Honda Ridgeline Years to Avoid

Years to avoid: 2023 At least twice the 50 complaints of a typical Ridgeline year. Most described: headlight problems.
Best years: No year stands out Only the 2018 and 2020 drew under three quarters of the 50 complaints of a typical Ridgeline year since 2016. The 2018 is named in an open NHTSA investigation. The 2020's first three years fell in the pandemic, when people drove less.

Based on owner complaints filed with NHTSA in each model year's first three years, not adjusted for sales. The 2024 to 2026 models are too new to judge. See every year ranked

Data: US EPA and NHTSAUpdated Nov 12, 2026

Every model year since 2010 in one place: EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls, owner complaints and crash test ratings. The best fuel economy rating, 22 mpg combined, arrived in 2017. Honda sold no Ridgeline for 2015 or 2016.

Ridgeline problems by year, ranked by owner complaints

How the years are ranked

Model years ranked by owner complaints filed with NHTSA in their first three years (model year Y: filed by the end of Y+2), so every year is measured over the same time on the road. Years without three full years of data, and launch or final years with very few sold, are left out. Counts are not adjusted for how many were sold.

A typical Ridgeline year drew 50 complaints in its first three years: the median of its years since 2016, higher than the median of all its ranked years (31.5). Years to avoid drew at least twice that, and at least 50. Best years are up to three years since 2016 with the fewest complaints, each under three quarters of a typical year since 2016 (50), with no open NHTSA investigation and no do-not-drive or park-outside recall that covers all versions; the 2020 is never picked, as its first three years fell in the pandemic. How the verdict works.

Model year	First 3 years	All complaints	Recalls
2023 Ridgeline Avoid Most described: headlight or exterior light problems	101	133	5
2022 Ridgeline Most described: loss of power or limp mode	79	119	3
2017 Ridgeline Most described: backup camera problems	77	349	8
2019 Ridgeline Most described: backup camera problems	50	239	11
2021 Ridgeline Most described: loss of power or limp mode	49	103	7
2018 Ridgeline Most described: backup camera problems	33	163	7
2020 Ridgeline Most described: backup camera problems	30	172	8
2014 Ridgeline Most reported: air bags	17	34	6
2010 Ridgeline Most reported: air bags	10	42	9
2013 Ridgeline Most reported: air bags	3	45	7
2011 Ridgeline Most reported: air bags	1	39	10
2012 Ridgeline Most reported: air bags	0	24	11

Compare other models' worst years in the worst model years guide.

Check your Ridgeline for open recalls

Opens NHTSA's lookup in a new tab; your VIN goes to NHTSA, not to us. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard, the door jamb and your registration. Safety recall repairs are free at Honda dealers for vehicles up to 15 years old from first sale.

How to check a car for recalls, step by step

Get a vehicle history report from EpicVIN (opens in a new tab): a paid report with the car's title, odometer and salvage records, from an approved NMVTIS data provider. Affiliate link: we earn a commission if you buy. If you typed a full VIN above, the link sends it to EpicVIN and opens its checkout page for that VIN. Check the price before you pay: EpicVIN's $1 trial lasts 3 days, then becomes a monthly subscription until you cancel ($49.99 to $99.99 a month on its pages as of Oct 2, 2026). Disclosure

Year by year

Model year	Best rating	Recalls	Complaints	Crash test
2026 MPG · Recalls and problems	21 mpg Gas	0	13
2025 MPG · Recalls and problems	21 mpg Gas	2	107
2024 MPG · Recalls and problems	21 mpg Gas	1	78
2023 MPG · Recalls and problems	21 mpg Gas	5	133
2022 MPG · Recalls and problems	21 mpg Gas	3	119
2021 MPG · Recalls and problems	21 mpg Gas	7	103
2020 MPG · Recalls and problems	22 mpg Gas	8	172
2019 MPG · Recalls and problems	22 mpg Gas	11	239
2018 MPG · Recalls and problems	22 mpg Gas	7	163
2017 MPG · Recalls and problems	22 mpg Gas	8	349
2014 MPG · Recalls and problems	17 mpg Gas	6	34	Not rated
2013 MPG · Recalls and problems	17 mpg Gas	7	45	Not rated
2012 MPG · Recalls and problems	17 mpg Gas	11	24	Not rated
2011 MPG · Recalls and problems	17 mpg Gas	10	39	Not rated
2010 MPG · Recalls and problems	17 mpg Gas	9	42	Not rated

Owner complaints by model year

All complaints filed so far. Counts rise with sales volume and with time on the road, so recent years look better than they may turn out. The highlighted bar is the model year with the most complaints in its first three years.

2023: 133 complaints

Show as a table

Owner complaints by model year, Honda Ridgeline
Model year	Complaints
2010	42
2011	39
2012	24
2013	45
2014	34
2017	349
2018	163
2019	239
2020	172
2021	103
2022	119
2023	133
2024	78
2025	107
2026	13

Best combined rating by model year

The best-rated version in each model year. Gas: 17 to 22 mpg (2010 to 2014, 2017 to 2026); highest in 2017.

2026: gas 21 mpg

Show as a table

Honda Ridgeline best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version
2010	17
2011	17
2012	17
2013	17
2014	17
2015	–
2016	–
2017	22
2018	22
2019	22
2020	22
2021	21
2022	21
2023	21
2024	21
2025	21
2026	21

Every Ridgeline year's ratings in one table

Comparisons

Honda Ridgeline vs Toyota TacomaMPG, fuel cost, recalls and crash tests

Questions

Which Honda Ridgeline years should you avoid?

The 2023 Ridgeline is the year to avoid: it drew at least twice the 50 owner complaints of a typical Ridgeline year in its first three years. Owners of the 2023 most often describe headlight problems. Complaints can't tell you whether a particular car is sound, so whatever the year, check its open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy. Safety recall repairs are free at Honda dealers for vehicles up to 15 years old from first sale.

What are the best Honda Ridgeline years?

No year stands out as best. Only the 2018 and 2020 drew under three quarters of the 50 complaints of a typical Ridgeline year since 2016. The 2018 is named in an open NHTSA investigation. The 2020's first three years fell in the pandemic, when people drove less. The 2024, 2025, and 2026 are not ranked yet: they have had fewer than three full years on the road.

Which Honda Ridgeline years have the most problems?

Counting owner complaints filed with NHTSA in each model year's first three years, the 2023 (101) drew the most, then the 2022 (79). Owners of the 2023 most often describe headlight or exterior light problems.

Which Honda Ridgeline years have the most recalls?

The 2012 and 2019 have the most safety recalls in NHTSA's file (11 each). A recall can cover a problem that affects only a few cars, so open a year's page to see what each one covers. No recall for 2010 to 2026 models tells owners not to drive the car or to park it outside.

What are the most common Honda Ridgeline problems?

In the 1,660 owner complaints NHTSA lists for 2010 to 2026 models, owners most often describe backup camera problems (227 complaints, most of them for the 2017, 2018, and 2020); wiring, fuse or short-circuit problems (140 complaints, most of them for the 2017 and 2018); and auto start-stop problems (102 complaints, most of them for the 2020, 2024, and 2025). One complaint can describe several problems. Each year's recalls and problems page lists what owners describe for that year.

Which Honda Ridgeline year has the best MPG?

The best EPA fuel economy is 22 mpg combined, first reached by the 2017 gas version.

Sources and method

US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Nov 4, 2026.
NHTSA recall file dated Nov 12, 2026 and owner complaint file dated Nov 11, 2026; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.