10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
9,629 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #16

Nov 082023

Ridgeline

  • miles
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

- Bellevue , WA, USA

problem #15

Jan 202023

Ridgeline 6-cyl

  • miles
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.

- Laredo, TX, USA

problem #14

Aug 212019

Ridgeline

  • 14,200 miles
Braking from 60 mph for traffic light. Adequate time and space to perform braking procedure. Smooth and even braking from 60mph to approx. 5mph. At that point even with both feet applying pressure to brake pedal, my vehicle failed to come to complete stop. Hit vehicle in front of me stopped at light, no damage to her vehicle. Bumper damage to my vehicle. My vehicle was in motion going approx. 5mph. Vehicle I hit was stationary. Happened at traffic light on 4 lane limited access hwy in northern ga. Rural area. Due to relatively minor damage to my bumper and no damage to other person vehicle, driver of vehicle I hit did not want to wait to file police report. Air bags did not deploy. No one injured. Braking system problem. Damage to my vehicle was $1,540.40 for front bumpers, damaged fog light, paint repair. Weather conditions were ideal!

- Montgomery, AL, USA

problem #13

Feb 202019

Ridgeline

  • 43,540 miles
While approaching a red light, I applied the brakes normally. The rear brakes suddenly locked and I skidded about 2 feet on wet pavement, narrowly missing a rear end collision with the car in front of me. A dashboard warning light flashed but went off so quickly I couldn't identify which one it was. From the location, I believe it was either the ABS or vsa warning light. I took the vehicle to my local dealer, but they were unable to find an issue or recreate the problem. "customer states brakes locked up and warning light came on the dash. Could not reproduce concern at this time. No codes stored in PCM or braking system." As yet the problem has not recurred. However, when I researched the problem online, I found nhsta recall report 16V-888 which described the problem exactly as it occurred, but did not include my VIN in the recall.

- Baton Rouge, LA, USA

problem #12

Dec 032018

Ridgeline

  • 200 miles
This car has really spongy brakes. I took to the dealer and they did not look at it, they said they were comparable to the other ones. Pedal goes to the floor fairly easily and I'm not sure if it will emergency stop. Every other car I have driven typically has no more than 2 inches of pedal travel.

- Fitchburg, MA, USA

problem #11

Jul 252018

Ridgeline

  • 42,000 miles
Assists brake slammed on my breaks while I was turning through an intersection nearly cause a rear end colision. This happened for no reason

- Livermore, CA, USA

problem #10

Jan 052017

Ridgeline

  • miles
Brake pedal feels good at normal driving. Stopping is ok. Brake pedal sinks to the floor while at a stop.

- O'fallon, MO, USA

problem #9

Feb 132018

Ridgeline

  • 15,500 miles
Vehicle has adaptive cruise control to reduce speed by braking when other vehicles may be struck. Unfortunately this models brakes are often applied when the radar detects other traffic which will not be a factor; I.e. a second car has left the interstate and is slowing to stop before turning on a secondary road. My vehicle will brake regardless whether a third vehicle is cruising a highway speed behind me. Similarly if I am moving with traffic in the center lane and overtaking an 18 wheeler on the right moving 10+ miles slower. My vehicle will brake to match the speed of the truck regardless of the speed or proximity of vehicles behind me. The manufacturer advises this is my vehicles design and no fix or modification is needed. This has been an issue reported to multiple dealers since about 5000 miles. Hi how

- Brandon, SD, USA

problem #8

May 152017

Ridgeline

  • 20,000 miles
Brake rotors defective. Overheat and cause vehicle to shake. Dealer says normal. Others are reporting same problem.

- Kelseyville, CA, USA

problem #7

May 012017

Ridgeline

  • 2,000 miles
While reversing and applying brakes pads making clunking noise. When switching into drive right afterward brakes make clunking noise again. Dealer continues to lubricate and adjust but noise keeps coming back. Loose pads might be a safety concern if they fall out or move at high speed.

- Boca Raton, FL, USA

problem #6

Oct 122017

Ridgeline

  • 2,467 miles
The vehicle applies the back brakes and jerks the passenger and driver into the dash board. He's a very quick brakes which happen at speeds ranging from 35 miles an hour to 60 miles an hour it happened four times in a 20 minute timeframe. This was on October 12, 2017 it was lightly raining at the time. It is currently at the dealership where they're telling me they can find no issue. They are keeping it for one more day as to drive in the rain.

