Finally traded in my Ridgeline lemon

I'm one of those whose experienced more than their fair share of new car troubles and decided to dump mine before word got out that the Ridgeline is plagued with problems and the value plummets.
I had the water leaks and the carpet replaced, the squeaky steering wheel problem, sunroof leaked under high pressure - they couldn't fix it and then told me it was "normal" (both Honda and the dealer), the front windshield replaced twice - i still get a lot of wind noise at high speeds, a sqeaky back window, the tire pressure monitor warning lights and the explanation point light comes on and stays on during below freezing weather - dealer says it must be because the tires need pressure because they are so sensitive(OK, sure, whatever).
Yeah, maybe and hopefully, most of these problems were limited to a certain number of production numbers. Who knows? Honda has been horrible in helping and dealing with a lot of the problems and the dealer has been just as bad if not worse.
It will be a long time before I buy another Honda. Not because Honda makes poor quality cars too - it's been the horrible customer service in dealing with all these problems.
Honda should make things right with these owners that are plagued by all these issues somehow. They should be compensated for their time and trouble.
All I've heard from both the dealer and Honda on 95% of the problems were denials until a TSB was produced or I hounded them until they did something.
As I looked through all the other TSB's, I couldn't help but wonder what was next.
This should be a warning to anyone looking to buy a Ridgeline. Beware!
Ridgeline = trouble

EDIT:

My comment here is no longer valid. Honda resolved my complaint and I am VERY happy with my RL and with Honda at this point.

Sorry for your problems. I have 10,000 miles on my Ridge, and (knock on wood) it is as tight and problem-free as the day I bought it.

Sorry to hear about your problems. Mine has been perfect and I've sold two of my friends on new Ridgelines. I haven't been to the dealer for anything. I have 5,000 miles and do my own service.

Sorry for your problems. I have 10,000 miles on my Ridge, and (knock on wood) it is as tight and problem-free as the day I bought it.

6000 miles here, one trip to the dealer, for small water leak under the gas pedal. fixed first time no hasles no problems.

note: I recieved an email advertisement from the dealer I bought mine from, and i responded that i would never buy from them again due to the lack of knowledge and care the sales reps gave before and after the sale. ( the service dept was great frankly)

I got a call from the owner with one hour, he wanted to know what the isssues were, I told him, he said he would set up a training session for the sales staff. I don't know if it ever happened.

but I felt like he cared though. just my 2cents

I'm one of those whose experienced more than their fair share of new car troubles and decided to dump mine before word got out that the Ridgeline is plagued with problems and the value plummets.
I had the water leaks and the carpet replaced, the squeaky steering wheel problem, sunroof leaked under high pressure - they couldn't fix it and then told me it was "normal" (both Honda and the dealer), the front windshield replaced twice - i still get a lot of wind noise at high speeds, a sqeaky back window, the tire pressure monitor warning lights and the explanation point light comes on and stays on during below freezing weather - dealer says it must be because the tires need pressure because they are so sensitive(OK, sure, whatever).
Yeah, maybe and hopefully, most of these problems were limited to a certain number of production numbers. Who knows? Honda has been horrible in helping and dealing with a lot of the problems and the dealer has been just as bad if not worse.
It will be a long time before I buy another Honda. Not because Honda makes poor quality cars too - it's been the horrible customer service in dealing with all these problems.
Honda should make things right with these owners that are plagued by all these issues somehow. They should be compensated for their time and trouble.
All I've heard from both the dealer and Honda on 95% of the problems were denials until a TSB was produced or I hounded them until they did something.
As I looked through all the other TSB's, I couldn't help but wonder what was next.
This should be a warning to anyone looking to buy a Ridgeline. Beware!
Ridgeline = trouble

I'm assuming you did the right thing and told who ever you traded the truck to that it was a lemon? if you didn't what does that say about you? if you did I applaud you for following the golden rule!

This should be a warning to anyone looking to buy a Ridgeline. Beware!

Fortunately. more potential buyers read Consumer Reports than your post. Sorry for your problems, but you are definitely in a very tiny fraction of the minority. But now that you have gotten rid of it, I'm sure life will improve for you.

I believe your "warning" will go unnoticed by the average buyer of the best rated pick up truck out there.

fins

Sorry to hear of your troubles and your disappointment with Honda and your Ridgeline. I do believe that your case is the exception rather than the rule and that your problems have been mishandled by your local dealer. Since they failed to step in and step up to seeing that your problems were handled to your satisfaction, I place the majority of the blame with them.
I am certain that I am not alone in stating that my Ridgeline has been trouble free since i bought it in May 2005. That would be 7,000 miles and 10 months ago. OK, I did have one problem. The light in the passengers vanity mirror was intermittent. It took the dealer 5 minutes to locate and fix the loose connector. Obviously there have been some problems with some Ridgelines that you experienced as well. If your dealer had been better I suggest that your troubles and your frustration would have been substantially less. Anyone can have a problem with any product. How the company and their dealers handle the problems is central to the matter at hand. Honda does have some responsibility in the matter since they are the manufacturer and they allow some substandard dealers to handle their products. Again, my experience with my Ridgeline is different than yours has been and my experience with my dealer has been different as well. I could not be happier with my dealer, Dix Honda in State College, PA, because they have earned my confidence and my business by delivering outstanding customer service to me consistently over the years, not only for my Ridgeline but on several other Honda vehicles that we have purchased from them in the past. In the past two years I have purchased an Accord, a Ridgeline and and Element from them. We are considering a Civic Si at this time. I choose to purchase vehicles from Honda through my local dealer exactly for the reasons that you are complaining about with your dealer. Not all dealers are the same. While Honda should require each one to meet certain minimum standards for customer service, perhaps they are not enforcing their requirements with your dealer. Each dealer is independently owned and operated and their sure are differences from one to another. It sounds like you have been dealing with one that is at the bottom of the list.

Fortunately. more potential buyers read Consumer Reports than your post. Sorry for your problems, but you are definitely in a very tiny fraction of the minority. But now that you have gotten rid of it, I'm sure life will improve for you.

I believe your "warning" will go unnoticed by the average buyer of the best rated pick up truck out there.

fins
While I normally don't respond to post like this, I feel some of you are missing a very important rule in customer service and sales.
To paraphrase- "A satisified customer tells an average of 3 people and the unsatisified customer tells an average of 11 people." While this rule might not apply to the people on this board, we only make up about 6% of the ridgeline population. This leaves 94% out there that will roughly follow this rule of thumb. I personally have not had any problems with Honda (great dealer) but I have seen and heard of many complaints on the customer service. Even if this is not really true about the bad customer service from Honda, it is a "perceived" problem. There is really no difference between the two if you are a prospective buyer of the ridgeline. I would like the moderators to look into putting a link from this board to email Honda directly from here. It might not be able to happen but if it's convenient, it could help. Just my thoughts.

Very good point, perception...is reality. for those of us in sales, this concept has bit us all in butt at one time or another.

Some of my younger friends "your truck is not what I expected" I couldn't get even my friends to look at the ridgeline. One experience: I made a friend drive the ridgeline on a dirt road up hill (he has a chevey 2500) I told him to gun it up the hill. the truck took off on him, he said wow, i expected it to spin the rear tires like on my truck. I said this is no chevy.

Anyway, now he likes the ridgeline and tells others about it, all positive comments.

I thought this fit right in with HiPSI's comment.

