Honda Ridgeline engine problems, 2017–2026
316 of the 1,414 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Honda Ridgeline 2017–2026 name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). The loudest years: 2017 (97), 2019 (44), 2020 (38). Filed under the same heading across these years: 8 manufacturer bulletins, 2 recall campaigns, 3 NHTSA investigations. Every figure is a linked federal record; none is a failure rate, none a repair cost, and none a verdict on one car.
Honda Ridgeline engine problems by model year
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsOne row per model year on file, newest first. A year marked in depth has its own page: the complaints, the owners’ words and every document under this heading for that year.
| Model year | Complaints naming the engine | Share of the year’s | Typically at | On file under the heading | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 12% | — | 2 TSBs | the year → |
| 2025 | 20 | 22% | — | 7 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2024 | 13 | 22% | — | 9 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2023 | 23 | 18% | — | 19 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2022 | 25 | 21% | — | 24 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2021 | 31 | 31% | — | 25 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2020 | 38 | 22% | — | 24 TSBs · 1 investigation | the year → |
| 2019 | 44 | 19% | 78k | 31 TSBs · 2 recalls · 2 investigations | the year → |
| 2018 | 24 | 15% | — | 30 TSBs · 2 investigations | the year → |
| 2017 in depth | 97 | 28% | 86k | 42 TSBs · 1 recall · 2 investigations | the record → |
Two things the counts carry that are not the car: how many of each year were sold, and how long each has been on the road — an older year out-counts a newer one before anything is wrong with it. The share column is the honest comparison across years: what part of that year’s complaints named the engine. Nothing here is a rate.
When the engine complaints were filed, and at what mileage
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled per calendar year, every model year together: 2018: 3 · 2019: 5 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 9 · 2022: 23 · 2023: 25 · 2024: 66 · 2025: 86 · 2026: 96
Across the model years, half of the 64 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 35,000 and 93,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine, from the model years with the most to say. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The contact owned a 2017 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that after parking on the side of the road and with the engine idling, a burning odor was present coming from the vehicle. Moments later smoke and flames were seen coming from the engine compartment which caused the hood to blow open.
Complete engine failure at 76,333. Vehicle failed after exiting highway after slowing down to merge with traffic on side road. There was no warning lights displayed prior to failure. It left my son and I trapped in an unsafe situation.
I am writing to bring to your attention a significant issue I have encountered with my 2019 Honda Ridgeline, which recently suffered a catastrophic engine failure from a seized connecting rod bearing, resulting in a blown engine.
I have a well maintained 2019 RIdgeline that at midnight on the highway started flashing a red motor sign at me, and within 10 miles was flashing all lights and chugging and grinding, stranding me. I found out Honda had recalled hundreds of thousands of cars due to a similar failure.
I have had an engine knocking noise at startup but now is continuous/constant. Diagnosed at my local Honda dealer as a connecting rod failure of my well maintained 2020 Honda Ridgeline. Recommended repair, short block replacement or engine replacement with a used engine.
What is on file about the engine, across the years
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall campaigns filed under this heading, any model year
- 23V751000 HighNov 13, 2023 · 248,999 vehicles
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
- 19V298000 HighApr 12, 2019 · 93,946 vehicles
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.
NHTSA investigations
- EA25004 No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engagesopened Mar 26, 2025 · open
- 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 …
- PE25008 Engine failureopened Aug 20, 2025 · open
- The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 414 reports of connecting rod bearing failures in the 3.5L V6 engine used in the following vehicles: Model Years (MY) 2018-2020 Acura TLX, MY2016-2020 Acura MDX, MY2016-2020 Honda Pilot, MY2018-2020 Honda Odyssey, and MY2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline. The subject engine failures were analyzed as part of a Recall Query (RQ24013). It was determined…
- RQ24013 Engine failureopened Nov 8, 2024 · closed Aug 20, 2025
- On November 8, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query RQ24013 to assess the scope of Honda recall 23V-751 after receiving complaints that alleged connecting rod bearing failures in vehicles that were not within the scope of recall 23V-751. In November 2023, Honda recalled 248,999 various Model Year (MY)2016–2020 Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with the 3.5L V6 engine…
8 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading, any model year
- May 13, 2026
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 Odysseys & Ridgelines and 2024-2025 Passports with a customer complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P0441 (EVAP System Purge Flow Malfunction) stored. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting
- Apr 29, 2026
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 Odysseys & Ridgelines and 2024-2025 Passports with a customer complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P0441 (EVAP System Purge Flow Malfunction) stored. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting
- Apr 15, 2026
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2024-2026 Odysseys & Ridgelines and 2024-2025 Passports with a customer complaint of the Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) on with the DTC P0441 (EVAP System Purge Flow Malfunction) stored. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from the vehicle prior to you attempting
- Aug 1, 2025
- Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2023-2025 Odysseys, Passports, and Ridgelines with a customer complaint of a no auto re-start condition after going into an auto idle stop. The push button ignition may or may not restart the engine. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair
- Jul 7, 2025
- 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 customer can immediately restart the vehicle by selecting Park and pressing the ENGINE START/STOP button.
- May 21, 2025
- Service Bulletin - Torque converters may not have been manufactured to proper specifications. As a result, the torque converter lock-up clutch cannot provide adequate holding force due to pressure bleeding down through a crack in the lock-up piston. The reduced lock-up clutch capacity results in the transmission indicator flashing “D” and set DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Performance or Stuck
- Jul 20, 2024
- 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 2 hours) and accelerating while cornering.
- May 1, 2024
- 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 EGR/VVT OBD Monitor Readiness status group. Due to some customer’s driving patterns, they may not drive in the fashion needed to operate the VTEC (EGR/VVT) that only operates above
Every one filed under the heading is listed. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Other systems with a record on the Honda Ridgeline
Source: the same filesEvery system, every model year: Honda Ridgeline problems by year →
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsWhich Honda Ridgeline years have the most engine complaints?
2017, 97; 2019, 44; 2020, 38. Raw counts, and an older year has had longer to collect them; by share of each year's own complaints the loudest is the 2021 (31%).
Is there a recall for the engine on the Honda Ridgeline?
Yes — 2 campaigns are filed under this heading across these model years: 23V751000 (2019), 19V298000 (2019). A recall is matched by VIN, and applies to specific years; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the Honda Ridgeline?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 60,000 miles across the model years; half of them between 35,000 and 93,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.