Excess Dust in Cab

I have recently purchased two Ridgelines. They are primarily used on gravel roads. Each time one of these trucks returns from a trip, the interior of the vehicle is covered in dust. The windows are kept shut and I notice that there is a dust build up around the vents in the rear doors.

Anyone else have the same problem??

Mark

We've spent many days on dirt roads and I don't consider the amount of dust that gets into the cab excessive. Very little gets into our cab.

Check your cab pollen filters. Maybe your dealer didn't install them. Wouldn't explain it around rear doors though :confused: .

sounds like your cab vents (behind seats) may be getting overwhelmed. But if you have two and they do this...doesen't sound like a fluke. I'd consider moving -it's worth it ;)

It's probably coming from the read slider. I have noticed that if you open the rear slider when driving down the road there is a constant current of air that comes in from the rear of the truck.

I learned the hard way when I had a bunch of leaves in the back of my truck and I opened the slider going down the road at abought 65. Needless to say, the leaves came flying in to the cab. My kids thought it was really funny.

I notice that there is a dust build up around the vents in the rear doors.

Mark

I'm having a hard time figuring out what you're talking about when you refer to "vents in the rear doors." Can you give me a better description, or better yet, post photos of where you are getting dust accumulating?

If you close the or turn off the outside air on your AC/Heater control you can stop alot of the dust. I do this when I see a dead skunk up the road or if someone is burning and the smoke crosses my path, it keeps the odor out. After a short time I open the recirculate back up and let the fresh air in.

We returned the vehicles to the local dealer. They think that by turning the fan completely off in the cab causes negative pressure. The vents in the rear door openings would then permit dust to enter the cab. Since then, we have tested the truck with the fan on its lowest setting and no dust entered the cab. Having said this, I think that a few of my staff probably were driving with the rear window open and this may have caused the dust build up as mentioned in an earlier post. Thanks for everyone's help.

Mark

It's probably coming from the read slider. I have noticed that if you open the rear slider when driving down the road there is a constant current of air that comes in from the rear of the truck.

I learned the hard way when I had a bunch of leaves in the back of my truck and I opened the slider going down the road at abought 65. Needless to say, the leaves came flying in to the cab. My kids thought it was really funny.


Funny, me too! I had the dog in the back on the way to the beach and i opened the slider while he was back there and the dog hairs where everywhere inside. I have noticed it with sand too. I now only open it when my bed is clean or we are stopped..

I did the same yrs ago hauling straw bales in my station wagon with the gate down.I got up to 50mph and put 3 inches of straw dust all over the dash,front seats and me.What a mess.Make sure rear sliders and all windows are closed and if the rear window is not a tight fit make it one,you will be glad you did.

Rear Door Vents???

Must not be a ridgeline.

I think he meant rear cabin pressure vents. The ones that are behind the seats that has flaps that open up when there is positive pressure in the cabin. The way they are designed, they close when pressure is not there.

We returned the vehicles to the local dealer. They think that by turning the fan completely off in the cab causes negative pressure. The vents in the rear door openings would then permit dust to enter the cab. Since then, we have tested the truck with the fan on its lowest setting and no dust entered the cab. Having said this, I think that a few of my staff probably were driving with the rear window open and this may have caused the dust build up as mentioned in an earlier post. Thanks for everyone's help.

Mark

I have noticed this issue myself on gravel roads. I even ran this last time with the ac on recirc. and I still ended up with a dusting of gravel dust all over the inside plastic. It's like the plastic in this truck is a magnet to dust, especially the radio. If you sit long enough you can actually watch dust fly to it and stick. I don't have a clue how its getting in. I don't drive down gravel roads with the rear slider open.

I have noticed excessive dust in the cab after travelling gravel roads also.:(
I had the A/C with recirc on as well. All windows, including rear slider, were closed.

Maybe the reason I don't notice it much or would never call it excessive (at least what accumulates in our truck) is because when we hit the dirt I often open my window. We may even have the back windows open for the dogs if we're going slow enough. We get some dust, but much less than I remember getting in our Trooper under the same circumstances.

As far as the vinyl being a dust magnet, are you using 303 Protectant? I've noticed for the first few days after I use it that dust settles on the vinyl more. I keep a screen rag handy for the NAVI as that is where dust particles annoy me.

Mugen, thanks for the shot of the hidden pressure valves. You're teaching all of us a lot about the parts we can't see or don't normally pay attention to.

"I have noticed excessive dust in the cab after travelling gravel roads also.
I had the A/C with recirc on as well. All windows, including rear slider, were closed."

Me too! I drive on gravel roads alot here in Colorado and the truck always fills up with dust. Does driving with the fan on prevent this?:confused: :confused:

I drove up a local mountain the other day and it’s a dirt road all the way up (first off road excursion for my RL). Of course the sides and the rear of my RL were covered in fine dirt/dust. I say this to illustrate the dusty conditions of the road. So when I got home, I decided to give it a good wash. While doing the finishing touches I noticed that a lot of dust collects between the doors and the body. While cleaning this area, I also noticed that some dust got past the rear doors rubber weather striping and on to the plastic door panels like many have described. I think the problem is that the weather striping on the rear doors don’t seal well enough on the lower curved area and is allowing fine dust to enter. It wasn’t a lot of dust but enough to notice. Other than that, everything else was great. BTW, I had all the windows closed and the AC running on auto.

While doing the finishing touches I noticed that a lot of dust collects between the doors and the body. While cleaning this area, I also noticed that some dust got past the rear doors rubber weather striping and on to the plastic door panels like many have described. I think the problem is that the weather striping on the rear doors don’t seal well enough on the lower curved area and is allowing fine dust to enter. It wasn’t a lot of dust but enough to notice.