On the flip side I've had great customer service. I had a slew of early production problems, mostly unique to my truck. Every one of them was taken care of with out trouble and to my satisfaction and honda even compensated me the cost of the longest extended warranty for my troubles, of course I had to ask for that and I knew how to ask.

I would like the moderators to look into putting a link from this board to email Honda directly from here. It might not be able to happen but if it's convenient, it could help. Just my thoughts.
I like the idea and your thoughts are GREAT!! I'll stand behind you 100%.:)

And my customer service at Ganley Honda has been exceptional ALL due to Gary Dalton. :)

I too have had my share of problems (water leak, steering column) but again, it's about customer service. And I can say that mine has been great. They acknowledged my concerns, regardless if there was a TSB and took care of it. They even took care of the infamous door lock controversy for free, and without having to ask, beg or argue.

To the original poster.....that's why states have lemon laws and if you feel strongly about the treatment you received, then I hope you truly follow thru on all your course of actions. And if you were having problems all along, did you post these concerns before and seek out advice of other owners?

I thought I'd clarify "lemon" issues. Most consumers think it implies multiple problems. To the manufacturer lemon laws apply when a problem exists (singular) that has taken multiple trips and attempts to fix. In NC for example the lemon law is applicable if 4 repair attempts or more than 20 days out of service during any 12 month period. The coverage period is 2 years/24,000 miles, whichever is greater. It does vary from state to state.

I'm one of those whose experienced more than their fair share of new car troubles and decided to dump mine before word got out that the Ridgeline is plagued with problems and the value plummets.
This should be a warning to anyone looking to buy a Ridgeline. Beware!
Ridgeline = trouble

You did not tell us what you traded for!!!!!!

wonderin/troll

good luck with your Toyota, or whatever you drive.

Your post is very unfair to all the other RL owners out there. You start off by saying that YOU traded in your Ridgeline lemon, (which is fine, you had a vehicle plagued with many problems, I would probably do the same if I had such a faulty vehicle.) But then you go into your post saying how the Ridgeline is just so bad, and end your post with "This should be a warning to anyone looking to buy a Ridgeline. Beware. Ridgeline = troublevehicle." Not everyone has experienced these problems, and for you to act like it's common for every Ridgeline to go through what you have gone through with yours is just ridiculous. It's terrible that your RL had all those problems, I feel bad for ya, but I think you should really consider rewording your post, as it will offend others, and possibly unfairly steer some potential buyers away.

I thought I'd clarify "lemon" issues. Most consumers think it implies multiple problems. To the manufacturer lemon laws apply when a problem exists (singular) that has taken multiple trips and attempts to fix. In NC for example the lemon law is applicable if 4 repair attempts or more than 20 days out of service during any 12 month period. The coverage period is 2 years/24,000 miles, whichever is greater. It does vary from state to state.

at least here in MA the issue in question for lemon law purposes must relate to safety, it can't just be a water leak problem, unless you can legitimately relate the water leak to the safe driving of the ridgeline.

All I can do is commiserate. My 11/05 is being replaced because of very significant leaks "standing water, carpet replacement, rust, mold" Then it leaked again. Mold isnt an option for our family!! All I can say is that the process seems designed to cause folks to throw up their hands and cave in. Its a multiple step process that goes through multiple folks in "seperate offices" who actuality share office space. It thrives on "I'm sorry your case is in another dept now, I cant help you" This doesnt mean that any of the folks you talk to along the way mean you any personal ill will. I dont think they designed the process. Its frustrating to be sure and you can tell yourself things like its not fair and such, but in the end you have to work within the process. I'm certain I said some things along the way that are normally out of character. All you can do is continually call the local service manager, because they do have numbers even if they wont give them to you, continually call the 800 honda number and then any numbers you collect along the way, ask to speak "your supervisor" etc, then be willing to go to all of the local consumer hot line/help organizations, and be willing to pursue all your legal options, all the time insisting on what you think the resolution ought to be. You really have to put it in perspective. When you buy a new car, the sales person and all glossy literature build you up to the point of (ALMOST) feeling like you are bringing home a new baby-doesnt compare. Then to have some significant issue and have them tell you whats wrong its just a car, which is right, but its my car and my 30k. (just a little of the personal battle that goes on for someone in this situation) Of course your claim needs to be ligitimate, after all this is business and like it or not Honda is doing unfortunately what every other business in the current environment seems to do these days. Working in the San Francisco Bay area Ive been through enough mergers and acquisitions that this almost seems old hat! ugg! The process is different, but it has some similarities. In the end I hope to go back to being the happy Honda customer that I once was. I still have other Honda cars that I am very happy with and when this is all over, I'll buy another one because my overall experiance with Honda has been better than most of the others. I will continue to purchase and have my cars serviced at the location where this all started, afterall where else will the service director and his supervisor know me by first name?? Heck maybe I'll even see if I can buy him lunch after all this. Think I will

Sorry as well. When did you buy yours and what month of production was it? I just picked up mine yesterday. I had zero problems with the element it replaced....

What did you buy to replace it?

I never said that 'all' ridgelines were or would be as ridden with problems as mine was.
My dealer was worse than Honda when it came to customer service but both were poor in my experiences.
As best as I can remember, mine was built in 9-05.
As for the person posting that the ridgeline was voted best of year.. blah, blah, blah.
I don't think any of them were driven for any length of time to give such an award. I can see an award for best new truck or something similiar for it's design and concept (and i think that is what some of these are) but to know how a truck holds up during all sorts of conditions requires more testing than what any of these testers have done.
I don't go by any awards when I purchase a car/truck anyway. It might give weight if I'm undecided between 2-3 different cars/trucks but I'm going to buy the one that best fits my needs.
As to the poster who asked if I told the dealership i traded it on about the problems or that I thought it was a lemon - no, i didn't. Why would I? They can do their own DD and see what repairs have been done. If I did, do you think they would have then passed along that information to the next potential buyer? It's under warranty. That's all the dealer looks at and most likely that is all the new owner will look at.
I believe a good dealership can make a big difference because they can help you work with Honda and become active in solving issues and actually care about it. Unforturnately, my dealer was not this way although with the number of problems I had, i would likely have made the same decision to get rid of it.

I've lived with my Ridgeline for 2 weeks short of 1 year. I'd recommend this truck to anybody. While it has not been perfect, it's issues have been very minor (nits, really). It's only been back to the dealer one time (to fix the loose washer reserve bottle discussed months ago). I love driving it, even more so than my wife's V6 Accord. I remain sold on Honda products- I still consider them a consumer's best shot at reliability in an age where too many manufacturers don't know how to spell the word. Good luck with whatever you "traded" your Ridgeline for.

troll, aka wonderin,


I have driven my RL as much as anyone could in the 2 months since Jan 2. I have 9,000 miles on it as of lunch today. I believe that to be a real world test. My advise, if you dont want bugs, dont buy a first year model, or at least buy one that has been built after what I call the 1st alpha test off the assembly line.


I doubt you owned a RL, like I said enjoy your Tundra, or whatever 'quality" vehicle you are driving.

good riddance

All of Wonderin L post have been negative. What dealer, what kind of RL ?
Sounds like an unhappy F-150 owner to me. And today Consumer Reports
best truck.

