2024 Honda Ridgeline electrical system problems

“Vehicle purchased in June of 2024, and with auto start in normal state (not disabled) vehicle does not restart (as it is designed to) when stopped at a stop light. I will have to put the vehicle into a parked state and then attempt to restart it. Fortunately I have not been rear ended yet, but it has caused delays in traffic having to attempt to complete this to get the car running again. Does the 2012 EPA rules and "off-cycle" credits that encouraged automakers to adopt automatic start-stop systems to reduce emissions really help people from possibly getting hit at a stop light/stop sign. I know I can turn it off, but if I turn it off why does it turn on automatically when the engine shut off and is restarted again.”

“There’s been a constant system failure with the starter, which works intermittently. It has a sluggish turnover. There have been a lot of reported problems with this starter, which causes system failure in the vehicle.”

“The starter motor suffers from electrical heat-soak. When the engine is fully warm, the vehicle fails to restart manually. This leaves the vehicle stranded and vulnerable at gas stations, intersections, or in heavy traffic conditions after the vehicle is shut off. The manufacturer's dealership cannot reproduce it because they only test the battery cold, leaving a known defect unaddressed on a vehicle still under factory bumper-to-bumper warranty. This starter happening occasionally but now anytime it is hot it fails to restart or restarts very slow.”

“In August 2026, my 2024 Honda Ridgeline Black Edition became undriveable while traveling in stop‑and‑go traffic on a four‑lane interstate. Without warning, the vehicle shut down completely and would not restart. After multiple attempts, it eventually restarted, but the shutdowns continued several more times during the same trip. The local Honda dealership retrieved diagnostic codes indicating software and transmission faults related to the auto stop/start system. They reinstalled the vehicle’s software. Several weeks later, similar failures occurred again involving the stop/start system. During the second evaluation, the dealership diagnosed the starter motor electrical connections as the source of the fault, noting that the starter was drawing excessive amperage. Replacement parts were no longer available from Honda and took several weeks to obtain. After replacement, the vehicle continues to experience electrical malfunctions, including unexpected computer reboots when coming to a stop. The issue remains unresolved, and the vehicle continues to pose a safety risk due to unpredictable shutdowns and electrical instability.”

“Initial Mechanical Issues – September 2026 In September, while slowing down at a traffic light, my Ridgeline unexpectedly shifted into Park on its own. I was forced to turn the vehicle completely off and restart it before I could continue driving. In addition to this dangerous incident, I experienced several other electrical and mechanical problems: •The high beams would activate unexpectedly, even when another vehicle was directly in front of me. •The driver's side window would move up and down without being prompted. •The vehicle began hesitating when starting in the mornings, behaving as though it had an aging or failing engine. Second Dangerous Incident – October 13, 2026 Approximately one month later, the vehicle again began experiencing difficulty starting and shifting gears roughly. On October 13, while slowing down at a traffic light, my Ridgeline unexpectedly shifted into Neutral on its own. A message appeared on the dashboard instructing me to press the brake pedal and shift into Park. My vehicle became disabled in the middle of the roadway, leaving me in an extremely dangerous situation. I was nearly struck by a semi-truck while sitting helplessly in…”

“The system in question and failing is the idle-stop engine, start function. The truck is available for inspection upon request. The idle-stop engine has failed to restart the engine several times in traffic and at stop lights. This has created a safety hazard, since even after completely shutting down the vehicle (all power off), it has taken multiple tries to restart. The starter becoming increasingly harder to start each time. The problem has been reproduced by Hagerstown Honda, [XXX] where I purchased and have the vehicle serviced. Vehicle has been inspected by the manufacturer's representative -- Hagerstown Honda. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. This issue began occurring in XXX, after owning the vehicle just over two years. Issue has occurred multiple times in traffic in [XXX] and on surrounding roadways. Current fix is to always remember to disengage this system. However, the starter is becoming increasingly weaker in its ability to turnover the engine which is very concerning.”