Despite the reliability ratings the Honda Ridgeline has been given over the years, this truck has been plagued with some annoying and costly maintenance issues. Which versions had the worst problems? Let’s take a look at the top three of the worst Honda Ridgeline model years and what issues they faced.

1.2006 Honda Ridgeline

The Honda Ridgeline model debuted in 2005 for the 2006 model year. As typical with first-year versions of a vehicle, problems arise, and this is especially true with the Ridgeline. The engine in the pickup saw several instances where owners were faced with a problem with the #4 cylinder. In all cases reported on CarComplaints.com, the cylinder blew.

Mileage varies with each vehicle affected, but it ranged from 106,000 to 181,000 miles. In most of those cases, an engine replacement was the solution, but those owners were told that the price for the repair, which was around $5,000, would come out of their pocket. 

Other issues included strange electrical problems that dealt with the radio lights working on occasion. This extends to the instrument display, which can freeze without warning, causing various warning lights to light up.

In one case, the owner’s truck had a defective piece installed, which Honda would replace but they would only cover about $500 of the repair. The owner had to foot the rest of the bill. 

2.2007 Honda Ridgeline

Since it was the second model year for the Ridgeline, it continued to see some of the engine issues the 2006 model had. Except that it went one step further and had oil usage problems as well.

In many cases, the engine would start using oil excessively at around 120,000 miles. Research on the problem pointed to an issue with misdesigned rings in some of the cylinders. 

Drivers were frustrated because the truck with relatively low miles would use a quart of oil every 1,000 to 2,000 miles. In one case, it was a quart per 500 miles. The solution service technicians came up with was to replace the engine, which would cost the owner thousands of dollars. 

Another issue that plagued the 2007 model was the quality of the paint job done on the truck. Owners reported seeing paint coming off on the roof, hood, and near the side fenders.

Even the clear coating started to come off in some of these areas as well. The mileage where the issues began varied from 40,000 to 90,000 miles. 

3.2017 Honda Ridgeline

While Honda resolved many of the earlier issues it was plagued with, it hit another snag with the 2017 model. This time the Ridgeline saw many electrical problems that would baffle owners as well as service technicians.

Randomly, warning lights would come on, sometimes several at once. This started happening with trucks that had anywhere from 26,000 to 56,000 miles on the odometer. 

Honda technicians figured the problem was an electrical fault within the truck and repaired the issue for one owner at no cost. Another problem that arose was a failing fuel injector issue.

Drivers would first notice a warning light for the emission system, and after a while, the truck would begin running poorly. Replacing the offending fuel injectors costs some owners about $1,600 to fix. 

Some owners also reported an issue with the navigation system. The maps section on the infotainment system would error out, without bringing up any maps. Owners tried unsuccessfully to fix the error. When the technicians looked at it, none could duplicate the error, so no fix was given. 

The Honda Ridgeline is a pretty decent truck and becoming more popular as time goes on. However, if you’re looking to buy a used model, you’ll want to avoid the 2006, 2007, and the 2017 versions as these had quite a few issues that needed ironing out. If you insist on getting one of these models, be sure to check and see if the problems were resolved before buying.