Mine is/was an 11/05 model (I have the pinkslip, but they are keeping the truck untill an new one arrives). I read almost every post here before buying so I was aware of the right A pillar leak, right C pillar leak, several others that folks had posted about as well as the door lock rev change that was on earlier models. In my case it was a significant seam in the front right wheel well that wasnt sealed properly at the factory, repaired locally and then not sealed a second time. I never made it down to see the actual seam when they had the interior removed, but it must have been significant considering the amount of water. At its worst, it was at the top of the carpet. ie, you could press your finger into the carpet and have the water pool into the indentation. I guess you could say it was saturated. I dont know whether this is the same leak issue that others have had. If so, its amazing that Honda didnt send a small army of engineers down to the production line to find a permanant fix.

They have ordered a new similar model to replace it. I dont have it yet, had to be ordered since I requested one made in 2006. I have communicated some with a few others, and VIN# and manufacture dates dont seem to be the whole story in pinning down who had problems. One thing to be sure of, and comforting to some, is that if your seam wasnt sealed like mine, there would have not been any chance of not noticing the problem. (how is that for double negatives?) I'm counting on being once again a happy Honda customer. The Ridgeline still does more of what I need a 4wheel or AWD vehicle for. To be sure, this whole experiance made me re-think my purchase in favor of a Tundra, some of the glamour is gone, but still for hauling the family around and general outdoors fun this seems like the best choice. The new Tundra got bigger than what I need. My family never liked the fish cooler in the back of the Explorer, so this time a pickup.

I feel Wonderin's irritation... last night after my hour commute home, listening to my increasingly louder seat squeak (two trips to dealer, they say it has to get worse before they can fix it); hearing my steering wheel tick (the precursor to the creak, four trips to dealer, last time they said they were applying the TSB incorrectly and "got it right" this time); hearing the annoying noise in the headliner/back window area (one trip to dealer, they swore they never heard it); having listened to the combination of wind noise and wind whistle/howl (one trip to dealer and they said they couldn't hear it, afraid to take it to dealer for this yet again, if they can't even get the steering wheel right); and thinking about the fact that in the sun, I see a definite difference in color between metal and nonmetal painted parts, I was feeling very grumpy about the truck.

I love Hondas, and I had a first year model Honda before (a CRX), but I was tired from a long day at work and as I pulled to a stop in my driveway and the seat made one final loud squeak, I thought, "Man, I wish I hadn't bought this thing."

Of course, this morning, after a good night's sleep, I'm feeling optimistic about it again. But enough of those rides like last night's will have me thinking increasingly negative thoughts about the truck. I've got over 13,000 miles on it in six months, and I can't help wondering if things will get worse rather than better.

I'm not going to sell mine or trade it in, but I do feel the pain of the unlucky people who have problems worse than mine. And although I'm happy that many of you have no problems with your trucks, sometimes when I'm in a mood like I was last night, grumpy or disbelieving posts about people complaining about their trucks are, frankly, just a little irritating. Some people are nice, and try to show a little compassion, but many others are not.

Just my perspective -- no intent to offend or upset anyone.

All of Wonderin L post have been negative.
Given the number of reported problems with the truck, that's understandable.

Sounds like an unhappy F-150 owner to me.
Sounds like a unhappy Ridgeline owner to me.

I have had a reasonably decent experience with my Ridgeline but I can't say the same of my experience with Honda or my local dealership. While some of my issues with them are relatively minor, they are still important to me and I would like them to be addressed. So far, Honda and the dealership have not impressed me, choosing instead to use scripted responses which deny all accountability on their part.

I hope that we (ROC-Heads) don't automatically paint as a troll everyone who reports only bad experiences since it is entirely possible that they have had nothing but bad experiences with Honda and/or their dealership. The fact that an issue doesn't register on the scale of a recall/TSB doesn't make it any less troubling for those who are forced to put up with the problems on a daily basis.

I have had a reasonably decent experience with my Ridgeline but I can't say the same of my experience with Honda or my local dealership. While some of my issues with them are relatively minor, they are still important to me and I would like them to be addressed. So far, Honda and the dealership have not impressed me, choosing instead to use scripted responses which deny all accountability on their part.

I hope that we (ROC-Heads) don't automatically paint as a troll everyone who reports only bad experiences since it is entirely possible that they have had nothing but bad experiences with Honda and/or their dealership. The fact that an issue doesn't register on the scale of a recall/TSB doesn't make it any less troubling for those who are forced to put up with the problems on a daily basis.

I couldn't have said it better.

To each...his own. :)

Wow UT, I didn't realize that you have had so many irritating, repetitive problems with your RL. I can understand how that can be very frustrating, especially when they keep recurring. Have yoo just gone through the dealer, or have you been in contact with Honda? I have discovered that while it may take persistance, Honda eventually does listen and act.

As best as I can remember, mine was built in 9-05.

Interesting......you must not remember all your posts about your new truck last May thru July 2005. FYI a simple search shows all your previous posts.

Interesting......you must not remember all your posts about your new truck last May thru July 2005. FYI a simple search shows all your previous posts.

hmmm... now I'm not calling the guy a troll, but it is very interesting that he chose to say that his truck was built the month most of the problems were supposedly fixed in. And if you do look back he's supposedly had the truck through last year? hmmmm... Also *ALL* of his posts have been negative. His original post in this thread ,btw was very negative, and did pretty much call *ALL* RL's Lemons. "This should be a warning to anyone looking to buy a Ridgeline. Beware. Ridgeline = troublevehicle." Atleast that's what this sounds like to me? Again not calling him a troll, but I can understand where some folks will say if it walks like duck etc..etc...

Given the above information... TROLL!!!! :)

WARNING RIDGELINE RESEARCHERS...consider the source!

Sorry to hear about your problems. I have not 11,000 mile on my Ridgeline. Few problems, wind noise & a rattle in the front passenger door. But I tolerate them because the dealer has not installed much confidence in me. I had basically a hard time with my Nissan Armarda, their customer service & dealer are a pain in the ass to deal with.

The Troll has done his homework, though. I did experience the TPMS incident that he mentioned. It was about 2 weeks ago in the Chicago area. Bitter cold...2 below zero. 1 tire showed low then all four showed low. After driving for awhile, show tire lights extinguished. Then later, all four extinguised. They must have been on the fringe. I checked the air and they were low about 2lbs each. Filled them up and no more indicators.

OK, so what exactly is a troll? Does being one assume that they dont even have the vehicle, or are they just out to spread discontent??

Most likely both!

Unfortunately, I am going through the arbitration process with Honda as we speak. Actually its comming to an end. I dont have a replacement yet, but was just on the phone today with them. Its been ordered. Only problem is that I purchased the Amazon green OEM side moldings from HandA before this all started and I may not get the same color in interest of expediting this. Cant say I'm a happy customer yet, but the tone of our conversations have changed considerably. They still have my 30$ and I dont have the truck that I purchased on Jan 23. I could have had one this weekend, but considering my experience, Ive asked for one built in 2006. Not that it realisitically means I wont have any normal (good grief whats normal) problems, but hopefully any issues that would have required a trip to the dealer will have been resolved by then. Thankfully most of the reported issues on this site dont have much to to with the structual integrity of the vehicle, a trip back to the dealer is a pain, but in the end they are able to "make you whole" (laywer speak that was used on me during this process) and in the end you have good product. You can see some of my earlier posts while I was trying to get a handle on what the leak situation was. A realistic count of how many had the problem is probably almost impossible to tell considering all the information and dis-information. My silence from then untill now was bacause it wouldnt serve any positive benefit other then to be a soap box for me. Thankfully I get all the support I need for that from friends and at work which ranged from an office poll whether I would get a new truck and wanting to go swimming at lunch, and the ones who went to lunch in my new truck wanting to know when the tide was comming back in from the moldy smell. All true, but in good jest I assure you!!!!!!

