done under warranty and then changed their tune and told me they wouldn't intervene and my only other option was to take it to another dealership to get a second opinion. I believe than based on Manufacturer Communications on this website (11000278 & 11000270) that this is a known issue and owners are being gaslighted into thinking its normal.

Oftentimes, while driving on a 2-lane road, the Ridgeline will produce an alarm (beeping sound and flashing amber "BRAKE" illuminated on dash display) when driving through a right hand curve with opposite direction traffic in the opposing lane. In every instance, my vehicle and the opposing vehicle are centered in our respective lanes with no indication that either vehicle is on a course to depart their lanes. This is extremely disconcerting as it creates a false emergency alarm. It also makes me think (momentarily) I am not seeing some collision threat. This creates a hazardous situation and I fear that the Automatic Emergency Braking will activate and cause me to lose control of the situation. The opposing traffic scenario I'm describing is quite routine with no cause for alarm. In a worse-case scenario, the opposing vehicle's trajectory would place it on a course further away from me where it could go off the road on the right side of its lane - not to the left towards my vehicle. I have not yet taken it in to the dealership, but I do intend to do so during January 2026.

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal clicking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was inspected and determined that there was potential damage to the bearings and that the crankshaft and the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that the recall covered older model Honda Ridgelines. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

Approximately six(6) months ago, my wife and I noticed a very noxious gasoline smell in the cabin of our truck, and upon further investigation determined that the smell was a direct result of gasoline that had infiltrated the oil in the engine. The oil was changed and the used oil smelled very strongly of gasoline. I sent an oil sample to Blackstone Industries to get the oil analyzed, and they, in fact found gasoline in the oil. Honda said that the results were useless because they wouldn't accept third party results. I took my truck to the local Honda dealership (Napleton Honda in Loves Park, IL) to address the problem. They, in turn contracted the Technician Department of American Honda who said the strong gasoline smell was "NORMAL." I have contacted American Honda and they suggested getting a second opinion. The case number is, XXX. At this point a second opinion at another dealership would be useless because they're going to tell me the exact same thing. So, in conclusion, I would like the noxious, dangerous gasoline fume root cause to be identified and repaired. The fumes are making me, my wife, and any passengers nauseous. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

RVC rearview camera is not functioning.

The rearview camera continues to fail after recall for the issue was completed. Estimate 6 months+ since recall was performed to replace camera tailgate wire harness. It has begun random failures again. There is no indication from the dash of an error. When placed in reverse, the camera display in the dash goes nearly black or totally black; sometimes lane back lines are present, sometimes not. The current problem is entirely consistent with the failure conditions and symptoms prior to the recall update to replace the wire harness. The problem can fairly routinely be triggered by multiple uses of the dual-action tailgate movement. A few flat down and back up, then a few swing-gate actions will generally trigger the failure. When the camera monitor does have a normal picture, it will stay that way indefinitely -until you again have repeated tailgate movements using the dual-action feature. It is generally possible to perform several dual-action movements of the tailgate and restore the camera monitor to a functional view. The recall and replacement with an "improved" wire harness has failed to last; the identical problem is recurring. The vehicle was at a Honda dealer today. They report no error codes, they report no continuity issues with the wire harness. Proposed remedy is to replace the camera unit, despite no error codes. The only basis seems to be that they could not "see" a problem with the harness. Nor can they explain why the circumstances are identical to what caused the initial recall, but still feel it's not the cable. Nor can they explain why my repeated movements of the tailgate can make the display work again. This is a considerable safety issue as it's extremely difficult to back up the vehicle if you can't see behind/below the tailgate. Mirrors are not enough; safe backing requires the use of the rear view camera.

While driving down the road the lower passenger side rear door garnish flew off the truck and went flying out of the wheel well.

The collision breaking will fire off automatically in situations where you’re going around a curve and there’s a car coming in the opposite direction. The truck will see the other car and slam on the brakes even though everybody’s in the correct lane it’s terribly dangerous because it basically is brake checking people who are behind you. There’s no rhyme or reason to it. It does not always do it. It just does it sometimes You can turn the system off, but you have to do that every single time that you turned the car on and it’s I’m sure caused many wrecks at this point.

