2021 Honda RIDGELINE: complaints, problems and recalls

HAVING AN ISSUE WITH MY BRAND NEW 2021 RIDGELINE. AUDIO WHEN I'M HOOKED UP WITH ANDROID AUTO OR WITH BLUETOOTH DOES THIS WEIRD VOLUME ADJUSTMENT THING WHEN STANDING STILL. I'VE RESET EVERYTHING DONE ALL THE TROUBLESHOOTING, EVEN TOOK IT TO DEALER WHO SAID OH IT'S NORMAL TO HAVE A [XXX] SOUNDING STEREO IN YOUR NEW $38K TRUCK... ODDLY ENOUGH MY BROTHER NEW 2021 CRV WITH THE SAME BASIC STEREO DOES NOT DO THIS. NOR DOES MY WIFE'S RAV4 2020 WHEN WE USE ANDROID AUTO,,,, PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INF…

Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 11406615 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT EVEN WITH NO TRAFFIC AHEAD, THE AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS RARELY TURN ON. WHEN THEY DO, THEY TURN OFF ALMOST IMMEDIATELY DUE TO REFLECTIONS FROM ROAD SIGNS AND EVEN SMALL ROAD MARKERS. OCCASIONALLY, THEY'LL FAIL TO DIM IN A TIMELY FASHION OR WILL FLASH CAUSING OTHER DRIVERS TO THINK I'M DOING THIS ON PURPOSE. OTHER OWNERS OF 2020 AND 2021 HONDA RIDGELINES ARE REPORTING THE SAME USELESS AND UNSAFE OPERATION. I OWNED 2017 AND 2019 HONDA RIDGELINES WITH AUTOMATIC HIGH BEAMS AND THE FEATURE WORKED REASONABLY WELL. FROM 2017-2019, …

Owner-reported narrative. 350 miles reported. Look up ODI 11407040 at NHTSA ↗

AUTOMATIC HIGH-BEAM SYSTEM ON 2021 MODELS FUNCTIONS ERRATICALLY, SOMETIMES COMING ON WHEN CARS ARE APPROACHING. ALSO TURNS ON AND OFF CONSTANTLY FROM REFLECTIONS ON ROAD SIGNS AND EVEN MILE MARKERS

Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11414897 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

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 ↗

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 ↗

Vehicle veering constantly while Lane Keeping Assistance is engaged causing persistent swerving and inviding adjacent lanes as well as requiring additional distraction while system is engaged. Adaptive Cruise Control erratically and some times violently applies brakes, causing the following vehicles to constantly apply their brakes to avoid rear collision with the Ridgeline.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11422075 at NHTSA ↗

- Auto-high beam is too sensitive. It switches high beams off with reflections off of road signs and then turns back on. - Cannot count on advertised functionality. Can switch off when needed based on its extreme sensitivity. Can cause road rage from constantly changing from high - low - high. - Not yet confirmed with dealer or others. However multiple internet comments on this issue. - Believed issue is not from failure but from a design or setting defect.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11427774 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2021-11-18 (November 18, 2021)

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2021 Accord Sedan, Accord Hybrid, CR-V, Ridgeline, 2022 Insight and CR-V Hybrid vehicles. The automatic locking retractor on the second-row center seat belt assembly may deactivate improperly, which can result in an unsecured child restraint system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the second-row center seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 14, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.

Reported: 2023-03-16 (March 16, 2023)

Honda (American Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2020-2022 Passport and Odyssey vehicles. The heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, allowing the mirror glass to detach. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Consequence: Detached mirror glass can reduce driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace both left and right side-view mirrors, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed January 17, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is FE5.

Reported: 2023-06-29 (June 29, 2023)

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from the booster assembly.

Consequence: Brake master cylinder separation can cause a loss of brake function and increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the brake booster assembly as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 7, 2023. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are VEU, AEV, and ZET.

Reported: 2024-02-01 (February 1, 2024)

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, failing to suppress the air bag as intended.

Consequence: An air bag that deploys unintentionally during a crash can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 28, 2024. This is a phased recall. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XHP and VHQ.

Reported: 2024-05-09 (May 9, 2024)

Honda (America Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ridgeline vehicles. The rearview camera (RVC) tailgate wire harness may fatigue and break, which can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying.

Consequence: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the RVC tailgate wire harness, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed November 8, 2024. Owners may contact Honda service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is YI7.

Reported: 2026-05-21 (May 21, 2026)

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.

Consequence: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.

Reported: 2026-06-04 (June 4, 2026)

American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.

Consequence: Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.