Wow UT, I didn't realize that you have had so many irritating, repetitive problems with your RL. I can understand how that can be very frustrating, especially when they keep recurring. Have yoo just gone through the dealer, or have you been in contact with Honda? I have discovered that while it may take persistance, Honda eventually does listen and act.
I've only gone through the dealer so far. And to be fair, they have successfully corrected a couple other problems -- noisy glovebox that they eventually replaced, noisy speaker/tweeter covers, and they did perform the A-pillar water leak fix even though, as they told me, they were technically required to duplicate the problem themselves before applying the TSB -- but I convinced them to do it before I had a problem.

I need to be more aggressive in my dealings with them; I just haven't worked up the energy to do so yet. But I'm getting closer, especially after drives like last night's.

And I should say I don't think my problems are major, they're just minor, and irritating when they all arise as a group. Well, except for the paint color problem, which I'm currently just trying to ignore while I decide how much it bothers me.

But I also want to point out that I LIKE to hear about other people's problems with their trucks -- if I only read all the gushy, good things about other people's trucks on this forum, I would be really discouraged and would probably stop participating. Reading about other people's problems makes me feel better, in some twisted way, I suppose, and less "alone."

Hey Wonderin_Y, how much did you get on the trade in?

UGLY TRUCKLING wrote: "But I also want to point out that I LIKE to hear about other people's problems with their trucks -- if I only read all the gushy, good things about other people's trucks on this forum, I would be really discouraged and would probably stop participating. Reading about other people's problems makes me feel better, in some twisted way, I suppose, and less "alone."

I also like to hear of any problems some might be having, but I would like to hear *real* problems, by folks *really* going through them. I understand how you feel. I have a few problems with my Ridge, very minor, but I've posted about them, and haven't tried to steer folks away from the RL because of them.

All of Wonderin L post have been negative. What dealer, what kind of RL ?
Sounds like an unhappy F-150 owner to me. And today Consumer Reports
best truck.

Of course they are all negative ... that's what has been my experience. Why do you think I traded it in? I had an RTL. I don't think I have to defend whether i actually owned one or not. Actually, i would prefer to forgot the whole experience.

hmmm... now I'm not calling the guy a troll, but it is very interesting that he chose to say that his truck was built the month most of the problems were supposedly fixed in. And if you do look back he's supposedly had the truck through last year? hmmmm... Also *ALL* of his posts have been negative. His original post in this thread ,btw was very negative, and did pretty much call *ALL* RL's Lemons. "This should be a warning to anyone looking to buy a Ridgeline. Beware. Ridgeline = troublevehicle." Atleast that's what this sounds like to me? Again not calling him a troll, but I can understand where some folks will say if it walks like duck etc..etc...

I'm sorry if I don't recall the mfg date correctly. What's so 'interesting' about that? Why would that matter?
I don't care what date it was. The fact is, the problems are real. I didn't call ALL RL's lemons. I claimed that there are problems and perhaps they were limited to a certain production number.
You can read what I said as it was stated or how your pumped ego read it.
I'm not out to make anyone feel bad about their ridgeline. I'm just stating my experience and to allow it to be out there for others to see.
If I were just now looking at purchasing a ridgeline and read about all the problems posted in the various areas here, I don't think I would have ever made the purchase. Unfortunately, I purchased before any of these issues came about.
That's just me and my opinoin. You're certainly entitled to your love affair with your ridgeline. I don't bash you for owning one or claim that you don't own one just because I disagree with you.

wonderin_y...quick question....

With your very negative impressions after a test drive (as posted on Edmunds.com in May '05), what made you go ahead and buy an RL? Just wondering what feature made you change your mind?

I guess I too am wondering why?

I'm sorry if I don't recall the mfg date correctly. What's so 'interesting' about that? Why would that matter?
I don't care what date it was. The fact is, the problems are real. I didn't call ALL RL's lemons. I claimed that there are problems and perhaps they were limited to a certain production number.
You can read what I said as it was stated or how your pumped ego read it.
I'm not out to make anyone feel bad about their ridgeline. I'm just stating my experience and to allow it to be out there for others to see.
If I were just now looking at purchasing a ridgeline and read about all the problems posted in the various areas here, I don't think I would have ever made the purchase. Unfortunately, I purchased before any of these issues came about.
That's just me and my opinoin. You're certainly entitled to your love affair with your ridgeline. I don't bash you for owning one or claim that you don't own one just because I disagree with you.

Hey no need to explain yourself. I guess that the statement you made: "This should be a warning to anyone looking to buy a Ridgeline. Beware! Ridgeline = trouble" is obviously just talking about your RL right? :rolleyes: Just go ahead and have fun with your new car / truck whatever it may be.

wonderin_y...quick question....

With your very negative impressions after a test drive (as posted on Edmunds.com in May '05), what made you do ahead and buy an RL? Just wondering what feature made you change your mind?

I guess I too am wondering why?

To be honest, I don't really remember posting in edmunds, but I could have. I suppose someone will bash me for 'claiming' that i forgot now or something else. If it stated that i didn't think it had good acceleration, than it could have been my post.
I bought the ridgeline because I haul plywood and sheetrock often and i could lay it flat. I also thought it handled nice and felt more like a car than a truck and a big part of it was Honda quality. Unfortunately, my ridgleline got overlooked on the quality part.

I doubt a "troll" would have taken the time to make a post like this:

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11608&postcount=25

C'mon, lighten up, guys!?!? So the guy had the bad luck to get a crappy truck, and he's mad about it, and the more you claim he's a troll, understandably the angrier he's going to get -- try cutting him a little slack?

I doubt a "troll" would have taken the time to make a post like this:

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11608&postcount=25

C'mon, lighten up, guys!?!? So the guy had the bad luck to get a crappy truck, and he's mad about it, and the more you claim he's a troll, understandably the angrier he's going to get -- try cutting him a little slack?

Well said. If I had the problems he had I would get rid of it through the lemon law.

Honda 1-800 customer service is NOT known for being the best customer service oriented people around..

Just my $.02

Tom

I'm over 14,000 miles and mine is Baaaddd! Loving it every time I drive it! ;)

Hey Wonderin_Y, how much did you get on the trade in?


Actually, the best i could get was $28k for a trade-in and I tried over a dozen dealerships. Eventually, i got a dealer to give me $31k and paid MSRP on a deal. I don't know how or why dealers work the numbers the way they do but they didn't give me $31k because they were going to sell it for a profit. I think they just wanted the new auto to be shown as selling for MSRP in the books. You guys can interpret that in whatever way you want.
I couldn't get a value on the ridgeline anywhere because it wasn't listed in any blue book that i could find because it was too new but $28k was what the dealers were willing to give me in IL. I had almost 13k miles on it. It was an RTL w/moonroof,xm, fogs and side protectors added.
I didn't know how wide spread the problems were with the ridgeline so i thought it was best to sell now because if word got out that the ridgeline had problems, I wouldn't get near the value.
This is my last post here since I no longer own one and have no need to be here. I just wanted to answer peoples questions if they had them but wasn't here to defend against silly allegations that some are posting because they can't accept the fact that the ridgeline might have problems.
I want to end with saying again that Honda was a big disappointment in dealing with these issues as was the dealer. Between the number of problems I had and how they were dealt with, to me, = trouble.
Also, the number of people reporting problems here are BIG and if people think that these people are making them up .. look at the TSB's and listen to other owners having the same problems. Oh, yeah, they really don't own ridgelines .. they're just spreading rumors to hurt your egos.
I'd say this forum has a good sample of owners with and without problems and that the number of problems are probably about the same for ALL owners.
So, look at the number of complaints in all the areas and then be thankful if you're not having these issues.
As for getting what I expected for having bought a 1st year auto .. yes, i was expecting some problems and trips to the dealer for minor things but with it being Honda, i figured they would be few and quickly resolved. Just wasn't the case for me.
Good luck to all!

