It is the Honda that shares the chassis with the Honda Pilot SUV. Ridgeline owners appreciate the pickup bed’s usefulness along with its relatively good handling and fuel efficiency. But the Honda Ridgeline is not without its mechanical issues. RepairPal compiled complaints from real Honda Ridgeline owners and concluded that the following issues are the worst faults with this truck:
- The transmission failed to shift into fourth
- The back door is stuck
- Differential stutter while turning
Not shifting to fourth gear
This first problem is a major drivetrain problem: It can fail to shift into fourth gear. If you’re accelerating in a Ridgeline with this problem, you could get stuck in third gear. This causes a vibration of about 40 mph and a noticeable hesitation from the truck. If you accelerate too hard, the truck may skip a gear and eventually shift to a higher gear. But this solution is far from ideal.
He writes that it has affected trucks from the 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 model years. The average truck mileage reported with this issue is 100,835. But transmissions developed a shift problem all the way from 226,000 miles to just 40,000 miles.
This can be intimidating for a Honda Ridgeline to drive. Fortunately, it’s just a problem with the transmission control module, not the transmission itself. As such, Honda wrote a software update to fix it. If you bring in an affected Ridgeline, the dealer can update it and resolve any issues with the change.
If you’re considering a Ridgeline, it’s definitely worth asking if it has a transmission software update installed. If your Ridgeline is having trouble shifting, its software may be to blame.
The tailgate is stuck in the up/down position
Honda Ridgeline has a stylish multifunction tailgate. You can open and drop it like a regular truck tailgate. But you can also release a different latch and open it horizontally, like a door. Dozens of owners have reported that the second function, the swingarm, malfunctioned on their truck. This has implications beyond just the function of the tailgate.
You might think it’s not a big deal if one of the two tailgate modes stops working. But Honda has also built a lot of extra storage in. In front of the tailgate is a lower under-bed bin that is waterproof and doubles as a cooler. Instead of being locked, this compartment can only be accessed when the tailgate is unlocked and unlocked – in the swing-out position.
28 people reported to RepairPal that the position of their Ridgeline’s tailgate swing, and therefore their crate in bed, stopped working. Affected model years included 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2017. Fortunately, the problem is only because the “sensor rod” is too long, and fixing it will run you between $88 and $111.
Jerky while spinning
Finally, 21 Honda Ridgeline owners report noises and even shudders when they drive their truck around a tight corner. They even found that the problem originated in the rear axle. This problem appeared on trucks from 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. It affects trucks with 39,000 to 165,000 miles, but the average is 90,466.
Here’s the scoop: The rear differential allows the two rear wheels to spin at different speeds while cornering. It is a chain of gears, lubricated with a special gear oil called differential fluid. The differential fluid that Honda used in the factory Ridgelines is prone to failing prematurely and causing this problem.
Any lube dealer or shop should be able to drain the differential fluid and replace it with a higher quality fluid. The only real concern is using Honda Ridgelines that have not had fluid swapped and so may have differential damage.
Then, find out how, or watch five more Honda Ridgeline problems for yourself in the video below:
