Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: it scores well across the board with no single weak engine.
Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Honda Ridgeline, and it carries 2 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 19 | 23% |
| Electrical system | 9 | 11% |
| Engine | 9 | 11% |
| Unknown or other | 6 | 7% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 6 | 7% |
| Electrical system | 5 | 6% |
| Service brakes | 2 | 2% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 2% |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 2% |
| Steering | 1 | 1% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
Auto bright headlight feature malfunctions constant when on almost to thr effect of a strobe light. Street lights, reflective street markings, reflective road signs, all make it disbale. When it actually does need to dis
NHTSA complaint: Exterior lighting
I am reporting an urgent potential safety defect involving my 2025 Honda Ridgeline Sport, in Puerto Rico. Since the first oil/filter service, the vehicle has repeatedly developed a grinding/growling/knocking-type noise a
NHTSA complaint: Steering
Ridgeline Failures! 1st Failure, XXX, ridgeline failed to start. AAA could not jump the vehicle because the vehicle had zero charge. It was towed to Autofair Honda, in [XXX] 85 miles away. They replaced the battery. (See
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
When stopping with the auto idle stop system engaged, the vehicle failed to auto restart after letting off the brake pedal. This has happened three times with the last two occurrence less than a week apart. The first
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Multiple failures of the Auto Start Stop system to restart the vehicle. This has happened several times in an intersection creating a safety hazard.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
I was driving in a stop and go traffic due to a traffic accident ahead of me. One of the times I stopped it seemed like it stalled but it was still on and the dashboard told me to put it in park so I did and then I was u
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
2025 Ridgeline. Brake pedal sinks when engine started. Brake pedal sinks below the footrest. When applying brake pedal in an emergency stop my left foot contacts footrest causing me to have to release then re-apply the b
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
On two occasions, immediately after re-fueling the vehicle, the engine auto idle stop failed to restart the vehicle. Both times this happened at busy intersections. A series of messages appeared on the display. I was flu
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2025 Honda Ridgeline. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
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: A rearview camera that does not display an image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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
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
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Fix: 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 th
| Reliability raw | 86 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 85 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 78 | good |
| Depreciation | 90 | excellent |
| Performance | 67 | good |
| Efficiency | 39 | below average |
| Safety | 93 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other pickup trucks in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and exterior lighting is the most reported area with 19 of them (23%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 86/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 85/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2025 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: buy, because it scores well across the board with no single weak engine. Its overall ownership score is 80/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.