- Windsor, WI, USA

problem #5

Aug 292017

Ridgeline

  • 12,000 miles
New problem: Since my purchase I've had problems with spontaneous applications of my brakes sometimes putting me in danger of being hit from behind. This vehicle is equipped with crash avoidance system that automatically applies the braking system my problem is the system is activating for no reason no warnings just fully applying the brakes. If taken it to two dealerships I get the same response from both it acting normal nothing we can do. I called Honda America opened a case reported the problem was told if I can prove it they will look in to it. On a web site called car complaints. Com I found a man located in pa who has the exact same issue with his Ridgeline he wrote down nearly word for word what I complained to Honda about they told him the same thing they told me prove it. How does one prove that there is a glitch in there system, I asked if they could recalibrate it they replied no we have no means to do that. The system on its own react to some on coming cars that are posing no danger and fully applies the brakes I was nearly run over by a semi truck following to close when the system falsely detected danger and without warning fully braked lowering my travel speed from 65mph to 35mph in just seconds giving the drivers following you zero reaction time. Someone is going to get killed over this defect in this system. Honda claims that in there full version of the owners manual it describes hundreds of things that can cause the system to act this way from a fly to rain, shadows etc. Therefore they have disclosed and they are not at fault, of course that manual is only given to customers who request it, it's not the same manual that comes with the vehicle this is criminal and they need to be held accountable please help before death occurs. When this occurs the steering becomes and uncontrollably my mother been with ME3 times when it has happened

- Stockton, CA, USA

problem #4

Jul 212017

Ridgeline

  • 1,500 miles
Truck has a very noticeable clunking sound in front of vehicle when going over bumps. Sound started around 1500 miles. Dealer said is was most likely the brake pads as there is a tsb out. They didn't bother to check and see if the struts were defective. This new truck sounds like it has 100,000 miles on it. I'm very concerned about the safety of this vehicle with these types of noises coming from the suspension/brakes.

- Ooltewah, TN, USA

problem #3

May 172017

Ridgeline

  • 50 miles
While driving on a one hi way my prevention system detects and on coming car in its own lane perfectly legal and fully applies the braking system without warning or cause then and audible warning and yellow light on the dash telling me to brake, the steering becomes stiff and vibrates and hard to control. Meanwhile the speed of 65 has dropped to 30 mph and the semi diesel truck behind you is about to run over your car all this happens within seconds not giving me anytime to react very dangerous I've opened a case with Honda America but they need me to prove it my statement alone is not good enough. I took the truck to stockton Honda dealership they had it for two days never test drove it returned to me said there is no problem. My mother of 90 years has been hurt by the seat belt suddenly tightening when the brakes are fully applied this problem has occurred over a dozen times someone is going to get hurt or killed because Honda Motors is washing there hands of it by making me prove it something is not calibrated correctly and no dealership has the tool or technology to verify this type of problem. This situation occurs on straight, curves and hills you just never know when it's nerve racking driving always trying to stay a safe distance in front of the truck behind you. Sometimes those trucks are within four car lengths at 60 mph can you help or do we need to become another statistic before anything is done ! this technology has been developed to fast without testing it to its fullest ability now there's no way to diagnose it. This started the week I bought it new in May 2017

- Stockton, CA, USA

problem #2

May 242017

Ridgeline

  • miles
I do not own a Honda Ridgeline 2017 model yet, but I test drove one and observed that the emergency brake is right up against my shin bone and when I brake hard it hits my shin bone, I feel like in an accident it might cause serious injury to the left leg. I wish somebody look at the safety of this and fix it so I can buy one

- Pikeville, KY, USA

problem #1

Sep 052016

Ridgeline

  • 600 miles
The car has collision avoidance breaking but I noticed a time when a collision was not going to occur and the breaks were applied without me actually applying the breaks. I could have been rearended if there was a car behind be because there was no need to break. A car was a few hundred feet in front of me turning right at an intersection in my lane, and then I was traveling about 35mph and going straight through the intersection. The car had completed its turn in front of me and as I approached where the car was, it applied the breaks as if the car was still there but it had previously cleared the lane by 5 seconds or so. There was no need to break and caused me to be to potentially be harmed by that breaking action. The car slowed down to about 15mph before allowing me to continue.

- Middletown, PA, USA