2007 Honda Ridgeline Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the Takata airbag inflator recalls, usually describing long waits for parts at the dealer rather than a failure on the road. Beyond that, complaints cluster around rear-frame corrosion in salt-belt states, blower motor and wiring damage under the right side of the dash, and a radiator that lets transmission fluid and coolant mix. Many of these reports arrive well past 100,000 miles, so this is a truck whose issues tend to be age- and climate-related.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Airbag inflator recall parts unavailable

   • 68 complaints (43%)
   • median 81,500 mi at 9.0 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2018

   Owners say they received recall notices for the Takata front airbag inflators but could not get the work done, describing repeated appointments where the dealer said the parts were not in stock or on back order. Some mention being offered only a small daily rental allowance rather than a comparable vehicle while waiting, and a few report long stretches with the truck sitting at the dealer. Others describe SRS warning lights that dealers traced to seat sensors or wiring rather than the inflator itself. Reported across a wide mileage range, from near-new to over 175,000 miles, and concentrated in 2015-2019 as recall notices went out.

   Recall 19V500000Recall 19V501000Recall 19V182000Recall 17V029000Recall 16V344000Recall 16V0610006 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for written proof that both driver and passenger inflators were replaced under recall, and check whether any open recall still applies to the VIN. A lit SRS light is worth diagnosing before purchase.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Takata recall: I was mailed a recall notice from Honda concerning my from air bag. I contacted fairfax Honda of virginia in the spring to sign up for this recall. I have followed up several times. I have not been able to make any progress. I have been repeatedly told the part is on order. Please help make Honda and the dealer take action to resolve this.”

   NHTSA complaint #10914857, filed 2016-10, 145,000 miles

   “Honda posted on your website that they would repair air bags to vehicles outside of the regions they think are limited to air bag problems. I called Honda america and they refused to repair the air bag in my Ridgeline even though they said it is a takata air bag. I want in repaired for my and my families personal safety and peace of mind.”

   NHTSA complaint #10659302, filed 2014-11, 59,000 miles
2. 2
   Body and structure

   Rear frame and subframe rust-through

   Mentioned in 8 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe heavy corrosion on the rear frame and subframe, sometimes found only when a dealer performed a punch test during recall work. Owners report being told the vehicle was too rusted for the recall remedy to hold, or that the remedy could not be completed at all, leaving them without a repair path. Some describe humming or clanking noises, and one said the rear wheel area had rusted through. Typically reported from roughly 98,000 to 210,000 miles, mostly on older trucks in states that use road de-icing agents.

   Recall 22V4300001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Inspect the rear frame and the area where the fuel tank mounts, especially on trucks from salt-belt states, and ask whether the 22V430000 remedy was applied and accepted.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The unibody is rusted through. The frame part that holds the rear wheels has rusted through . The entire wheel assembly is falling of!! I noticed this first with a noise which then started shaking I slowly stopped and had the vehicle look at and was told that the entire rear power train would have broke off at any time causing a bad accident had I been on a highway !!”

   NHTSA complaint #10959946, filed 2017-03, 130,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2007 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that the subframe was corroded. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V430000 (Structure) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11516247, filed 2023-04, 112,000 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Blower motor connector and wiring damage

   • 11 complaints (7%)
   • median 69,185 mi at 6.4 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2019

   Owners describe the HVAC blower stopping, no heat or defrost, and in some cases smoke or a burning smell from under the passenger side of the dash. Inspections found melted connectors, harness sections and blower components. Complaints also mention difficulty getting the recall repair scheduled because parts had not arrived, and one reported steering and warning-light problems after the wiring work was done. Mostly reported between about 26,000 and 95,000 miles, often after the blower fails or a burning odor appears.

   Recall 10V001000

   What to check: Confirm the 10V001000 blower motor harness recall was completed, and run the blower on every speed setting while listening and smelling for trouble.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2007 Honda Ridgeline heater motor stopped blowing. Troubleshoot the problem and found a melted wiring harness. Did some research and found the recall to take place in march. Called hidy Honda to request a fix and was told my vehicle is not covered. Called hondausa and was told the same thing. At this point I need the motor for defrost purposes. I am purchasing the motor on my own and will repair myself if I can get parts at all.”

