Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Honda Ridgeline owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Honda Ridgeline. While driving approximately 65 MPH, the top panel on the roof of the vehicle where the courtesy lights and wiring were housed detached completely onto the road. In addition, the air conditioner became inoperable and the wiring harness melted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000. The VIN was unavailable.
A/C blower motor quit running(intermittently) dec. 2016 & July 2017, stopped completely July 2017. No heat in winter and no cooling in summer. Also battery was drained of it's charge , had to be jump started with potential need for replacement. Dealer is working on fixing. Found a transistor failed then later found a burnt elec. Connector in wiring harness. Dealer contacted Honda corp., no 2008 recalls but mfg. Will accept 50% reduction of repair part replacement of harness, truck is at dealer service for mon. Tues. & wed.,7/31/17 thru. 8/2/17, received loaner car till it is fixed. Costs are now up to over $650 and climbing. (not including my major stress and inconvenience for a 79 year old.) checked on various web sites and found many major safety and expensive electrical issues with this Honda issue as well as fire destruction in some cases, but no recalls. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that the heating and air conditioning blower failed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the electrical wiring harness needed to be replaced. The technician mentioned that the wiring harness had burned and melted, which caused the heating and air conditioning blower to fail. The contact was advised that the failure was a potential fire hazard. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 61,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that the driver noticed sparks at the vehicle front end. The vehicle was moved to another parking spot and within seconds, the vehicle's hood was on fire. The fire spread to the windshield and the dash board area. The fire department was present. The dealer advised that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number 10V001000 (electrical system). The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure and current mileage was 56,000.
Tl contact owned a 2008 Honda Ridgeline. The vehicle was parked and shut off for a few minutes when the contact noticed a fire started on the instrument panel near the passenger side. The fire department responded to extinguish the fire and a police report was filed. No injuries were reported but the vehicle was destroyed due to fire damage. The vehicle was towed to an insurance lot where they were in the process of diagnosing the failure. The failure and current mileages were 50,500. The VIN was unavailable.
I started my truck and the air would not blow. I smelled the burning of electricity. I took it into the dealership to be inspected and they said that there was an electrical short in the dash harness where it connects to the blower motor. They quoted me $1,500 to fix it. Apparently this was a common problem that was recalled in the 2007 model but nothing has been done for the 2008 model. There should be a recall.
The wiring harness for the blower motor melted behind the center lower dash area at a connection point.the vehicle had just been started and the A/C would not come on. The A/C came on briefly the next day and then failed again and has not come back on. Investigation of the wiring came up with melted point of contact. This could have easily caused a fire and was a known issue with the years prior to 2008.
Heater blower fan stopped working. Took to dealer 7/25/16 dealer inspected, found melted wiring harness beneath dash. Cost to repair approximately $1000.00. This is a fire hazard and has affected 07 and earlier model ridgelines per NHTSA campaign id number: 10V001000. Should include 2008 also!
Over the course of 2 weeks we would turn the dial for the heat and it would kick in and blow warm air and then it would stop. We took it to inver grove Honda to get it fixed and they replaced the blower. It actually worked for about a week, then stopped again ...completely... On a day that it was -20 degrees with wind chill. They now have told us that the wiring for that unit is melted and the entire wire harness needs to be replaced. This is running us around $1800. The mechanic told my husband this isn't the first time he's seen this. We then researched further to find the problem all over the internet. See here: http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?p=418168 I called Honda for an explanation, guarantee that this won't happen again or further start my vehicle on fire. After all, how does a wire melt? It must get hot... …
HVAC fan motor stopped running at approximately 72,000 miles on 2008 Honda Ridgeline rtl; no fire, smoke or smell. Took to dealer to troubleshoot, and advised wiring harness connector had melted (asked for part back, and observed large grey connector was melted/burned at the largest blue-on-white wire). Repair cost $190.26, but am concerned that HVAC fan, and possibly other HVAC compents, May also be damaged and May need to be replaced--working fine now. Have searched online and found that this is fairly common issue with Ridgeline's, was subject to safety recall for 2006 thru 2007 models of specific manufacture dates, but seems to still continue to occur though the 2008 models as well--appears to be factory defect, and feel American Honda should reimburse all with this issue. Defintely could be serious fire and safety hazard.
Electrical complaints in other Ridgeline years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2008 Honda Ridgeline?
NHTSA has 30 complaints about the electrical system of the 2008 Honda Ridgeline, 21% of the model year's 143 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Honda Ridgeline electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2008 Honda Ridgeline, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Honda Ridgeline electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 5 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.