Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Honda Ridgeline - part 1

This afternoon, the auto engine stop system problem light came on, the truck hard-stalled at a very busy intersection, and it forced a manual reboot from park to get moving again.

See all problems of the 2025 Honda Ridgeline 🔎.

Engine started running extremely rough, and multiple warning lights came on. Had to have it towed to a mechanic. This rod bearings failed, this is a Honda recall, but they refuse to honor it.

See all problems of the 2017 Honda Ridgeline 🔎.

9/17/2026. Complete electrical system shutdown while stopped in traffic, loss of power steering/brakes capability, all doors automatically locked with no emergency flasher capability. Vehicle became a hazard. Occurred twice. TSB-23-008 software update performed in 2024 but problem persists. Safety defect entrapment with los of all vehicle power in active traffic. Please share complain with manufacturer.

See all problems of the 2023 Honda Ridgeline 🔎.

Engine idle stop function failed to restart automatically while I was stopped at a stop light. I was at a complete stop at a four way intersection with vehicles behind me and my vehicle did not restart after light turned green and I released brake and stepped on accelerator. Error message flashed stating to press brake and push start button. Vehicles behine me honked for me to proceed but I could not move. I turned on my hazards and attempted to restart engine. I stepped on brake and pushed start button. Vehicle did not start, I repeated stepping on brake and start button again and did not start. I did it a third time and vehcile started. A police car behind me pulled up and asked if I was ok just as I started my vehicle and pulled away. This is the second time this has happended but I did not report it and thought it was me not stepping on the brake hard enough. The first time was about six months ago in a similiar situation at a four way traffic light.

See all problems of the 2020 Honda Ridgeline 🔎.

Connecting rod bearing (recall 23v-751) failed in my 2017 Honda Ridgeline which was not part of the recall for this issue. Oil light came on and I took to my mechanic for service and on the way there I started to hear engine noise. As I pulled into mechanics shop he was outside and heard the noise. He told me that the car was getting ready to have catastrophic engine failure and was going to need a new engine. I was going to drive to the parking lot next door and leave the car to have it towed back to my house and it died as I was tuning into the lot. It was dangerous as it died where there was traffic passing by and I had to push the car out of traffic. The engine light came on Sunday, Monday (labor day)the car was not driven and then was taken to mechanic Tuesday morning.

When I stop and try to go car turns off and dosnt start.

The auto idle stop has malfunctioned causing the engine to not restart in busy intersections on 2 different occasions. The vehicle has been extremely slow to start on multiple occasions and has failed to start from stopped several times. The dealer diagnosed this as a faulty starter and has had my vehicle for 20 days now with no starters available. They have offered no information on when a starter will be available. Being stalled in traffic because of an auto idle stop feature that no one wants is a safety issue.

See all problems of the 2024 Honda Ridgeline 🔎.

While sitting in traffic on a 6 lane major thoroughfare the engine stopped running and would not restart. I had to exit the truck and cross multiple lanes of heavy traffic to get to a safe location. There was a slight engine knocking/tapping noise prior to the engine failure but no warning lights or messages of any kind alerting me to any sort of problem. I immediately had the truck towed to price Honda in dover, delaware where I have been servicing it for the past 4 or 5 years. It is currently still there, and available for inspection, as I wait for some sort of resolution from american Honda. The dealership didn’t actually diagnose what caused the failure other than stating that there were metal shavings in the oil and oil filter. They only gave me a quote to replace the engine with a used engine for $8,225. 53. There is currently a an NHTSA recall on some of these 2019 Ridgelines for failure of connecting rod bearings which I believe, and the price Honda technician who looked at my truck concluded was quite possible, is the reason for my engine failure. That NHTSA id for that recall is 23v751000 engine damage from connecting rod bearing failure.

See all problems of the 2019 Honda Ridgeline 🔎.

When stopped at a stop light the auto start feature sometimes - more often than not- fails to start back and the truck is stuck at the intersection. After putting it in park it will start after several tries. My dealership tells me there is nothing wrong with it even though it’s still under warranty. This has happened over 10 times to me.

I own a 2017 Honda Ridgeline with approximately 128,000 miles. In late August 2026, I noticed a deep knocking noise coming from the engine shortly after an oil change. The knocking increased with engine rpm and continued even after the engine warmed up. The oil level appeared full, and there was no oil-pressure warning light. I brought the vehicle to liberty Honda in connecticut for diagnosis. Their technician investigated the noise, identified it as internal connecting-rod knock, and determined that the engine requires complete replacement. The dealership quoted approximately $19,210 plus tax for the repair. I have driven approximately 40,000 miles since purchasing this vehicle and have consistently maintained it. Oil changes were performed at valvoline approximately every 3,000–5,000 miles using their premium oil service. Routine maintenance was performed by an independent mechanic, while major repairs were handled by Honda dealerships. The timing belt was serviced at approximately 84,000 miles. I am concerned because Honda previously recalled certain 2017 Ridgelines for connecting-rod-bearing defects, and NHTSA has separately investigated similar failures in 2017–2019 Ridgelines outside the original recall population. My vehicle has experienced the same type of failure being investigated this condition presents a serious safety concern because connecting-rod-bearing failure can cause sudden engine failure and loss of power while driving. I have avoided further driving because of this risk. American Honda denied my request for goodwill assistance toward engine replacement. I am reporting this failure so NHTSA can evaluate it alongside similar complaints.