   NHTSA complaint #10310057, filed 2010-02, 57,000 miles

   “I am a disabled veteran and I need some help. My A/C fan stopped working! It is 120*f inside my vehicle!!! The thermostat has been a bit touchy for a few months, but it never ceased to function. Now it has and its blazing hot!!! My daughter started the car and the A/C failed to turn on. No A/C and it is 90*f in the shade. I took my vehicle in for a recall a few years ago that referenced the fan motor harness and moisture of some sort. This is a terrrible development!”

   NHTSA complaint #11232092, filed 2019-07, 94,146 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Coolant and transmission fluid mixing in radiator

   • 11 complaints (7%)
   • median 65,000 mi at 8.9 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2007–2020

   Several owners report the internal radiator cooler failing so that coolant and transmission fluid mix, which in their accounts led to a failed transmission and a replacement radiator. Symptoms described include loss of drive or no engagement in forward or reverse, hard shifting, and vibration around 45-60 mph under light throttle. One owner also described a torque converter shudder at steady cruising speed. Reported from roughly 11,000 up to about 160,000 miles, with most accounts above 55,000 miles.

   What to check: Check the coolant reservoir and transmission fluid for discoloration or contamination, and ask whether the radiator has been replaced or the transmission serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My radiator failed in a fashion in which the radiator fluid mixed with the transmission fluid, destroying my transmission. I was driving my 2007 Honda Ridgeline on a main road in va when the transmission failed causing me. The failure of the transmission was caused by the radiator failing and subsequently mixing coolant with the transmission fluid. This mix of fluids destroyed the transmission and radiator. I did not want to buy a new car, so I had a local shop install a used transmission and radiator at the cost of about $4k. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11187180, filed 2019-03, 159,881 miles

   “When I bought the Honda Ridgeline I found the transmission line an coolant line broke inside radiator causing issues and having to replace lines an radiator along with tranny flush. Now the transmission shifts hard into fourth shaking the truck every time touching the gas around 60mph and sometimes normal city driving. Aldo the brakes are soft and spongy and has to be put almost to the floor to start stopping. I like hundreds of other Ridgeline owners don't understand why Honda doesn't fix these issues that basically all ridgelines have. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11166617, filed 2019-01, 161,000 miles
5. 5
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Rear sliding window and sunroof glass shattering

   • 6 complaints (4%)
   • median 94,000 mi at 7.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2016

   Owners report the rear center sliding window or the sunroof glass breaking suddenly while driving, with glass landing in the back seat and floor. Several say there was no impact or debris involved and that the window was open or the sunroof in the vent position at the time. Repairs were generally handled by ordering replacement glass through a dealership. Reported from about 36,000 to 140,000 miles, in ordinary driving conditions rather than during a collision.

   What to check: Open and close the rear slider and sunroof to check for binding or looseness, and look for previously replaced glass or sealant around the rear window.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Honda ridgelibe rear center sliding window exploded for no reason and without any cause during a drive with my 6 year old in the back seat. After reading on the internet causes I have discovered this is not an isolated occurrence. My daughter could have been seriously injured. We were driving in a subdivision with no other cars on the street.”

   NHTSA complaint #10789031, filed 2015-11, 94,000 miles

   “I have a 2007 Honda Ridgeline and the rear sliding window shattered into the passenger compartment for no apparent reason while driving. I reported it to the police as I thought that it was possible that someone might have shot it out with a bullet. I have since learned that this has happened several time switch other Honda ridgelines.”

   NHTSA complaint #10328442, filed 2010-05, 40,000 miles

Buying note. Check recall status first, particularly the airbag inflators and the rear frame campaign, and get written confirmation that any open remedy was completed. On an older truck, a close look at the rear frame for rust and a check of the coolant and transmission fluid are the two inspections most likely to change your decision.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.