The automatic high beam system is terrible. It is too sensitive so the beams flash hi/low on and off. Even a small road reflector on a dark empty road will force it back to low beam. Other cars I own with this type system work much better. It’s a safety hazard because auto hi-beam is on by default and you can’t count on it providing the correct amount of lighting when on dark roads, plus it annoys oncoming drivers because of the constant flashing.

The auto high beam system on my 2023 Honda Ridgeline frequently malfunctions. It prematurely dims the high beams when approaching reflective road signs or street lighting, even with no oncoming traffic present. More concerning, the system immediately reactivates high beams afterward — sometimes directly into the eyes of oncoming drivers, creating a blinding hazard. This behavior has occurred multiple times during rural and suburban nighttime driving. Honda offers no way to adjust the system’s sensitivity, even the one in the dask computer dont help and dealerships confirm that no fix or update is currently available. The system appears to be functioning “as designed,” but the result is erratic and unpredictable headlight behavior that undermines safety. I am submitting this report to document repeated false activations and to support investigation or revision of this feature.

Engine knock noticed right after oil change, prominent metal on metal sound under load, it’s more pronounced and easier to hear at low speeds. The vehicle only has 34,000 miles and 2 years old. Took to Honda Dealership in Staunton VA(Valley CMA Honda) and they are still diagnosing(for 4 weeks now) but told me so far that it’s coming from the location where oil pan is and main bearing. So it’s very likely a serious engine issue. Very disappointing and frustrating situation that vehicle is only 2 years old with 34,000 miles and already having a serious engine issue.

There is a presence of gasoline in the oil which is causing two(2) safety issues. 1. The infiltration of gasoline in the oil can cause the engine to malfunction to the point of seizure which could cause a sudden stop in traffic flow. 2. The noxious gasoline fumes are unbearable in the cabin of the truck causing headaches, nausea, and lightheadedness which could cause an accident while driving and could cause the driver to become disoriented and cause an accident. I took the vehicle to Napleton Honda in Loves Park, Illinois to address the problem, and they, in turn contacted American Honda for guidance. The dealership said the technical arm of American Honda said the fumes and the gasoline infiltration was, "NORMAL. I was contacted by American Honda and they suggested that I get a second opinion from another dealership, which IMHO is moot because they will contact American Honda for guidance and they will be told the exact same thing. The case number with American Honda is: XXX. The vehicle is currently under warranty for approximately one(1) more month. I had the oil analyzed by Blackstone Laboratories and they did, in fact detect gasoline in the oil. I have those results. I talked to the Honda Case Manager and she said that Honda will not/does not accept third party testing. American Honda will not even agree to test the oil themselves to determine if what I'm saying is true. I would sincerely appreciate any assistance since my truck is almost unbearable and certainly unsafe to drive. There are currently no warning or check engine lights on, but a simple oil analysis would, 100% confirm the presence of gasoline in the oil. I have noticed the gasoline odor for approximately 9 months and it has progressively gotten worse. I try to combat the noxious odors and impending motor damage by changing my oil very frequently which is approximately every 500-750 miles with full synthetic oil. Please contact me if you need anything further. Thank you. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I have taken my car to the dealership of three separate occasions with respect to the Automatic High Beam Option which at best works inconsistently on the back rural roads where I live. They adjusted this option on two occasions, and the service advisor took my vehicle home - driving it at night. In his words, he indicated, "Given the technology within this vehicle, we did the best we could." I know for a fact the automatic high beam option technology exists as I have another vehicle with the same option that works flawlessly and as intended; a 2024 Subaru Forester. In multiple correspondences with Honda's Customer Service Division, they stated, "At this time, the trained technicians at Middletown Honda have confirmed that your vehicle is operating as designed. We truly regret that the outcome does not meet your expectations, and we want to assure you that your dissatisfaction has been noted on our end." Clearly, and I understand, that for this issue to be resolved, a recall of this vehicle specific to this issue would have to take place. I have read on numerosu blogs and Honda Forums that this is and has been an issue with this current model dating back to the 2020 model, as owners of the models predating this year did not find this option as an issue. So, clearly something in the engineering of this option post 2020 changed. As I had indicated to both Honda's Customer Service and the dealership personnel I have spoken to, I will no longer utilize this option as it is dangerous and will, on the rural roads I drive on, cause a vehicular accident.

