fuel economy

[pegleg]

I am approaching 20k miles on mine, and there are several things Honda needs to look at. I am an amputee, 6'1'', and drive with the seat as far back as it goes. In this position, it is so hard to reach the steering wheel. The vehicle really needs a telescoping column. The on/off button for the cruise control should be added to the steering wheel controls. I have funny grinding noises coming from under the steering wheel, like maybe some bearing has dirt in it. This is a very pricey vehicle, but the Honda accesories prices are really in the stratosphere. I quickly exceded $2k, getting the necessary things to make this a truck. Trailer hitch, etc. The nose had to be completely removed to add fog lights, and there is no cut out for them. The dealer told me the differential fluid needed to be changed at 12k miles. This was not what the owners manual said. They asked $60 labor to do this. I purchased a service manual online for $70 and did it myself, in about 15 minutes. They still hit me for $28 for a gallon of fluid, which is nothing more than transmission fluid. This should have cost no more than $15. The dirver's side door weather stripping has been replaced twice, and is deterioating again. Fuel ecomony is awful, I get no more than 16 mpg, if I really baby it. I was told by the dealer it would get better, instead it has gotten worse. The transmission downshifts suddely when you take your foot off the accelerator below 55 mph, with a noticable jerk. Almost like applying the brakes. This thing shifts constantly, it does not have enough power to stay in 5th gear, even on the freeway. I wish they would have stuck with a 4 speed tranny, and changed the gearing, and maybe it wouldn't shift every ten feet. The trailering button on the shift lever is useless, it locks you in 3rd gear if you pull anything, and you can only go about 30mph with it on. I pull an aluminum 8 ft. trailer with my lawnmower, and it really strains it. The ride and drive is great, but if you need a pickup, this falls far short. The bedliner can be scratched with your fingernail. I traded a Chevy SS in, and it had a 6.0 liter engine. I thought I was really helping my fuel bill, but not the case, I gained very little. From now on, I will stick to a Toyota Tacoma, or something similar. Dealing with the dealer, well that is a whole 'nother story.

[dbb]

The vehicle really needs a telescoping column.

Agreed.

The on/off button for the cruise control should be added to the steering wheel controls.

You can leave the cruise button in the 'on' position and use the set/cancel buttons on the wheel.

This is a very pricey vehicle, but the Honda accesories prices are really in the stratosphere.

Get accessories from sites such as http://www.collegehillshonda.com/rid...ccessories.htm or http://www.handa-accessories.com

The nose had to be completely removed to add fog lights, and there is no cut out for them.

The area to be cut out is shown, see Installing the OEM Fog Lamps

The dealer told men the differential fluid needed to be changed at 12k miles.

Ignore the dealer, go by the Maintenance Minder.

They asked $60 labor to do this.

Mine wanted over $100.

The dirver's side door weather stripping has been replaced twice, and is deterioating again.

Others have reported this, apparently you have to be careful not to hit it when getting in.

Fuel ecomony is awful, I get no more than 16 mpg, if I really baby it.

Apparently YMMV a lot with this vehicle. I'm lucky, my RL has 18K with an aggregate 19.5 MPG.

The transmission downshifts suddely when you take your foot off the accelerator below 55 mph, with a noticable jerk. Almost like applying the brakes.

Mine doesn't and I don't recall seeing any posts reporting this.

This thing shifts constantly, it does not have enough power to stay in 5th gear, even on the freeway.

At highway speeds I don't notice any shifting (I'm sure it IS shifting but it's so smooth I don't notice it so I don't care).

The trailering button on the shift lever is useless, it locks you in 3rd gear if you pull anything, and you can only go about 30mph with it on.

It's not a trailering button. Only use it for engine braking when going down a steep hill.

The bedliner can be scratched with your fingernail.

You can get a bed mat and/or a tonneau.

Dealing with the dealer, well that is a whole 'nother story.

Just as YMMV, YDEMV (your dealer experience may vary).

[25 Year Honda Owner]

Good avice dbb, I totally agree with all you say. Also, my MPG is about what you stated, filled up this moring, 19.7, all local. Pegleg may have a transmission problem!!!

