Verdict
2023 Honda Ridgeline: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues
What the public record actually says about the 2023 Honda Ridgeline — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.
The read
Middle-of-the-pack complaint volume for truck.
Owners filed 121 NHTSA complaints — more complaints than 56% of 2023 trucks. Exterior Lighting leads the reports (32%). 5 safety recall campaigns on record — check the VIN and remedy terms with a dealer.
Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2023 trucks, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.
Complaints filed
121
Reports to NHTSA, 2023
Safety recalls
5
NHTSA campaigns on record
NHTSA crash test
Overall NCAP rating
Combined MPG
21
EPA estimate
Complaint volume vs. segment peers
More complaints than 56% of 2023 trucks
The bar is this car's percentile among 2023 trucks by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.
Known issues
Exterior Lighting issues lead owner complaints (32% of 121 reports), followed by unknown or other (12%).
+ 10 more component categories with fewer reports.
Share of all 121 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11739281, ODI 11730631, ODI 11725431, ODI 11720528, ODI 11719296.
Recalls(5)
Open a recall to read what NHTSA says is wrong, what can happen, and how it gets fixed. Check the VIN and remedy eligibility with a dealer; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though a manufacturer may offer more coverage.
StructureApr 2026 · 26V365000Details +Close −
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.
Risk: Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.
Back Over PreventionSep 2024 · 24V321000Details +Close −
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.
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the RVC tailgate wire harness, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed November 8, 2024. Owners may contact Honda service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is YI7.
SteeringJul 2024 · 24V184000Details +Close −
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.
Risk: A loss of steering control increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the steering gearbox as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 11, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is LHY.
Service Brakes · 23V458000Details +Close −
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.
Risk: Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are VEU, AEV, and ZET.
Air Bags · 26V332000Details +Close −
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.
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.
Investigations
2 NHTSA investigations on record
Investigations are agency reviews, not findings that a vehicle is defective.
On June 3, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE22005 after the agency received VOQs and several field reports concerning the Auto Idle Stop (AIS) feature on 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles. The complaints allege that the engine fails to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light or road intersection with the AIS function engaged. The subject vehicles are equipped with a 3.5L engine with a 9-speed automatic transmission. On January 6, 2023, Honda released service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009. These service bulletins address the failure to restart issue in the 2016-2019MY Honda Pilot vehicles, as well as the 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2019-2022 Honda Passport, and 2020-2023 Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The repair outlined in the service bulletins is a two-stage countermeasure to remedy the issue. The first stage is a Programmed Fuel Injection (“PGM-FI”) software update. The second stage is only deployed if the software update fails to remedy the issue. The second stage, depending on the model and model year, consists of replacement of the starter assembly, starter relays, and a valve adjustment. Additionally, Honda extended the warranty coverage to 10 years with unlimited mileage for vehicles requiring the second stage component replacement. ODI continues to receive complaints of the AIS failure to restart, with many complainants alleging the campaign countermeasures had been completed.NHTSA has reviewed Honda's Information Request Letter responses involving warranty claims, lawsuits, and consumer complaints in addition to ODI's own data. This Engineering Analysis is being opened to further consider the potential safety defect, including gathering additional data regarding Honda’s service campaign efficacy. ODI is additionally expanding the scope to encompass all vehicles addressed in Honda’s service bulletins 23-008 and 23-009 as well as newer model year vehicles, which are substantially similar to the vehicles covered by the service campaign. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
On February 13, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE24004 to assess alleged failures of the rear-view camera (RVC) in 2020-2023 Model Year (MY) Honda Ridgeline vehicles. At this time, ODI has received a total of 50 complaints with allegations of the RVC image failing to display when the vehicle was in reverse. The RVC wire harness is routed near the hinge in the tailgate, in a location where frequent opening and closing of the tailgate causes bending stress on the harness. Honda determined the wire harness was manufactured with a material which is permeable to water and salt, which when it freezes and thaws, combined with tailgate usage, ultimately leads to breakage of the wiring in the tailgate harness. This results in a failure to display the RVC image. On May 9, 2024, Honda filed a Part 573 Safety Recall Report recalling all 2020-2024 MY Honda Ridgeline vehicles. The dealer will replace the RVC tailgate harness with a wire harness that is manufactured by a new supplier and has improved material properties to withstand wear from bending. In view of Honda filing recall 24V-321 addressing the subject of this investigation, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. NHTSA reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Crash-test ratings
2023 Honda RIDGELINE PU/CC FWD NHTSA source
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
2023 Honda RIDGELINE PU/CC AWD NHTSA source
- Overall
- Frontal
- Side
- Rollover
Fuel economy by trim
| Trim | Engine | Drivetrain | Transmission | City | Hwy | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgeline AWD | 3.5L 6-cyl | All-Wheel Drive | Automatic (S9) | 18 | 24 | 21 |
EPA laboratory estimates by trim and engine. Actual mileage varies with driving, weather, load, and maintenance. EPA source.
Before you buy
Useful next checks
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Compare model years
"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.
2023 Honda Ridgeline: frequently asked
What does the complaint record show for the 2023 Honda Ridgeline?
Owners filed 121 NHTSA complaints about the 2023 Honda Ridgeline — more complaints than 56% of comparable 2023 trucks, so it sits toward the weaker end of its class. That's a signal, not a guarantee about any single car.
What are the most common problems on the 2023 Honda Ridgeline?
The most-reported problem areas are Exterior Lighting (32% of complaints) and unknown or other (12%).
How many recalls does the 2023 Honda Ridgeline have?
5 recalls have been issued that affect the 2023 Honda Ridgeline, covering components such as structure. Check the VIN with NHTSA and ask a dealer to confirm remedy eligibility; federal no-charge requirements have an age limit, though manufacturers may offer more coverage.
What gas mileage does the 2023 Honda Ridgeline get?
The EPA rates the 2023 Honda Ridgeline at 21 mpg combined.