I have a 2023 Honda Ridgeline RTE excellent condition! Driver side headlight has moisture in it. There is a bulletin from Honda TSB23–024 titled moisture in headlight with a date of 3/3/2023. It involves the ridgeline 2017–2023. The summary says “moisture in the headlights. The headlight seal may become damaged from a miss adjusted Hood. Damage to the headlight seal may lead to moisture condensation building up in the headlight. Replace the headlight(s) with moisture condensation buildup and readjust the hood stoppers.” I called Honda Eastgate at 513-528-8000. They stated it was not a recall and that it would be an out-of-pocket cost. They want to charge a diagnostic fee of $250.00 and then charge to replace the headlight. I asked them if having moisture in the headlight would be a safety problem and they said yes if the light went out. Why in the world is this not a recall. I feel Honda is responsible for this and there should be no charge to the customer. I want to know who else I need to report this to, to have this become a recall, please help me with this problem. I can be reached at [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] Thank you for your help. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

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.

See attached document for complaint.

Became aware of a rattle/clunk from right rear area of truck. Tried to find loose item like trailer hitch or item in cargo area but even with everything taken out noise continued. Finally got under the truck’s rear area and started pushing/pulling on things. Immediately found completely missing bolt and rubber cush on right-hand sway bar mount clamp. Sway bar was unanchored and moved freely, banging parts on the rear brake and bearing area. I have photos and video. One bolt still present in clamp: removed that bolt (very easily) and discovered NO thread lock or lock washer. This bolt spun out freely by hand. No lock-tite nor lock washers on left-hand side either. Honda parts sold me a rubber cush and I replaced all bolts INCLUDING thread lock this time. On driving, noticed IMMEDIATELY more stability and far less “head-toss” on normal smooth highway. And no more clunk.

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving up a slope at various speeds, the vehicle would hesitate to accelerate as intended while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The brake warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that on several occasions while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle would fail to decelerate as intended while the brake pedal was depressed. The failure occurred on two occasions, where on the first occasion, it almost crashed into the residence. On the most recent occasion, the contact stated that the vehicle had shuddered before independently jolting and crashing into a church building before coming to a stop. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention was sought. A police report was not filed. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer on several occasions, where it was diagnosed however was unable to replicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the insurance provider related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V458000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 11,900.

While driving a slow speeds will stall. It has a stalled in the middle of an intersection almost causing us to get T-boned. The last time this happen I was driving in a shopping center going around 5 mph and it has stalled. The truck is currently at the dealership for the second time for the issue. Also the transmission while driving at slow speeds shutters and vibrates. Also the lane keeping feature tries to pulled us off the road while driving at slower speeds.

Automatic headlights malfunction causing the high beams to activate when cars are ahead or deactivate when lights reflect off of street signs. This causes road rage by other Drivers who think the Owner is deliberately blinding them with the high beams. Also with the constant changing between low and high it causes hazards when driving due to inconsistent lighting on the roadway ahead. This condition has been present since purchase in Dec 2022.

Inner door handles on the driver and passenger side front doors intermittently get stuck and require me to hit the unlock button to operate or require significant force to pull open hindering safe egress. Problem was reproduced by service technician and advisor when picking up vehicle from an appointment on [XXX]. No warning lights were received. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The automatic headlight dimming is extremely unreliable and often dims just when approaching illuminated speed limit signs, or puts high beams ON when approaching another vehicle at night. Bad sensor I think.

Automatic high beam function puts high beam on with oncoming vehicles, but not when no oncoming traffic. Dealership cannot identify problem.

The transmission is shifting out of gear and into nuetral while starting to drive and while driving. There is a fault code stating “stop driving when safe, transmission issue, see manual” I have provided videos and the techs at Honda have confirmed the issue. Honda states there is no current correction. Honda has had 2 attempts to repair. Driving under these conditions is unsafe for traffic and road conditions. Honda states no drive ability issues. I was told by a service advisor that this will lead to transmission failure and to bring it back when that happens. Issue started 12/9/2024.

Driving down the highway at 70MPH and the sunroof randomly explodes and glass falls all over me. There was nothing wrong with the window at the time of failure and to my knowledge nothing made contact to cause this. This is extremely dangerous. I have searched forums online and found this it a regularly occurring incident. Honda should be responsible to repair/replace faulty sunroof

Automatic high beams do not come on enough, turn off with slightest reflected light.