I doubt a "troll" would have taken the time to make a post like this:

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11608&postcount=25

C'mon, lighten up, guys!?!? So the guy had the bad luck to get a crappy truck, and he's mad about it, and the more you claim he's a troll, understandably the angrier he's going to get -- try cutting him a little slack?
I can give him in the benefit of doubt, as even if I was looking for spares for my Avalanche (here (http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php?PHPSESSID=2132287ea482dc98303460387c9774 5b&topic=45952.msg718897)), on the 6th May, which was the same day I had a really bad test drive (here (http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?14@@.ef24140/1094) and here (http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?14@@.ef24140/1100)) I too would still have probably bought an RL (May 19th (http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10380#post10380)) any day over an Avalanche.

wonderin_y - I really hope your experience doesn't prevent you from buying a Honda again. Good luck!

I once had a new vehicle that was a lemon so I can sympathize. It is very frustrating when you dish out your hard earned cash for a vehicle that falls far short of your expectations. I wish you the best in your next vehicle whatever you choose.

There are going to be problem with first year vehicles, no doubt, and Honda is not immune to them. I think they need to be a little more responsive to RL owners and their problems....especially when many of us have forked over $30K+ for our RL's. Whether WY is a troll is moot. Other folks ("real" RL owners) have had problems with their trucks too. Granted, nothing to the extent that WY had, but problems none-the-less. I don't think folks here should take it to heart. Face it. Mechanical things break. The RL is a mechanical thing. It's gonna break.

With that being said, it is pretty interesting that WY would post things about how poor the acceleration is in the RL, how dumb of an idea it is that the spare is in the trunk, talking about how expensive it is, no V-8, and buying an Avalanche was going to be so much cheaper because of the incentives.....and yet he STILL bought a RL?!? That is a bit odd.

Back to the topic at hand.....if you fellow RL owners are feeling down in the dumps, or there are folks reading these posts as they are researching/thinking about buying an RL.....I would tell you folks to go out and spend a few hours reading the other forums on other trucks. Doesn't matter....pick your poison....Tundra, Tacoma, Dakota....whatever....and then come back here and tell me what you find.

I'll save you the time and effort, because I have already done that, and I did it when I was researching to buy my new truck. EVERY car manufacturer has problems with their vehicles. And I am not talking 1st year productions either. Look at the Tacoma sight and people are talking about a "tick" in the engine and having to have their '06 trucks towed in because they keep breaking down. Reading other sights there are problems with tranny's, tires, wind noise, etc.

I consider myself very fortunate that, a). I am financially fit enough to be able to afford to buy an RL and b). That my truck has not had any of the problems mentioned here on this forum (Except for a couple annoying rattles that will be addressed at the next oil change). Remember the old saying (And ladies, don't kill me...I did not make this saying up), "If it has boobs or tires, you are going to have problems with it". It is unfortunate that some RL owners have had pretty major problems (Leaks, wind noise problems, etc) . But, I would have to say that they are in the minority.

I may be wrong in that assumption. But, the fact is, if somebody is unsatisfied with something, they are more likely to make an attempt to be heard....while the folks who really like something just basically sit back and enjoy. Long story short..... It's more likely that the people with problems are the ones who are gonna post stuff here, while the very satisfied owners will just sit back and read....or not even come out here at all.

This is MY first experience with Honda and I couldn't be happier. I hope you folks that are having problems get things fixed to your satisfaction. Nothing sucks more than plunking down $30K on a vehicle and end up spending a lot of your free time at the shop/service dept. I've been there. I feel your pain.

OK...done rambling....Now back to your regularly schedule forum.....

Actually.. I do have a small problem with my ridgeline. My ventilation fan squeaks for about 10 seconds and then quiets down each time I turn on the fan. I was afraid to say anything in this forum for fear of being ex-communicated.

I also found 2 small bolts and 1 nut which fell out of somewhere. Other than that, not a bad truck for Vin #452.

I am not going to worry about paint chips, it is a truck.

BOTTOM LINE!

It's built in North America.

My RL is my 6th honda auto and I have driven over 500,000 miles mile in them. They are great cars!! Sorry you had so many problems with yours but every now and then a lemon is grown. I will continue to purchase quality and to me that is Honda.

I am grateful i haven't had any problems with my Ridgeline but if it leaked then I know I would be pissed so I give everyone that has problems like that the benefit of the doubt. I get 19 mpg but I believe everyone that says they don't. As many have said before, any vehicle can be a lemon. That is why just about every state in the USA has a "lemon law". But from what I've heard, Honda has a good track record of NOT producing lemons so a Honda lemon is rare. Dealerships can vary in quality and expertise, but I would also give them the benefit of the doubt and before getting all pissed off just talk with them and try to work things out. I'm sure they are trying to do the best job they can. :)

This is about the best thread I have read so far in providing a microcosm of the depths of pain and joy we get from our truck and belief and disbelief that the Ridgeline is or isn't the Truck we thought we were buying, and how we relate to each other in this club as sympathetic or unsympathetic to people who are not like us. Everytime I drive my Ridgeline I am both reminded why I thought the Ridgeline would be a perfect fit for my trucking needs and why I want to drive through the personal discomforts of my particular truck. There is not much competition for the Ridgeline if you were out there looking for this truck's unique blend of car/SUV/small pick up. If there was more competition, some of us may have chosen to go with an older, bug worked out model, or with a manufacturer name we had more familiarity with (includes having the important trusted dealership relationship).

A lot of knowledge can be found in this club and some compassion and some cruelty. Take any of the non-knowledge part to heart and assure yourself of using the club for the wrong reasons in my opinion.

DANG Bill well said !!

I was away from our Ridge for 21 days, did not relize how much I missed driving the Ugly Duck.

FYI I have 2 modded Mustangs to drive for fun, but I have lots of fun driving the Honda to work. Somtimes smooth, quite, comfy and safe is more fun the balls out slot car ride.

Really sorry you where picked to buy a Honda lemon, every make, model has been a lemon. Called life.

I thank you for sharing your experience, if computer have been around longer. The Model T was a lemon also !! (fact)

Hope you find enjoyment in whatever you purchase in the future ! :D

The ProHonda

It is obvious that the small yet critical issues involving this new truck has not made headlines worthy of RECALLS....We all did our research on the internet and I don't recall any magazine or independent reviews saying this vehicle was plagued with problems.....otherwise I would not have bought one. I think that guy was a few bricks short of a load....JMHO:p

No truck is perfect. I have an 04/05 build and have had a few problems. A Pillar, C Pillar, Squeeky steering wheel and now rubbing breaks. The difference is every time I took it to the dealer (yes it is a pain), they took care of it. I still love it. Nothing better on the market.

