AI Damage2021 Honda Ridgeline: common problems
Owners of the 2021 Honda Ridgeline filed 102 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. The maker issued 83 service bulletins for this year. We found 2 repair videos on YouTube. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 102
- involving a crash
- 3
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 83
- YouTube repair videos
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 28% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
- 3 Forward collision avoidance 15% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 14% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 6% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 5% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 4% of all complaints
- Engine: 29 complaints (28% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Electrical system: 15 complaints (15% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 16.
- Forward collision avoidance: 15 complaints (15% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 14 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 11.
- Powertrain: 11 complaints (11% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 9-speed
Drive: AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 102 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 29 | 0 | 4 |
| Electrical system | 15 | 0 | 16 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 14 | 0 | 11 |
| Powertrain | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 | 9 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 | 19 |
| Backover prevention | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Lane departure | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 16 |
| Air bags | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 2 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
My vehicle sustained significant front end damage and the air bags did not deploy. The vehicle had to be flat bedded to a Massachusetts State Police Barracks, pending further action by my insurance company. There were no injuries.
A truck and car in front of me stopped suddenly and i has to push brakes to stop. my truck did not slow down and i hit almost full speed the truck in front of me. my brakes did not even leave i skid mark.
OEM front left and right fender flares detaching from fender on highway speeds. If I didn't notice this, it would of broke off and hit a pedestrian or another vehicle cuasing an accident. I will be bringing this in for the 3rd time to fix the same problem. I really believe it's an engineering defect.
Engine seized Honda dealership found a hole in block. Estimated repair almost $13k for a used motor. Contacted American Honda and after several weeks they refused assistance. I was barely able to exit freeway. I had to walk as area was remote without cell coverage.
The complete Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) has been disabled on my truck and all the warning lights are on. All the safety features ment to keep me safe on the road are no longer working.
The physical symptoms—a heavy clunking noise, severe road wobble, and loose rear wheels—appeared immediately upon driving the vehicle off the dealership lot following their service on July 10th, and the r
Warning lights came on and I had to restart the engine by totally shutting down the truck on a busy highway road. It took 2 attempts to get it to start. After this, I turned the Auto Idle Stop OFF using the button located on the lower console.
When driving the vehicle suddenly displayed warning and failure lights for the following: Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, Road Departure, High Beam Support, and Collision Mitigation.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 569 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 27% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Ridgeline has 130 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 102, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Service Bulletin - The wireless charger starts charging the phone and then stops charging, even when the…
Service Bulletin - The wireless charger starts charging the phone and then stops charging, even when the phone remains in the correct position on the charger due to software specifications that can cause some phones to…
- Service Bulletin - One or more accessory running board lights are flickering or not working due to a…
Service Bulletin - One or more accessory running board lights are flickering or not working due to a faulty running board light assembly.
- Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle…
Service Bulletin - Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque. Typically, the…
- Service Bulletin - The AWD warning light is on potentially due to water intrusion into the rear…
Service Bulletin - The AWD warning light is on potentially due to water intrusion into the rear differential pump motor connector area that corrodes the terminals.
- Service Bulletin - The wireless charger starts charging the phone and then stops charging, even when the…
Service Bulletin - The wireless charger starts charging the phone and then stops charging, even when the phone remains in the correct position on the charger.
- Service Bulletin - Customer complaint of the A/C not blowing cold air due to Oil/Refrigerant leak from the…
Service Bulletin - Customer complaint of the A/C not blowing cold air due to Oil/Refrigerant leak from the A/C compressor shaft seal.
- Service Bulletin - MIL flashes and vehicle will not accelerate, low power
After cycling the ignition, the symptom does not return with no stored DTCs. This issue is more common in regions with cold weather (specifically near or below freezing temperatures). Usually after a long drive (around…
- Service Bulletin - The MIL flashes and vehicle will not accelerate, low power
After cycling the ignition, the symptom does not return with no stored DTCs. This issue is more common in regions with cold weather (specifically near or below freezing temperatures). Usually after a long drive (around…
- Service Bulletin - Customer complaint received regarding the A/C not blowing cold air due to an…
Service Bulletin - Customer complaint received regarding the A/C not blowing cold air due to an oil/refrigerant leak from the A/C compressor shaft seal.
- Service NewsDue to On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) regulation change starting with 2019 vehicles, American…
Service NewsDue to On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) regulation change starting with 2019 vehicles, American Honda’s Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control (VTEC) On-Board Diagnostic monitors are now included in the…
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc
(AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2023 Passports, 2016-2022 Pilots, & 2017-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the front passengerâs power window inop from either the driverâs window switch, front…
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc
(AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2023 Passports, 2016-2022 Pilots, & 2017-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the passengerâs power window inop from driverâs master window switch. Customer may also…
NHTSA lists 83 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Repair videos
We do not copy videos: these are YouTube links credited to their authors. Amounts are as stated by the author and not verified by us.
- Copart 2021 Honda Ridgeline salvage rebuild Part 1amount per author: 166,000 UNSPECIFIED_DOLLAR
- Copart 2021 Honda Ridgeline Salvage Rebuild Part 5 Subframe Removal
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Honda Ridgeline?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, forward collision avoidance. Total complaints: 102. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (19%), driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (10%), headlights and tail lights (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2021 Honda Ridgeline?
NHTSA lists 83 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2021 Honda Ridgeline from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2021 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.