The auto idle function- the car engine doesn't restart. This has happened in a busy intersection and won't restart until you have made several attempts to restart. I have brought this to the attention of Honda certified techs.

See all problems of the 2021 Honda Ridgeline 🔎.

Oil light flash and I receive a alarm from emssion system problem. I stop to check the oil quantity and it was ok. I was near home and to motor just stop and can not start the motor the crank is seize. My niv is not on Honda recall for the engine problem about the connecting rod bearings so Honda don't won't to covert anytime for my problem. A lot of people seen to have the same problem.

After coming to a stop and the idle stop feature engages, the vehicle does not automatically restart. I am presented with a message that says "system problem detected. Shift to park". After shifting to park, I am presented with another message that says ""to continue to drive, depress the brake pedal and push switch. " I then have to completely shut off the engine by pushing the "stop button". Then, I have to do a full restart before the vehicle starts again. This has happened 5 times in the last month. Here is a video of one incident - [xxx]. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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.

On two occasions, immediately after re-fueling the vehicle, the engine auto idle stop failed to restart the vehicle. Both times this happened at busy intersections. A series of messages appeared on the display. I was flustered because cars behind me were honking as I was blocking traffic so I don’t exactly remember the error messages. One message said to put the transmission in park. Another said to hold the brake and the engine start button. Eventually the engine did re-start by holding the start button down.

While sitting in traffic with my 2025 Honda Ridgeline, with the engine stopped as the brake had been fully applied, when I released pressure off the brake, my vehicle would not restart as it normally would in this situation, thereby stranding me in a serious traffic situation. I notified the police and my vehicle was eventually towed to the nearest Honda dealer to try to determine what the issue was . Scary situation since my vehicle only has approximately 25k miles on it.

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an abnormal knocking sound was heard, and smoke emerged from under the hood. No warning lights illuminated, and the engine failed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, but was not inspected. The vehicle was then towed to another dealer, where it was diagnosed with a failed engine. The dealer informed the contact that a piston went through the engine and advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The dealer offered to replace the engine with a salvaged engine and cover the repair under warranty; however, the contact declined the repair and requested a new engine, which was denied. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

This involves the paddle shift operation on the steering wheel. There are two paddles, one at 3 o'clock and 6 o'clock where the hands come into contact with the steering wheel. On four separate occasions, while driving at a relatively high rate of speed, my hands accidentally activated the gear mode by lightly touching one or both of the paddles. Very little pressure is needed to activate the gears. When this occurs, the vehicle shifts to a lower gear, and the vehicle rapidly decelerates from a high rate of speed to a low rate of speed while traveling. In addition to the unexpected and dangerous change in speed while in traffic, the shift into low gear causes the engine to rev and the noise from this caused me to panic while in traffic. On one occasion this occurred when I was trying to cross a road with oncoming traffic. The paddles are very close to where the hands come into contact with the steering wheel and very little pressure, only a tap, will activate the paddles and switch the vehicle into low gear. I have contacted Honda and there is no way to deactivate the paddles.

Car just shut off while I was driving. There was no power. It would not start. At first it sounded like it wanted to start and then it just made no sound at all. The brake was hard as well. I put the hazards on but was in the fast lane on cleveland avenue in fort myers. I believe there are traffic cameras that will show the car sitting while cars were trying to get through the traffic light. The car finally started however I have no idea why it happened. We could have been killed sitting in the fast lane of a three lane road. There were three of us in the car.

The contact owns a 2022 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the engine seized. The contact was able to start the vehicle. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the failure was confirmed. The contact was informed that an unknown software update was performed, adjustments were performed, and the computer was reset. The failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was contacted by phone, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

See all problems of the 2022 Honda Ridgeline 🔎.

Start stop has failed to restart engine on several occasions.

Auto idle stop failed as I was sitting at a red light. As I came to a stop at the light, the truck entered the auto idle stop. When the light turned green and it was time to accelerate, I released my foot off of the brake and the engine stopped. It cut out right there. Warning lights came on and I had to restart the engine by totally shutting down the truck on a busy highway road. It took 2 attempts to get it to start. After this, I turned the auto idle stop off using the button located on the lower console. I am taking it to the Honda dealership tomorrow to work on a remedy via the autoidlestopsettlement from Honda.