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V321000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 20,117.

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V321000 (Back Over Prevention). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V321000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated while driving at approximately 25 MPH, several unknown warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. In addition, the contact stated while at a stop, the transmission shifted into neutral independently. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer and was diagnosed with a software error and the computer was restarted. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer where it remained awaiting further diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

I was leaving a place of business crossing a four lane undivided road legally to make a left turn. There was an oncoming car (at an unknown speed) in the lane I was crossing approaching rapidly. I just needed to accelerate lightly to be clear. The collision braking system activated before I could clear. The driver was headed straight for me with a broadside collision imminent. He swerved at the last minute and avoided me by heading into the oncoming traffic lane ( no oncoming cars were present). Results could have been ugly. I have to manually turn that feature off every time I start the vehicle, unless you can have it disabled for me. I do not want my vehicle making decision which I cannot control. Thank you for addressing this matter and a response would be appreciated.

Automatic headlight dimming is too sensitive and does not reliably dim headlights when there is oncoming vehicles with headlights on. Many times, the high beams turn off entering a corner because they apparently sense the road sigh reflexion. This sudden change in the light produced entering the corner causes a distraction as well as a loss visibility of the approaching corner. Addionally, I have had vehicles flash their bright lights when approaching me to advise me to dim my lights.

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V321000(BACK OVER PREVENTION) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

I have had toxic fuel/engine smells in the cabin from the engine compartment. There are multiple complaints when searching Honda gas cabin smell online. Located the source is the Pcv vent hose on top of the engine. Honda needs to replace this hose with an odor barrier hose that doesn’t allow the fumes to be brought into the cabin via the fresh air intake.

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V321000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

My issue is about service with my dealer, I have been several times in dealer but they never have in stock the part to fix my recall.

After months of using my new Ridgeline the garage door closed inadvertently once i passed down the garage motor impacting the vehicle at the exit. The Ridgeline uses the homelink on the rear-view window which is included as part of the Ridgeline. I contacted HONDA and they referred me to Homelink for whom I also created an incident.

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V321000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Auto high beams do not work properly. When activated the high beams engage and disengage erratically. When cars are passing by as well as when you come up to a vehicle from behind, the high beams may or may not disengage. On approaching vehicles, faulty auto high beams could possibly blind, them causing an accident, or they respond by turning on their high beams blinding me. This is a known problem within the Honda Ridgeline community. This situation has happened multiple times prior to my filing this report.

My 2023 Honda Ridgeline is leaking water from under the dashboard and leaving water on the passenger side front floorboard. This is also a safety risk due to the amount of electrical wiring from where the leak is originating. So far Honda cannot find the source of the leak despite the water on the carpet and rubber floormat.

The Auto Dimming headlights are very sporadic. They go to high sometime while approaching other auto’s and won’t dim sometimes. This has been a issue on this model.

Both Drivers and Passenger doors won't unlock or open without significant' force. This only occurs sometimes but has happened many times over the last year. I have had witnesses (son's) in the car when this happens. It seems like the door locking solenoid is holding the doors locked and both pulling the handle and tryin to flip the unlock switch are difficult. The risk here is in a crash or fire, someone without strength, won't be able to exit the vehicle. I video'd this on 27Apr24 (can provide if requested).

My brakes locked and my accelerator pedal deactivated without warning or cause. The engine and all accessories continued to work normally, but the gas pedal remained deactivated until I came to a complete stop. I was in the process of merging into the oncoming lane. I still own the vehicle but am trying to get the dealer to repurchase the truck. The vehicle(s) behind me had little warning and the result could have been a multi-vehicle collision. I had no way to know what caused the lockup and inability to drive away, and still don't know if or when the problem will recur. My Dealership examined my truck for 3 days and did not explain any plausible cause. They sent info to Honda's America HQ in California and told me that I might not ever receive a response, and if I do it will likely be at least a few weeks from now. They have given me nothing in writing. There was no warning of any kind either during the event or afterward. The lane ahead of me was completely clear of vehicles, pedestrians, animals, etc., but it was a slight S-curve. Driving conditions were ideal. it occurred during the middle of the day with no traction or glare issues.