Problems · NHTSA complaints

2026 Honda Ridgeline problems

Owners filed 12 complaints about the 2026 Honda Ridgeline with NHTSA between Jan 2026 and Oct 2026. The most-cited component is exterior lighting (6).

Complaints
12
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Exterior lighting6
  2. Forward collision avoidance3
  3. Engine1
  4. Structure1
  5. Lane departure1
  6. Engine and engine cooling1
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic1

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Exterior lighting

6 reports
“Honda made a change a couple of years ago from the 2 camera auto dimming of high beams to an all in one camera on the newer models of the Honda Ridgeline. I experienced that the auto dimming of the high beam did not function well on my previous 2024 Honda Ridgeline. And now I have a 2026 Honda Ridgeline Black Edition. It is having the same problem. When driving at night the high beam lights switch on when no on coming traffic. When on coming traffic is seen it is supposed to switch off. I have found that the system switches on and off from road signs and other lights nearby the road traveled. Sometimes it does not switch off with on coming vehicles and they are flashing their headlights at me. It is a safety defect that Honda has known about for a few years, with Ridgeline owners reporting this to them about the malfunction. Honda needs to fix this so that there will not be a safety problem anymore, which could blind on coming drivers to be partially blinded due to the defect. This defect has happened several times when I drive at night.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 22, 2026Exterior lightingODI 11773042

Forward collision avoidance

3 reports1 crash
“The front crash system alerts at least once a day, when there are no vehicles in front of me, or when they vehicles in front of me are more than 10 car lengths. The alert with also come on when a vehicle is coming in the opposite direction. This system has alerted on some day up to six times in a day. This started the day I drive the vehicle off the dealer lot.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 28, 2026Forward collision avoidanceODI 11774327

Engine

1 report
“I was driving about 75 miles an hour down the highway, the transmission started slipping and then I started to get warning saying transmission problem, pull over, do not drive, etc. I could not change gears at all, could not accelerate or anything. Had to have the vehicle towed to dealer.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 14, 2026EngineODI 11771105

Structure

1 report
“I am the owner of a 2026 Honda Ridgeline, which I have owned for approximately seven months. Since taking delivery, the vehicle has emitted a persistent, very strong chemical odor consistent with volatile organic compound (VOC) off-gassing. This is distinct from a mildew or air-conditioning-related odor; the smell is present throughout the cabin interior as well as in the truck bed well, and does not correlate with AC use. In an effort to resolve the issue, I have kept the vehicle parked outside (not in an enclosed garage), with the bed well left open and the windows down for extended periods to ventilate the interior. Despite these efforts over the seven-month period, the odor has not diminished to an acceptable level and remains strong. Exposure to the odor causes me to develop headaches and throat irritation. These symptoms occur during normal use of the vehicle and are directly attributable to the smell, not to any other known cause. I am requesting that this be formally investigated and documented as a defect, as the odor appears to stem from an interior or structural material issue rather than routine new-vehicle off-gassing, given that it has not…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 19, 2026StructureODI 11751373

Lane departure

1 report1 crash
“Car was on the highway braking hard with the ACC even if the vehicle in front was atleast 4/5 car lengths away. Moved to the right lane to stop it and came up to a box truck and the car automatically broke very hard and LKA started jerking the wheel to the left lane causing the rear bumper to collide with the cars in the next lanes front bumper. My vehicle pit maneuvered into the median ditch and flipped once.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 23, 2026Forward collision avoidance, Lane departureCrash reportedODI 11733216

Engine and engine cooling

1 report
“The contact owns a 2026 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that the vehicle was test-driven for two days prior to being purchased. The vehicle was then purchased brand new and was driven for 30 minutes to the residence, and was parked in the garage with the windows rolled up. The contact noticed that there was an abnormally strong odor coming from the inside and the outside of the vehicle. The contact experienced intermittent and persistent headaches, which the contact attributed to the vehicle's volatile organic compounds. The contact had scheduled an appointment with a medical Doctor. The dealer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The dealer offered to install an Ozone generator to absorb the strong chemical odor. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 129.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 27, 2026Engine and engine coolingODI 11727552
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.