I never said that 'all' ridgelines were or would be as ridden with problems as mine was.
My dealer was worse than Honda when it came to customer service but both were poor in my experiences.
As best as I can remember, mine was built in 9-05.
As for the person posting that the ridgeline was voted best of year.. blah, blah, blah.
I don't think any of them were driven for any length of time to give such an award. I can see an award for best new truck or something similiar for it's design and concept (and i think that is what some of these are) but to know how a truck holds up during all sorts of conditions requires more testing than what any of these testers have done.
I don't go by any awards when I purchase a car/truck anyway. It might give weight if I'm undecided between 2-3 different cars/trucks but I'm going to buy the one that best fits my needs.As to the poster who asked if I told the dealership i traded it on about the problems or that I thought it was a lemon - no, i didn't. Why would I? They can do their own DD and see what repairs have been done. If I did, do you think they would have then passed along that information to the next potential buyer? It's under warranty. That's all the dealer looks at and most likely that is all the new owner will look at.
I believe a good dealership can make a big difference because they can help you work with Honda and become active in solving issues and actually care about it. Unforturnately, my dealer was not this way although with the number of problems I had, i would likely have made the same decision to get rid of it.

Ah yes, I see where were going now. It's not enough that just his single truck have problems, but he must insist that all Ridgelines are junk, and that auto journalist know nothing. He wants to dimiss the fact that his problems are isolated and try to put forth that the Ridgeline is junk. Just alesson in troll writing 101, You gotta learn how to spot it. It's like a sport. Kinda fun:)

Just for the record. I've had my RL for 1 year and over 11,000 miles. I couldn't have hoped for a better experience. Thanks Honda.

Just for the record. I've had my RL for 1 year and over 11,000 miles. I couldn't have hoped for a better experience. Thanks Honda.

Agreed! 17,000 miles and 1 year on April 2.

Your qoute of wonderin' made me notice something pretty odd I think. Not many people on the internet these days switch between capital and lower-case eyes.

As to the poster who asked if I told the dealership i traded it on about the problems or that I thought it was a lemon - no, i didn't.

I had some misgivings about First Year Blues, but that just made Honda's lease program more compelling. Figured that they might be a lot more likely to fix THEIR car correctly than MY car. BTW, the terms of the lease and the incentives (like the $1500 allowance towards extra miles charge at the end of the lease) means that Honda gave me $800 to lease their truck. If, in 38 more months, I don't love it anymore, they can have it back. It only costs me $30.27 more per month than my 2002 Dodge RAM 2WD, single cab.

For a deal like that I can be patient with a squeak.

It amazes me how an owner is attacked on many Honda forums if they dare be upset when their Honda happens to be lemon. Such an owner should realize what a terrific vehicle they own since most owners don't experience any problems ;)

I look at forums like this when deciding on a vehicle. I realize there will be isolated issues with any type of vehicle, but I look for trends over time. Then I decide if I could live with the vehicle if I had the bad luck of being in the minority with a particular problem.

We currently own a Honda, but I get the impression Honda just seems to not care anymore about fixing problems. The Honda Pilot has had multiple issues that have yet to be addressed, even though the Pilot has been out for 4 years. Although our Honda (not a Pilot or Ridgeline) is trouble-free, I don't think I want to chance purchasing one of their "trucks". Honda makes great quality cars. But I think their issues with some of their other larger vehicles will catch up to them very soon. (Does Honda realize the reputation they are developing for transmission problems?)

I hope Honda changes it's ways. Even though the vast majority of Pilots/Ridgelines don't have major problems, there are still too many that do. I opine that Honda has dropped from being a great auto company to a good auto company.

I do read Consumer Reports. (I know they don't have expertise in every area.) But I also try to read opinions/experiences of actual owners. You're taking a chance when you purchase any vehicle, but some are more of a chance than others.

Continued good luck and enjoyment to all Ridgeline owners.

mines far from a lemon

3 months almost 14,000 miles. no problems, nada, zilch... good gas mileage, awesome in the snow, great in the mud, I couldnt ask for a better vehicle...:)

good luck to those with issues...

You want to avoid Honda problems? Buy a Ford or a Dodge or a Chevy or Chrysler or a.... hey, everybody has problems. I guess you just have to pick your poison...;)

Lemon Law.... When you purchase a new car you must sign a form about your rights if your vehicle turns out to be a "lemon"... You have 2 years here in NYS to get a new replacement if it turns out to be a so called lemon........

We need a pucker face... LOL....... :eek:

I feel for you.........Honda dealers and HQ customer service have a lot to learn about dealing with real customers who have REAL problems.

I have 60,000 kms on mine now and its been great.........I did have them make 2 efforts to fix the water leak and the steering wheel squeak. To be honest, I truly believe the steering wheel wasn't even looked at as it still makes the same noise. leak is gone.

Thinking about what you have gone thru, I dont blame you for dumping it......I'm a Honda nut and love the product and have had nothing but great cars and vans over the years.

ITS THEIR IGNORANCE AND AROGANT ATTITUDE WHEN YOU SUGGEST THEIR PROCUCT IS LESS THAN PERFECT..that makes me insane. My dealer accused me of buying into internet hype when I complained about the steering wheel......this before he even looked at my truck, apparently I had imagined it due to reading posts on this site......!!!! Its a small fault for sure, having him tell me its my imagination before he even looks at it is what makes me insane.

On a positive note, @ 60,000 km, fuel milage is stil getting better and the truck runs better than new............good luck with your new vehicle.

10/5 build. 10,000 miles so far and all of my complaints are about Honda design, not defects. I love my truck but not everything about it. I'm a bit amazed I haven't had a water leak. Everytime I drive in the rain or take it through a car wash I wonder if I'm going to have wet carpets. My mileage seems to be improving a bit - now getting 17-18 on 26 mile commute in hilly central Texas and finally broke 20 on a trip to Houston.

I don't doubt some RL owners on ROC are not happy. A few on ROC seem to even resent they have the gall to post here. I would be very unhappy with a water leak. The only water leak I've ever had in a car was from an after market sunroof. I think bad welds are inexcusable.

If only I could get the time to finish my audio upgrade.

Sorry about your Ridgeline Lemon. Our Ridge will be one year this month and have over 14,000 miles. Have had no problems, leakage,noise,windshield,etc.

Did have the driver's door gasket replaced because it was torn and cracked.

Gas milage continues to improve, Honda service is excellent here in town.

Have met several owners who are extremely happy and have had at least
two people purchase a Ridgeline because of our purchase.

This is my first Honda auto, but it wont be my last!

BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME.

While I can attest to Honda having been a wonderful manufacture , I can also attest to their horrendous service and support. My Ridge seems to be great so far with 1500 miles on it as does my 98 Accord with 51,000 miles on it.
However my 2005 Accord has had 4500.00 dollars worth of "Honda Trial and Error Attempts" done and still not fixed. The Factory Rep and Service Manager have washed their hands of this and I can feel the pain that others must be experiencing over problems that Honda will not step up to the plate on. I have posted in the off topic board my issues withthe 2005 Accord so others can read the post if they wish. Honda REALLY needs to get a grip on customer relations before they go the way of the "Big Three" (Down the tubes!!!
I pray that I will not have to go to the dealer for warranty work as my visits have been less than fruitful. Yes, I have tried other dealers, but, they all deal with the same regional rep so it goes nowhere.
Ladyridge is going to hate me , but, I am tired of dealing with this woman at AHM who is mechanically challanged. No offense to you Ladyridge as I am sure you are quite knowledgable and have been great on the boards since I have been here you really shine!!!

