Second generation
2021 Honda Ridgeline
The most reported problem on the 2021 Honda Ridgeline is infotainment, with 12 complaints.
- 101owner complaints
- 7recalls
- 3involved a crash
- 43,928median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 9, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
Problem sheets
No single problem on the 2021 Honda Ridgeline has enough owner reports for a sheet of its own yet. The counts below still cover every complaint on file.
Is the 2021 Honda Ridgeline reliable?
The 2021 Honda Ridgeline has 101 owner complaints on file with NHTSA, less than half the median of 259 for 2021 pickups on this site. Of the 10 Ridgeline model years since 2014, it has the 7th most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2020 and 2022
- At 17 complaints for each year on the road, the 2021 runs below both the 2020 (24) and the 2022 (23).
- Top problem
- Two problems run close. Infotainment has 12 complaints and misfire has 11, out of 101 in all. Too few of the infotainment reports give a mileage to say when it starts.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 4 of the 101 complaints (4%) report a crash, a fire or an injury, a little under the 6% typical of vehicles on this site. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 3 reports mention a crash and 2 people were hurt.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- 7 recalls are on file, but no problem here has enough reports to set against them.
- When owners filed
- Filings peaked in 2022 at 27 (full calendar years only). In 2025 there were 18. So far in 2026, 14 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: infotainment, screen or backup camera fails, 12 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
101 complaints is 1.9 times fewer than the median 2021 model on this site and 2.6 times fewer than the median 2021 pickup. Among the 7 Ridgeline model years here it ranks 7th for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2021 Honda Ridgeline
Honda filed 83 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2021 Honda Ridgeline. 8 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
Check engine light or misfire 3 bulletins · 11 complaints
Under certain circumstances, after coming to a stop and engaging idle stop, the vehicle may not restart automatically due to excessive cylinder pressure and/or low cranking torque.
Due to variations in the purge control solenoid valve spring, the valve wears unevenly and intermittently sticks. This may result in setting DTC P0441 (Evaporative Emission (EVAP) System Purge Flow Malfunction).
1 more on this problem
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is investigating certain 2020-2022 Accords, CR-Vs, Odysseys, Passports, Pilots, Ridgelines, 2020 Fits, 2020-2021 Civic Hatchbacks, 2020-2023 Civic Sedans/Coups with a customer complaint of the Check Engine Light (CEL) on & ...
Headlights too dim or fail 4 bulletins · 11 complaints
The headlight seal may become damaged from a misadjusted hood. Damage to the headlight seal may lead to moisture condensation building up in the headlight.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2021 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of moisture in headlight. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle before you attempt a repair of any kind.
2 more on this problem
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2020 Passports, Pilots & 2021 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of moisture in the headlight.
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2021 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of moisture in the headlight.
Backup camera goes black or freezes 1 bulletin · 7 complaints
American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the rearview camera inop. Customer may also complain of the tailgate lock inop, alarm activating on its own, or cargo light inop.
Complaints filed by year
27 complaints came in 2022, 2.1 times the year before. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
NHTSA investigations
No restart after auto start/stop engages. Open.
NHTSA summary
Rear-view camera failure. Closed aug 5, 2024, led to recall 24V-321.
NHTSA summary
Recalls that include the 2021 Honda Ridgeline
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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.
Risk and remedy
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.
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.
Risk and remedy
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.
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.
Risk and remedy
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.
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.
Risk and remedy
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.
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.
Risk and remedy
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.
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."
Risk and remedy
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.
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."
Risk and remedy
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.
All 7 recalls on the 2021 Honda Ridgeline, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide NHTSA has an open investigation on this car. What the investigation stages mean
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2021 Honda Ridgeline?
Infotainment, with 12 of the 101 complaints.
At what mileage do 2021 Honda Ridgeline problems start?
Of the 26 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 8,000 miles and half by about 44,000.
Is the 2021 Honda Ridgeline better or worse than the 2020 and 2022?
Counted per year on the road, the 2021 has fewer complaints than both the 2020 and the 2022: 17 a year against 24 and 23.
How many 2021 Honda Ridgeline complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
4 of them (4%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for infotainment on the 2021 Honda Ridgeline?
No recall on file for the 2021 Honda Ridgeline is on the same system as infotainment. Another recall may still cover your car, so check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.