I am submitting a safety complaint regarding my 2023 Honda Ridgeline with approximately 23,995 miles. My primary concern is an intermittent transmission/powertrain malfunction. While driving on the highway, the vehicle unexpectedly entered limp/fail-safe mode and experienced a significant loss of power and acceleration. This created a potentially dangerous situation because I was unable to accelerate normally while traveling with highway traffic. I am concerned that this could happen again without warning while merging, changing lanes, crossing an intersection, or attempting to avoid another vehicle. The electronic transmission selector has also intermittently stuck or failed to operate smoothly. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether other 2023 Honda Ridgeline owners have reported similar transmission warnings, limp-mode events, loss of propulsion, reduced acceleration, transmission-selector malfunctions, or related powertrain problems. The vehicle also has premature deterioration of both headlamp lenses, including fading, hazing, and cloudiness. I am concerned this may reduce nighttime light output and roadway visibility. Additionally, the engine produces an abnormal rattling noise during cold starts. Rust/corrosion is developing beneath the door weather seals, and the exterior window/pillar trim is prematurely fading and deteriorating. My most serious concern is the unexpected transmission malfunction and loss of power at highway speed. At only approximately 23,995 miles, I believe this condition warrants investigation because an unexpected reduction in propulsion can increase the risk of a collision.

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started shuddering and vibrating before becoming inoperable. The check engine warning light illuminated, and five seconds later the "low oil pressure" warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with a spun rod bearing and engine knock. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.

Engine idle start/stop feature shut off the engine while I was waiting to turn at a busy intersection. When I took my foot off the brake, the engine did not restart and all the lights in the dashboard came on. Multiple attempts to get the engine to re-start failed. Police had to block traffic while we waited for a tow truck. After about 15 minutes the system finally allowed the engine to start again, but the tow truck was already there so the car was towed to a local dealership. Problem was diagnosed as a starter pulling excessive voltage causing hard starts and failure of the auto start/stop system. The starter was replaced under warranty. Vehicle is just over a year old with 10k miles. I was lucky there wasn't an accident or any injuries but with cars swerving by me while I blocked the intersection before the police arrived, it could easily have been much worse. Even after the system was repaired, I do not feel safe driving with the automatic start/stop feature engaged. I know I can turn it off every time I get in the car, but it is too easy to forget to do that. I would like for Honda to reprogram the system to allow the driver to permanently disengage the auto stop feature, but I'm told that is not currently an option.

My Honda Ridgeline has experienced a dangerous malfunction involving the auto idle stop system. When the vehicle comes to a stop, the system automatically shuts off the engine as designed to conserve fuel. Normally, the engine should restart when the brake pedal is released. On multiple occasions, however, the engine has failed to restart when the brake pedal is released. A warning appears on the dashboard, and the vehicle becomes difficult to restart. This has left me unexpectedly unable to move the vehicle while stopped in traffic. This creates a serious safety hazard because the failure can occur at an intersection or in an active traffic lane. When traffic begins moving, the vehicle may remain stalled while surrounding drivers expect it to accelerate normally, creating a risk of a rear-end or other collision. The problem is unpredictable, and I am concerned that the auto idle stop system can disable the vehicle during normal operation without adequate warning. I believe this condition should be investigated as a potential safety defect.

This exact event is described in a Honda service bullertion (see attached).

This has happened for the last 2. 5 years and has happened between 5 and 10 times. While stopped at a traffic light the auto-stop feature activates. When the light changes and I attempt to move, the vehicle enters "cuts off" and the dash board directs me to shift to park or to step on the brake to restart the engine. It take multiple attempts but then it switches to accessory mode after which it generally starts. - two pictures have been included. The one at night was in [xxx] and the other during the day, was taken on the corner of [xxx] and [xxx] in [xxx]. I also have a short video clip of the [xxx] incident which occurred about two days before the [xxx] incident. Once this begins I put on my hazards to direct other vehicles to drive around. I have reported it to the dealer. The dealer assured me it was the battery and they tested the battery but the battery was fine. The issue is similar to other 2023 and is covered by TSB 23-008/23-010 (video link: [xxx] ) information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