Well, after reading everything thing I could about the Ridgeline on this site, I have to admit I was a little leery about buying one. I finally succumbed last month and bought a demo from my local dealer...a 04/05 RTL with 5000+ miles and a lot of dealer add-ons. I'm thankful for finding this site because it helped me look for potential problems and I was able to get an extended warranty at cost. I have absolutely no regrets! Haven't experienced any of the problems some others have experienced with their Ridgelines. It has been raining almost everyday for the past month and so far no leaks! Apparently it's the luck of the draw, but because I got a demo, any of the potential problems would have probably shown up before I bought it....and I got a good price too! Thanks ROC! :)

From what he listed as "lemon" problems...this owner has never had a true lemon. I traded a 2003 F-150 with 32k (still under the 3/36) that was a nightmare on my Ridgeline.

The short story: 9/05 @ 26k the check engine light came on, and the MPG dropped from 19 to 11. 4 months later, after going to 3 different dealerships, with a total of 11 attempts I was told by a Ford engineer (chance meeting) to file with the BBB for a buy back.

*During this 7 month time frame the truck had the following repairs:
1. Both front seat covers replaced due to seams splitting.
2. Left remote mirror replaced..inop.
3. Right elec window replaced...inop.
4. Timing cover replaced. External oil pump making a clicking sound like a lifter tapping.
5. Nut backed off pinion/gear shaft causing play in the driveline and a clunking sound. Dealer replaced the pinion shaft only.
6. New pinion shaft/gear did not mate well with used ring gear caused a whinning sound. Replaced both ring and pinion gear. Plus, they dropped the driveshaft and had to order one...5 day delay.
7. Pinion bearing crushed, made a loud grinding sound, and sent metal chunks into the rear lube oil. Dealer replaced the bearing, and did not drain and clean the metal from housing.

Now back to the story....

It seems that is the only way FMC will actually get involved with a problem vehicle, but they still refuse to communicate directly with a customer. Through the BBB, FMC gives me a 5/75k extended warranty, and offers a field service engineer's involvement in the repair to end the claim.

After being at the dealership for 3 weeks that trip, the check engine was finally repaired. As with every extended repair at any of the 3 Ford dealerships the truck was covered with greasy hand and foot prints.

I was without my 03 F-150 truck for 13 of the last 26 weeks I owned it, so when I see a post complaining about these small items...I just smile.

As with every extended repair at any of the 3 Ford dealerships the truck was covered with greasy hand and foot prints.

Not for nothing, you have 7 posts and have been on this forum for a month or so. There are literally dozens of complaints on record here from very pro-Honda members who have had their RLs defiled and defaced by sloppy Honda technicians. There are F***ups at every turn in the service end of just about every business out there and car dealerships are not immune. My point is that rather than bash Ford trucks, which many of us have owned with great results, look for ways to help members with problems by coming up with experience earned solutions or with basic knowledge you can share.

EDIT:

My comment here is no longer valid. Honda resolved my complaint and I am VERY happy with my RL and with Honda at this point.
Great news. Enjoy.

Ridgeline Lemon? Is that a new color for 2007? Does it come with the gray, olive or beige interior?

I am sorry billb, I was not aware of the posting rules. Let's see, you have 1,120 post to date, and that equates to 2.6 per day as a member...I guess my 7 in the last 2 months was excessive.

I do have a question, if you had such wonderful luck with your Fords...why do you own a Honda???? Never mind, sorry I asked.

Not for nothing, you have 7 posts and have been on this forum for a month or so. There are literally dozens of complaints on record here from very pro-Honda members who have had their RLs defiled and defaced by sloppy Honda technicians. There are F***ups at every turn in the service end of just about every business out there and car dealerships are not immune. My point is that rather than bash Ford trucks, which many of us have owned with great results, look for ways to help members with problems by coming up with experience earned solutions or with basic knowledge you can share.

I'm trying to figure out what the point is of pointing out the number of posts he has. It seemed to me he was trying to point out real problems with his previous truck/vehicle. All of us have had many vehicles, some good, some not so good. Once you have a truly bad experience with a vehicle, it is sometimes very difficult to buy that make/model again.

Didn't really see a "bashing" of Ford trucks, more like a listing of the problems he/she had with the trucks.

I'm trying to figure out what the point is of pointing out the number of posts he has. It seemed to me he was trying to point out real problems with his previous truck/vehicle. All of us have had many vehicles, some good, some not so good. Once you have a truly bad experience with a vehicle, it is sometimes very difficult to buy that make/model again.

Didn't really see a "bashing" of Ford trucks, more like a listing of the problems he/she had with the trucks.

I hear you Kellcut, I worse, I bash all American made vehicle's! I have been pleased with all the imports I have had over the years and disappointed with the GM auto maker enough to never buy another.

I only have 1000 miles on mine and have rattles like that of a 10 year old truck. Very disappointed thus far.

The only rattles I have in mine are the CDs slapping around in the console. By contrast, my '02 GMC Sierra had a vicious rattle from the passenger seat & nobody (me or the pros) could cure it.

I'm trying to figure out what the point is of pointing out the number of posts he has. It seemed to me he was trying to point out real problems with his previous truck/vehicle. All of us have had many vehicles, some good, some not so good. Once you have a truly bad experience with a vehicle, it is sometimes very difficult to buy that make/model again.

Didn't really see a "bashing" of Ford trucks, more like a listing of the problems he/she had with the trucks.

I agree...to a certain point...Kellcut. I think most ROC members are a little leary of people who have low post counts and do nothing but post bad things about the RL. That has the makings of a troll. Not saying that this poster is a troll....but it happens a lot here. Lot of "brand loyal" domestic truck owners out there that have nothing better to do than come here and post negative things about the RL...and it gets a little old.

Not saying it's right by any means...just saying I understand.

Sorry about your problems. I own a ridgeline RTL and I have about 5800 miles on it. The only problem I have had was with the struts. This seems to be one of the common problems among ridgeline owners. I have owned a chevy and a dodge pickup and I have to say that the ridgeline has been the most reliable.

lmfao :)

While it's true that most first year vehicles have glitches. Your experience with said vehicle is largely determined by the service you get from your dealer. Have a crapy dealer and you hate the vehicle. Have a great dealer and you love it. Obviously this can't hold true if you end up with one that happens to have all of the glitches in one vehicle.

Having said that my truck which I bought in May 05 and has 17k on it has been nearly perfect. Dealer had to replace the cruise control power switch because the green light crapped out. I was impressed when they went and ordered the switch over the phone before I even came in. That way I would not have to bring the truck back later to have it installed.

I know it's a Honda, but it's a truck. I've never had a new truck from anybody that didn't have a rattle or squeak somewhere.

I love my RTL.

Re'

While it's true that most first year vehicles have glitches. Your experience with said vehicle is largely determined by the service you get from your dealer. Have a crapy dealer and you hate the vehicle. Have a great dealer and you love it. Obviously this can't hold true if you end up with one that happens to have all of the glitches in one vehicle.

Having said that my truck which I bought in May 05 and has 17k on it has been nearly perfect. Dealer had to replace the cruise control power switch because the green light crapped out. I was impressed when they went and ordered the switch over the phone before I even came in. That way I would not have to bring the truck back later to have it installed.

