2021 Honda RIDGELINE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
100 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
21,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2021 model year. Data snapshot: . 12 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 27 of 100 complaints (27.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 21 | 21.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 10 | 10.0% |
| Steering behavior | 5 | 5.0% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 3.0% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 3.0% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 1.0% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine | 27 |
| Electrical System | 14 |
| Exterior Lighting | 14 |
| Unknown Or Other | 14 |
| Power Train | 11 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 10 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | 7 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 6 |
Engine: 27; Electrical System: 14; Exterior Lighting: 14; Unknown Or Other: 14; Power Train: 11; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 10; Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings: 7; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 8 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 8; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (8). 88 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 13 |
| 2022 | 27 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 20 |
| 2025 | 18 |
| 2026 | 13 |
2021: 13; 2022: 27; 2023: 9; 2024: 20; 2025: 18; 2026: 13
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 21 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 10 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11418436 · 2021-05-25 (May 25, 2021)
I have a 2021 Honda Ridgeline Sport equipped with CMBS an automatic braking system that is supposed to be a safety feature, but actually makes the car more dangerous. The problem with the Ridgeline Sport collision mitigation braking system is that it attempts to mitigate crashes when the system thinks an obstacle is ahead, but it is a false warning, and there are no actual obstacles. It appears there is a software or sensor defect in the Honda Sensing technology causing the vehicle to issue warnings and alerts to the driver and the potentia…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11418436 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11421121 · 2021-06-16 (June 16, 2021)
When the vehicle is in drive, stopped on a steep hill, and allowed to slip backward the software puts the transmission in neutral and shuts of the engine off. This leaves the vehicle coasting backwards with very little steering or brakes. This happened to me and I coasted backward across a street before I could get it stopped. If a car had been coming it would have hit me sideways. I can reproduce this in drive forward or in reverse, and I reproduced this in a second 2021 Ridge Line truck. There is no warning or message.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11421121 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11421198 · 2021-06-16 (June 16, 2021)
When vehicle is in drive, stopped on a steep hill, and allowed to slip backward the software puts the transmission in neutral and shuts of the engine off. This leaves the vehicle coasting backwards with very little steering or brakes. This happened to me and I coasted backward across a street. If a car had been coming it would have hit me sideways. I can reproduce this in drive forward or in reverse, and I reproduced this in a second 2021 Ridge Line truck. There is no warning or message.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11421198 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11554692 · 2023-11-11 (November 11, 2023)
After driving on the freeway for about 1 hour, took the exit to the right. Check engine light came on and vehicle had loss of power and was shuttering. Attempts at accelerating were met with little to no power. Tried turning off eco mode, no change. Limped to the first safe place to stop, avoiding any fast traffic behind. Shut off vehicle, and when I started again, no check engine light, vehicle operated as normal. I fear to think what would have happened when if my child were driving and had to make a merge onto heavy traffic. This is a seriou…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11554692 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11681946 · 2025-08-20 (August 20, 2025)
While making a right turn from a yield sign into oncoming traffic and doing about 15 mph, I depressed the accelerator to speed up and the truck stalled for about 2 seconds. The RPM's drop and you literally lunge forward until power resumes. No warning lights come on and no codes are given. This put my safety at risk and the driver accelerating towards me at risk. This is the first time it happened with my 2021 Ridgeline. However, my 2019 Ridgeline had this happen about a dozen times. Honda Service could never replicate the issue with the …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11681946 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11451939 · 2022-02-14 (February 14, 2022)
On 1/21/22,After driving an hour at 75mph exited onto off street. While driving through traffic truck began to "sputter" and wouldn't accelerate. I then noticed flashing engine light. After driving about 5 minutes through traffic because I had no place to go, I parked and shut it off. Turned back on no light and no issue. Since I needed to drive home later that night I brought to a dealership for diagnostics. Like everyone else in the Honda forum, no codes or errors. 2675 miles on the truck, about 1/2 tank of gas. Temp around 20 deg. On 2/12/22…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11451939 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11456074 · 2022-03-10 (March 10, 2022)
Upon exiting or entering the highway, the truck loses power and will not accelerate. This happens after multiple hours of highway driving and seems to only happen when the temperature is near or below freezing. The Check Engine Light (CEL) comes on and is flashing. This has happened to me four times. Three of which were exiting one highway to merge onto another and there was ample room to slow down and pull over. One time was merging onto a highway from a Rest Stop with a great deal of traffic and I was fortunate the shoulder was available t…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11456074 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11575571 · 2024-03-05 (March 5, 2024)
3/4/2024. Backup camera failure. Black screen. Located broken wires in wiring harness. Same location as those in earlier recall.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11575571 at NHTSA ↗