Electrical complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28 | 28% | — |
| 2024 | 25 | 36% | 35,000 miles |
| 2023 | 18 | 14% | 53,000 miles |
| 2022 | 20 | 17% | 0 miles |
| 2021 | 15 | 15% | 0 miles |
| 2020 | 49 | 29% | 18,000 miles |
| 2019 | 35 | 15% | 39,000 miles |
| 2018 | 49 | 30% | 33,000 miles |
| 2017 | 93 | 27% | 42,000 miles |
| 2014 | 4 | 12% | 52,000 miles |
| 2013 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2012 | 1 | 4% | — |
| 2011 | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2010 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2009 | 2 | 6% | 108,000 miles |
| 2008 | 30 | 21% | 70,000 miles |
| 2007 | 17 | 11% | 76,000 miles |
| 2006 | 43 | 18% | 73,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
This is a brand new 2025 Ridgeline with only 900 miles. The Collision Mitigation Breaking System and the Lane Keeping Assist System does not work properly on my vehicle. The dealer where I bought the vehicle (Dick Brooks Honda in Greer) has insisted there's nothing wrong with the vehicle on two occasions. However, I took the vehicle to another dealer; the master technician said there might be something wrong with the radar system in my vehicle and to take it back to the original dealer. The original dealer won't even acknowledge what the other service department said about the radar system. Honda is just parroting what the original dealer is saying. I have a brand new vehicle that is not safe to drive and nobody is helping me. I have captured video on a GoPro of some incidents when this occurs. These systems go off for no apparent reason. …
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?: The auto start stop feature failed, resulting in the vehicle lurching then dieing without any prior indication. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?: The vehicle's lurch and sudden loss of power occurred at a red light when turning left. If I were the first car in line, it would have left me in the intersection with a 65 mph speed limit, creating the potential for a significant accident. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?: No it has not, but was taken to a dealer in the last two weeks for this problem, in which all systems were operating as intended. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others?: Yes it has where the problem could not be identified. …
The contact owns a 2024 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle with the Push-To-Start feature, the vehicle failed to start. No warning light was illuminated. Additionally, while idling in traffic, the vehicle lost automotive power and failed to accelerate as intended while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The vehicle was restarted as a temporary fix. Upon further inspection, the contact became aware of an abnormal electrical burning odor entering the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
The contact owns a 2024 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while stopping at a red light, the Auto START feature failed to restart the vehicle, and the vehicle started rolling backwards. The brake pedal was depressed, and the PUSH to START button was depressed, and the vehicle was restarted. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,200.
Driving approximately 15mph on a gravel road in my subdivision I noticed smoke or steam coming from under the hood. The time was approximately 10: 30 am on June 4,2026 the 2023 Honda Ridgeline with 41,000 miles was immediately stopped and put in park. I exited the vehicle and started to open the hood and fire streamed out from the front of the vehicle. I backed up and went to the rear door and retrieved my dog from the back seat. The vehicle is a total loss as the fire spread incredibly fast. I'm lucky to be alive today. There were no warnings or messages.
The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving or while stopped at a stop light, the Auto Idle Stop system activated, and the vehicle hesitated to respond. The message "Auto Idle Stop Temporarily Unavailable" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 53,000.
The contact owns a 2022 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that the vehicle had been driven for approximately a mile; after arriving at her residence, she was unable to shift the vehicle into reverse while depressing the button to select reverse. The contact stated that the emission, transmission, and an unknown sensor warning light were illuminated on the instrument panel during the failure. The contact's husband was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer where they diagnosed the vehicle with a possible battery failure. The battery was replaced and the vehicle was returned to the contact. Two days later while the contact was in a drive-thru line, a whitish-gray smoke started coming from the steering wheel. The steering wheel then became extremely hot to the touch. The contact's husband who was seated next to her became alarmed and yelled out the fire. …
Traveling at 50mph when warning lights started, AWD malfunction, auto idle malfunction, gear shift malfunction, then warning says shift to N and power shut down, coasted to a stop. Once stopped smoke coming from engine, unable to open hood (to hot). Within 2 min flames were coming around hood fire extinguishers not helpful to stop flames. Fire department arrived within 15 min to extinguish.
Related recalls (2)
Electrical system › Wiring
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2017 Ridgeline AWD vehicles manufactured April 1, 2016, to August 11, 2016. Water may enter the rear wiring harness through the connector located under the truck bed drain hole, possibly causing the connection terminals to corrode.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear wiring harness and related components, replacing them as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel
Honda is recalling certain model year 2006 and 2007 ridgeline vehicles manufactured between January 17, 2005, and June 7, 2006. A wiring harness connector for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor located under the passenger's side of the instrument panel May be accessible to kicking by the front…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and if the wiring connector is damaged it will be replaced and all vehicles will have the protective cover installed free of charge. The safety recall began on March 15, 2010.
NHTSA investigations
FIRE
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this investigation based on three vehicle owner questionnaire (voq) reports alleging a fire occurred in the instrument panel.in addition, there were three voq reports alleging a burned, melted, or shorted HVAC fan motor wiring harness.Honda reports that during August and September, 2006, it conducted a study regarding melting of the HVAC fan motor harness…
Frequently asked questions
Which Honda Ridgeline years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2017 (93), 2018 (49), 2020 (49), 2006 (43) and 2019 (35) model years. Electrical complaints make up 27% of all complaints for the 2017.
Is there a recall for Honda Ridgeline electrical problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 16V-888 (wiring, Dec 9, 2016); 10V-001 (instrument cluster/panel, Jan 4, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Honda Ridgeline electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 57,000 miles; 49% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the instrument cluster/panel (5 mentions), followed by the wiring › fuses and circuit breakers (2).
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.