2023 Honda Ridgeline: What to check before buying

Automatic high beams switch erratically. They dim for reflective road signs, street lights, and porch lights on empty roads, then come back on or stay bright as oncoming cars approach. On some trucks they never turn on, even on fully dark roads. Oncoming drivers flash their lights in response, and high beams that drop out at the start of a corner leave the road ahead poorly lit. Dealers often find nothing wrong or say no fix exists, and the sensitivity can't be adjusted. A smaller group reports moisture inside a headlight, which a service bulletin covers, though repairs are billed to the owner.

The rearview camera screen goes black or nearly black in reverse. A recall replaced the tailgate wire harness, but at least one owner says the fault returned months later and could be triggered by working the dual-action tailgate a few times. Several complaints are really about recall parts being out of stock for months. Owners also report a wireless charging pad that charges for only a few seconds, voice navigation that won't understand commands, an Auto Engine Idle Stop System error that keeps returning, and erratic auto high beams. Dealers often say Honda has no repair.

Power drops off suddenly and the check engine light flashes, usually when the driver exits after a long cold-weather highway run. Shutting the truck off and letting it cool restores power. One dealer blamed condensation in the intake manifold and said Honda has not solved it. Other reports describe gasoline in the oil with strong fuel odors in the cabin, a stall diagnosed as engine failure needing a replacement engine near 20,117 miles, and a knock near the main bearing at 34,000 miles. Smaller complaints cover a slow auto start/stop restart and lurching on steep grades.

After a long highway drive, often in cold weather, the check engine light flashes on the off-ramp and the truck won't accelerate or shift. It revs but tops out around 30 to 35 mph, sometimes requiring a tow. A restart usually clears it. Separately, the transmission drops into neutral while driving or at a stop and shows a "stop driving when safe" warning. Dealers have confirmed the fault and say they have no correction, and software resets haven't held. Low-speed stalling, including in an intersection, and shuddering are also reported. Several failures began within the first few thousand miles.

None of these complaints describe a failure. All 6 concern recall campaign 24V321000 for back over prevention, where owners got the recall notice but dealers had no parts to do the repair. Owners say the wait went well past a reasonable time, and both dealers and the manufacturer confirmed the parts shortage. The issue is parts distribution, not a fault anyone has seen on the road. A shopper should still confirm the recall repair has been completed.

Automatic emergency braking activates when nothing is in the way, often set off by oncoming traffic in the other lane. The dash flashes a brake warning, the steering wheel shakes, and the brakes apply. Sometimes the truck stops completely in an intersection or while crossing traffic on a left turn, leaving it exposed to a side impact. Owners say they must switch the feature off every time they start the truck. One crash report describes hesitation going uphill, brakes that failed to slow the truck, and a sudden jolt into a building.

The collision system misreads oncoming cars on curving two-lane roads, especially right-hand curves, while both vehicles stay in their lanes. It sounds an alarm and flashes an amber brake warning, and sometimes it brakes hard, which owners compare to brake-checking the traffic behind them. It doesn't happen every time, which makes it hard to anticipate. One report describes locked brakes and a dead accelerator pedal during a merge, and the dealer found no cause. The system can be turned off, but only one drive at a time.

Doors sometimes refuse to unlock or open without significant force. It happens intermittently, and owners worry that a weaker occupant couldn't get out after a crash or fire. Other reports cover exterior parts coming loose at speed. The lower rear door trim on the passenger side flew off through the wheel well. A tonneau cover detached at 70 mph around 2,100 miles, and the dealer blamed defective mounting brackets. Honda offered to replace that cover.