I know it's a Honda, but it's a truck. I've never had a new truck from anybody that didn't have a rattle or squeak somewhere.

I love my RTL.

Re'
I agree and can ditto exactly what you posted, including your purchase date. I do have 24,000 trouble free miles and when my cruise control light went out I didn't want to get it replaced. I don't need it and prefer not to have that little green light shining at night since I leave that switch on all the time anyway. I was going to remove it or mask it anyway. If it ever gets bumped off I think that I can find the switch in the dark. I especially agree with your comment about the dealer. As I have posted in the past, my dealer is extraordinarily good and, yes, it makes all the difference in the world.

The little green light on the cruise control button seems to be a fairly common problem. Mine when out too but I had it replaced. The light doesn't bother me. My leg must be in the way.

I have had mine since May 2005 and the dealer has only had to change the oil. What can I say!:)

Bought my RTL in March 2005. Nearly 17K miles later, I have virtually no complaints. Is it perfect? No - what vehicle is? Has it been a problem vehicle? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Bought mine in Feb 05 and have over 38000 miles on it. Only complaints are MPG, bed scratches easy. I will have the trans reprogam done this coming Friday. Hopefully better mpg will result.

Aside from having my tranny replaced at 1694 miles and the dealer never even figuring out why that happened, I've been pretty much worry free since. Of course, i only have 4100 miles on my truck now. I would have to agree though, the customer service by honda was not good at all. It seemed like "we have your money, now go away"

Really Sorry about your problems. You must be the .1% we hear about and hope we are not a member of.......

Had a great weekend at Abita Springs ROC Head Brewery Bash in Louisiana
We have had 21,300 miles trouble free driving and averaged 22.95mpg and 23.85mpg on both tanks this weekend.

It is a shame that a person has so many problems with their Ridge, but with over
70,000 Ridgelines on the road, It was not an accident that it became the 2006 Truck of the Year and all the other awards it has received.

Good Luck on your future ventures!!!!!!!!

Had a great weekend at Abita Springs ROC Head Brewery Bash in Louisiana
We have had 21,300 miles trouble free driving and averaged 22.95mpg and 23.85mpg on both tanks this weekend.

Hey, that mileage rubbed off, CCR! I got my first 20+ mpg tank on that run. My truck just nudged 4,400 miles after the trip. I will note that my wife's been calling me a "ROC head" far longer than I've owned a Ridgeline!

I'm sure she meant "Rock Head".:D

my 2 cents.

as for complaints with low post counts. most people are probably like myself who only come here when they are having and issue or have some free time. they dont have hours to spend on a message board or choose not to. not that doing that is inherently bad, its just a choice.

i also notice that most people who claim to love their perfect ridgelines almost alway have less than 10,000 miles on them. again just my 2 cents. i am in the mostly lucky category and just recently had to take my truck in for maint for the first time. i also just moved so have no idea on the quality of service i will get (parts on order). but the fact that there is only one honda dealer here within 200 miles is slightly worrysome. (Alaska)

haar

perfect RL here, 47,000 miles... love mine...

18887 miles here and mine has been pretty much perfect....and I still love my RL.

most people who claim to love their perfect ridgelines almost alway have less than 10,000 miles on them

26,400 little over 1 year and still have a ......

:D

19,000 this week and it still impresses me.:D

24,4000 trouble free mile since May 2005.

No leaks, no squeaks, no wrinkles, no stems, no seeds that you don't need....... oh, sorry, that's something entirely different:rolleyes:

no stems, no seeds that you don't need....... oh, sorry, that's something entirely different:rolleyes:
Braggart!:p

Wish I could get action from Honda on mine. Honda customer service is the WORST I have ever seen.

I like about everthing about my Ridgeline except it has been in the shop 13 times for 8 different problems with two still outstanding.

Honda customer service will do absolutely nothing for you!!!

sometimes it's hard to catch a wasp to fix it's broken wing...

9000 miles today & she purrs like a kitten. Truly the best vehicle I have ever owned. :D

I enjoy driving my Ridgeline, but I can't get Honda to fix all the problems. And it has been in the shop every month since I have owned it (11 months). Honda customer service has been six months of hell and frustration to deal with.

24,4000 trouble free mile since May 2005.

No leaks, no squeaks, no wrinkles, no stems, no seeds that you don't need....... oh, sorry, that's something entirely different:rolleyes:
LOL!!!;)


i'm seriously contemplating hopping on this bandwagon sadly. I've had nothing but problems with my RTL and it doesn't even have 5k on it yet.

It sure sounds like a dealer problem more than a Honda problem to me. As I have posted previously, I have an exceptional dealer. I have not had any of the major problems that some others have reported but I do have an early production model with the factory towing hitch and harness that was missing the 7th pin for trailer disc brakes and trailer back-up lights. My dealer went to Honda for me and that issue is now resolved. They also updated the wiring and fuse box so that now all of my doors unlock when I turn the truck off. Both were taken care of at no charge to me. I have no doubt that they would go to bat for me if any of the other problems that we hear about on the ROC would ever become an issue for me. If your dealer isn't taking care of you, they don't deserve your business. Find another dealer. Consider that they may not actually be going to Honda for you or they are making a very minimal effort to do so. If you haven't already done so, I would demand an audience with the Honda zone rep but I would do it in writing to Honda directly. Let them contact the rep so that he too knows that there is a paper trail on whatever he does or doesn't do.

I have a great dealer too. But the problem has been Honda corporate. For my outstanding problems the tech rep told the dealer not to address these problems anymore (coincidently a week after they recieved my complaints from the BBB and consumer Pruduct Safety Commission.

In six months, Vicki Hernandez at American Honda has returned my messages exactly three times to say that she had recieved my complaints but would not take any action at this time. My many phone messages, 6 faxes and 4 letters for a supervisor to contact me have been totally ignored.

The problem seems to be American Honda and not the dealerships.

Did you have a formal face-to-face sit down meeting with the owner of the dealership? It also sounds like Vicki Hernandez is the roadblock that you need to find a way around. You might do some research and start from the top down. Between Google and ROC members, I bet that you can get a name and address to work on.

Anybody have a contact at Honda for baddog?

I have a great dealer too. But the problem has been Honda corporate. For my outstanding problems the tech rep told the dealer not to address these problems anymore (coincidently a week after they recieved my complaints from the BBB and consumer Pruduct Safety Commission.

In six months, Vicki Hernandez at American Honda has returned my messages exactly three times to say that she had recieved my complaints but would not take any action at this time. My many phone messages, 6 faxes and 4 letters for a supervisor to contact me have been totally ignored.

The problem seems to be American Honda and not the dealerships.

Hey Dog, I was getting the major run around at a local dealer where I purchased my Ridge regarding a transmission leak. I could not get American Honda to call me back and thanks to whomever posted the following information, I am making it available to you. Call the the man listed below. Be nice and polite and explain whom you've spoken to at American Honda and the dealership's name and who you have delt with there. He helped me quite a bit in getting things rolling that eventually ended up making me a very happy customer:

MICHAEL FENNER, REGIONAL MANAGER SOUTHERN CA.
AMERICAN HONDA CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS, TORRANCE, CA
(800) 999-1009 ext. 118034.

Be polite and nice, you'll get more with honey that you will with vinegar. Good luck.

Thanks Mike, I appreciate it greatly. I owe you a drink. Shoot me a mail and I'll buy you one (my office is over in Mesquite and I live up on Lake Texoma).