This happens to me as well. Very dusty between the doors and body, but the weatherstripping on mine does stop it from getting into the cabin. Poor design or is it just material not good enough to do the job?

We have had these trucks for a few months now and the problem still exists. The trucks have been back to the local Honda dealer and he has tried a few things but to no avail. He also mentioned that Honda Canada have reports of this happening to others and that they are supposedly working on it.

Mark

I just returned from Vacation and wanted to search for this dust problem on my 2007. We drove on very dusty roads and couldn't understand the excessive dust that accumulated on plastic surfaces only in the rear seat area until my son observed the dust entering the cabin between the rear seatbelt fasteners while we were driving. My thoughts were like many that driving on the gravel roads with the air on recirculate would be the best but to my surprise the dusting isnt noticeable unless the air is on recirculate! I also have the OEM Tonneau cover and a tailgate gasket has now become the next item I really need to purchase for the truck. Is it possible this dusting is made worse because of the Tonneau cover and the dust is being drawn into the cab from the box area through the valves behind the seat Mugen1 showed in the pictures in previous post? I hope it improves after I get a tailgate gasket, does anyone else have any more ideas?
-Honda5forus

First, you need to make sure the dealer has installed the oval plugs on the inside of the rocker panel (called the side sill in the parts catalog – look under the vehicle. This is the vertical panel between the floor and the lower weld flange.). These are the tie down locations used during shipping and should be plugged prior to delivery (dealer prep). Sometimes these plugs just get tossed because they don’t read or understand the PDI instructions (6 per vehicle).

Next, if you have any accessories that are passing through the seals (like an external an XM antenna or cb antenna); this will cause a leak in the seal and result in negative pressure.

Finally, do not operate the HVAC system in recirc in dusty conditions. Use the normal mode. It pressurizes the cabin and prevents dust from entering the cabin. Also, do not shut the fan off; this also creates a negative pressure in the cabin when driving. Finally, if you drive with one window cracked, there is also a negative pressure created depending on the window position.

First, you need to make sure the dealer has installed the oval plugs on the inside of the rocker panel (called the side sill in the parts catalog – look under the vehicle. This is the vertical panel between the floor and the lower weld flange.). These are the tie down locations used during shipping and should be plugged prior to delivery (dealer prep). Sometimes these plugs just get tossed because they don’t read or understand the PDI instructions (6 per vehicle).


Thanks Gary, I did find one of the oval plugs was missing at the rear passenger side location. Since they had 5 out of 6 installed I figured one must have rolled away on them so I had a good look in the cab and luckily I found it under the drivers seat and put it its proper place. No more recirc. HVAC use on gravel roads and I did apply a TrailSeal tailgate gasket as well. Hopefully no more dust in the cab and less in the box under the tonneau now too.

I know you have heard it many times but to you Gary and the rest of your team at Honda that brought us this awesome truck, Thank you and well done.

I had the same question on 7-26-07 at 9:08am/

I had the exact same problem. I brought it into the dealer 4 times before they would actually believe me. I have a video I could send you of what the dealer found. they put water into the back and it ran out the bottom. major leaks. I had posted a note on this forum also with no good result. contact Honda they know there is a problem, but don't want to admit it. I contacted the number in my owners manual and they are finally doing something. I hope. I still I'm having dust problem but not as bad as it was.

Dust control in any environment is not an easy task. Conventional vehicular HVAC systems can only control what is brought into the cabin thru the system but unfortunately not elsewhere.

As others have mentioned, key to dust control is cabin pressurization. Another important factor is the auto mfr's increased use of plastics and PETs within the cabin interior. These materials collect dust thru static electricity generated on their surface.

Living in a drier state with low RH-Relative Humidity can cause havoc with dust collection on these surfaces. If this problem persists, the use of an anti-static cloth to drain off charged particles can help: http://www.kinetronics.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.100.exe/online-store/scstore/panther.html?L+scstore+qtqp7578ffc2f7c2+1237792511

First, you need to make sure the dealer has installed the oval plugs on the inside of the rocker panel (called the side sill in the parts catalog – look under the vehicle. This is the vertical panel between the floor and the lower weld flange.). These are the tie down locations used during shipping and should be plugged prior to delivery (dealer prep). Sometimes these plugs just get tossed because they don’t read or understand the PDI instructions (6 per vehicle).

Ok, so I'm a mechanical idiot and I'm not sure exactly what plugs/caps are referred to above. I got underneath the truck and I'm pretty sure I located exactly what was discussed, but I'm not positive. I found two caps midline about where my OEM running boards mount (same pillar running vertical front to back), each one angled. Looks like the holes could be for chains going fore and aft while on the delivery truck. I also found one plug/cap on each side just forward of the rear wheel wells. All 6 had caps in them so if these are in fact the holes referred to above I guess I'm good.

I've included some photos of what I am referring to below. Thanks for any help from anyone out there.

--Dennis

Dennis, you nailed it. Those are in fact the caps that Gary mentions in his post. Proof that your dealer actually did perform the PDI on your truck!;)

Andy,
Thanks! I was pretty sure I had the right ones based on the oval shape, but I'm a little anal retentive and wanted to be ABSOLUTELY sure. Besides, if I was wrong my wife would hold it over my head for who knows how long. ;) I got a sideways look when I called out from under the truck "Hey babe, can you get me the camera?".

Thanks again.

--Dennis

I got a sideways look when I called out from under the truck "Hey babe, can you get me the camera?"

...followed by a "and a nice cold beer at the same time.....pleeeze....honey"?:D

If you want to open your rear window but don't like the leaves and sticks blowing in, you need what I have in my post picture, a rear window screen designed for the Ridgeline. I make them and they go by word of mouth. If your interested send me an email and I will tell you how to contact me off-line.

Jack