Honda Ridgeline Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2006 draws 5.45 complaints per run and the 2008 2.87, a 1.9-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age, so 65.7% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Electrical System, with 411 complaints, typically at 3.6 years.

Honda Ridgeline years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Honda Ridgeline — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2026	1	7	7	too new
2025	2.46	96	39	too new
2024	1.85	63	34	too new
2023	3.53	127	36	too new
2022	3.34	117	35	too new
2021	2.59	101	39	too new
2020	4.31	168	39	yes
2019	3.48	233	67	yes
2018	3.04	158	52	yes
2017	3.75	334	89	yes
2014	1.41	31	22	yes
2013	1.76	44	25	yes
2012	1.33	24	18	yes
2011	1.76	37	21	yes
2010	1.81	38	21	yes
2009	1.23	32	26	yes
2008	2.87	132	46	yes
2007	3	144	48	yes
2006	5.45	207	38	yes

ROWS 19·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2006 Ridgeline asks a median $6,569, against $5,900 for a 2007, the next model year: 11% more, so the price shows no discount for its complaint record.

Among the 7 Honda Ridgeline years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2006, 2020, 2017; the three worth hunting are 2008, 2007, 2018.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Honda Ridgeline — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	279	13.9%	covered
1 year	215	24.5%	covered
2 years	196	34.3%	covered
3 years	256	47%	you pay
4 years	230	58.4%	you pay
5 years	223	69.5%	you pay
6 years	132	76%	you pay
7 years	116	81.8%	you pay
8 years	129	88.2%	you pay
9 years	109	93.6%	you pay
10 years	47	95.9%	you pay
11 years	15	96.7%	you pay
12 years	18	97.6%	you pay
13 years	13	98.2%	you pay
14 years	15	99%	you pay
15 years	21	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 34.3% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 65.7% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 23% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Honda Ridgeline, the early trouble is Electrical System and Unknown Or Other — reported at around 3.6 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Air Bags at 6.6 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Honda Ridgeline — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Electrical System	411	3.6 yrs	3	25
Air Bags	327	6.6 yrs	31	2
Engine	324	4.6 yrs	3	9
Unknown Or Other	230	3.5 yrs	5	2
Power Train	167	4.4 yrs	4	1
Exterior Lighting	156	1.3 yrs	1	1
Structure	153	6.3 yrs	4	2
Fuel/propulsion System	148	3.9 yrs	—	2

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Ridgeline's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Tundra draws 2.81, the Tesla Cybertruck 8.05 and the Jeep Gladiator 3.81, against 3.01 for the Ridgeline.

FIG.05·Honda Ridgeline — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Ridgeline	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Tundra	6,805	242	1995–2026
Tesla Cybertruck	177	16	2024–2026
Jeep Gladiator	991	34	2020–2026
Nissan Titan	3,099	116	2002–2026
Chevrolet SS	99	24	2014–2026
Rivian R1T	130	37	2022–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Honda Ridgeline

Recalls151 campaigns Fuel economy22 mpg best Common problems2,185 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Used prices1,509 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2006–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Honda Ridgeline reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 3.01 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which Ridgeline years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2006, 2020, 2017. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2008, 2007, 2018. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Ridgeline problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 4 years of age. The most reported system is Electrical System, typically at 3.6 years, followed by Air Bags.

Will the warranty cover Ridgeline problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 34.3% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 23% of the complaints here.

Is the Ridgeline more reliable than the Toyota Tundra?

No: 3.01 complaints per production run for the Ridgeline against 2.81 for the Toyota Tundra.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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