My vehicle is currently sitting at a Honda dealership with a broken crankshaft counterweight and seized bearing. The engine needs to be replaced but Honda has refused to conduct the dealership warranty and blame shift it to a cracked oil pan that had happened in November of last year that was quickly addressed. Since then I have gone to [xxx] and back to [xxx] showing the vehicle was fine and operating. It is to my understanding that my 2024 Ridgeline has a 3. 5l j-series v6 engine. The NHTSA is actively investigating over 1. 4 million Honda v6 engines for this exact connecting rod bearing seizure defect. I feel it is wrong for the dealership to pin a known defect on something unrelated and have insurance pay and avoid conducting the warranty repair. My vehicle is sitting at 39,000 miles and I was on a normal commute to work when the incident occurred and still covered under factory warranty. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The vehicle was being driven under normal highway conditions while towing a boat within the vehicle's rated towing capacity. The driver observed the oil pressure warning light illuminate and continued driving normally for approximately 20-30 minutes, at which point the engine lost power and stalled. The vehicle would not restart. Upon inspection, engine oil and transmission fluid were both found at proper levels with no signs of contamination, and the crankshaft was confirmed to be fully seized (will not rotate by hand). There was no prior knocking noise or warning sign before the oil light illuminated. The safety of the driver was put at risk due to the possibility the bearings could eject from the engine. The engine seizure has been confirmed by right Honda, 7875 e frank lloyd wright blvd. , scottsdale, az 85254. The vehicle was inspected by them and they produced a diagnostic.

See all problems of the 2018 Honda Ridgeline 🔎.

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving 65 mph, there was a misfire coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and, upon inspection, the contact determined that one of the ignition coils had failed. The contact purchased a new ignition coil, replaced the part, and resumed driving; however, the vehicle made an abnormal rattling sound while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed due to a loosened connecting rod and needed to be replaced. The contact ordered a new engine. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

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.

No restart after auto start/stop engaged. The engine failed to restart on its own from a complete stop at a traffic light and road intersection with the auto start/stop function engaged. This occurred at a very busy intersection on a road under construction. I had passengers in the truck with outside temperatures above 100 degrees. Traffic was extremely heavy and other vehicles were honking heavily. The vehicle would not re-start even after many attempts to push the ignition re-start button. At first I thought it was a battery issue but when pushing the ignition button there was absolutely no response by the starter. I was in a panic so I did not take a photo of the dash but everything seemed to go dead. I opened the door, got out and popped the hood. I checked the battery terminals. They seemed tight. I got back in the truck and pushed the starter button and the engine started like nothing was wrong and worked fine the rest of the day. This is the only the next morning so I have not driven the vehicle today or contacted the dealer service department yet. I intend to do so. I believe my truck experienced an auto idle stop restart failure. I have read that opening and closing the door resets the vehicle's electrical system, allowing the push-button start to engage again. It seems this might be what happened when I got out to check the battery and then re-entered the vehicle. This situation left me and my passengers in a very dangerous situation. There were no warning lamps, messages or symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. I have read that this exact situation is a reoccurring issue with my model and year Honda Ridgeline and that Honda has not been able to effectively resolve this problem. This is a very serious problem and now I am almost afraid to drive my Honda truck which is almost new. Please help to correct this problem quickly as it creates very dangerous situations. I will be contacting the dealer service department today.

This is a followup to a complaint that I submitted on July 10, 2026 at 10:19:37 am, tracking #11749522. The incident that I am reporting today occurred on July 7, 2026 when my son was driving my 2025 Ridgeline alone. I was not aware of this incident until I happened to mention to him what I had experienced with the auto stop re-start failure (no restart after auto start/stop engages). He then reported to me that on July 7th while he was driving the Ridgeline he experienced a similar incident. When he pulled up to a busy intersection the vehicle failed to re-start after shutting off at the intersection. He said he did not know what was happening and panicked a bit. Until I brought up my incident to him he said that he thought he had done something wrong when operating the Ridgeline because he does not drive the vehicle very often. He said that he placed the vehicle in park and opened the door, similar to what I had done. He said that after he did this the vehicle did re-start which is exactly what I experienced. This is two failures with same vehicle within the same week. I called the Honda service department on Friday, July 10, 2026 and have scheduled an appointment for Tuesday, July 14, 2026. When I mentioned NHTSA odi had launched new investigation on March 26, 2026 and mentioned service bulletins 23-008 and 23-099 to the service advisor he told me that they did not apply to my model year including 10-year extended warranty with unlimited mileage also did not apply. He said that my vehicle was still under factory warranty and to bring it in so that they can complete an analysis and order parts if needed. The service advisor said "full disclosure, Honda has not developed or provided the updated part needed to fix the problem. " those were his words. I have read that sb 23-008 and 23-099 do not fix this problem and if not completed correctly can create additional problems making me very concerned with what the dealer will propose to fix this problem.

After braking to a stop, the default setting of the start stop system randomly fails at intersections and requires a complete restart of the vehicle. Has happened multiple times over the past two months. Dealer has checked all systems and can find no problems with battery or the system itself. Very hazardous when at a ramp end or a turn lane. The dealer recommended that the driver switch off the start stop system manually every time after starting.