[ninefive0]

Originally Posted by pegleg

I am approaching 20k miles on mine, and there are several things Honda needs to look at. I am an amputee, 6'1'', and drive with the seat as far back as it goes. In this position, it is so hard to reach the steering wheel. The vehicle really needs a telescoping column. The on/off button for the cruise control should be added to the steering wheel controls. I have funny grinding noises coming from under the steering wheel, like maybe some bearing has dirt in it. This is a very pricey vehicle, but the Honda accesories prices are really in the stratosphere. I quickly exceded $2k, getting the necessary things to make this a truck. Trailer hitch, etc. The nose had to be completely removed to add fog lights, and there is no cut out for them. The dealer told me the differential fluid needed to be changed at 12k miles. This was not what the owners manual said. They asked $60 labor to do this. I purchased a service manual online for $70 and did it myself, in about 15 minutes. They still hit me for $28 for a gallon of fluid, which is nothing more than transmission fluid. This should have cost no more than $15. The dirver's side door weather stripping has been replaced twice, and is deterioating again. Fuel ecomony is awful, I get no more than 16 mpg, if I really baby it. I was told by the dealer it would get better, instead it has gotten worse. The transmission downshifts suddely when you take your foot off the accelerator below 55 mph, with a noticable jerk. Almost like applying the brakes. This thing shifts constantly, it does not have enough power to stay in 5th gear, even on the freeway. I wish they would have stuck with a 4 speed tranny, and changed the gearing, and maybe it wouldn't shift every ten feet. The trailering button on the shift lever is useless, it locks you in 3rd gear if you pull anything, and you can only go about 30mph with it on. I pull an aluminum 8 ft. trailer with my lawnmower, and it really strains it. The ride and drive is great, but if you need a pickup, this falls far short. The bedliner can be scratched with your fingernail. I traded a Chevy SS in, and it had a 6.0 liter engine. I thought I was really helping my fuel bill, but not the case, I gained very little. From now on, I will stick to a Toyota Tacoma, or something similar. Dealing with the dealer, well that is a whole 'nother story.

The telescoping steering wheel, the cruise control button location, the Honda accesories, the differential fluid and service costs, and the highways mannors (but it seems you might have an issue as others, including myself, do not have this issue) all SHOULD have been noticed if you did enough research on this "pricey vehicle" BEFORE you spent your money. I hope that you research your next large purchase a little better than you did this one.

With a little bit of effort on your part you could have searched this site and learned about everything that you have listed above and then made a decision on if this is the right vehicle for you

Cheers

[mtrotman]

Come on people, don't be so gullible. Pegleg is a troll.

So, you've had the truck for 20,000 miles and your first post on the ROC is to rant about how much you hate everything about it? Why bother to join the ROC now? Just curious. What's the point here?

And what does being an amputee have to do with anything? Uh, I'm 5'10", haven't had anything amputated, I love long walks on the beach, single malt whiskey, and sit with the seat 3/4 back and I love the Ridgeline. And I get 20 MPG +- with every tank. I scratch the hell out of the truck bed every time I load my KTM and really don't care - it's a truck. And finally, I do my homework before I spend over $30K on anything.

Some friendly advise - before you plunk down your money on a Toyota Tacoma or something similar check the Toyota Tacoma or something similar message boards. I'm sure the Toyota Tacoma or something similar message boards are full of little musings about every little nitpicking hiccup they have every had so you will know going in what you are buying. This way you won't have to waste the time of the Toyota Tacoma or something similar message board members with rants about what you don't like after you've had a Toyota Tacoma or something similar for 20,000 miles.

Good Luck!

[MikeT]

Originally Posted by pegleg

I am approaching 20k miles on mine, and there are several things Honda needs to look at. I am an amputee, 6'1'', and drive with the seat as far back as it goes. In this position, it is so hard to reach the steering wheel. The vehicle really needs a telescoping column. The on/off button for the cruise control should be added to the steering wheel controls. I have funny grinding noises coming from under the steering wheel, like maybe some bearing has dirt in it. This is a very pricey vehicle, but the Honda accesories prices are really in the stratosphere. I quickly exceded $2k, getting the necessary things to make this a truck. Trailer hitch, etc. The nose had to be completely removed to add fog lights, and there is no cut out for them. The dealer told me the differential fluid needed to be changed at 12k miles. This was not what the owners manual said. They asked $60 labor to do this. I purchased a service manual online for $70 and did it myself, in about 15 minutes. They still hit me for $28 for a gallon of fluid, which is nothing more than transmission fluid. This should have cost no more than $15. The dirver's side door weather stripping has been replaced twice, and is deterioating again. Fuel ecomony is awful, I get no more than 16 mpg, if I really baby it. I was told by the dealer it would get better, instead it has gotten worse. The transmission downshifts suddely when you take your foot off the accelerator below 55 mph, with a noticable jerk. Almost like applying the brakes. This thing shifts constantly, it does not have enough power to stay in 5th gear, even on the freeway. I wish they would have stuck with a 4 speed tranny, and changed the gearing, and maybe it wouldn't shift every ten feet. The trailering button on the shift lever is useless, it locks you in 3rd gear if you pull anything, and you can only go about 30mph with it on. I pull an aluminum 8 ft. trailer with my lawnmower, and it really strains it. The ride and drive is great, but if you need a pickup, this falls far short. The bedliner can be scratched with your fingernail. I traded a Chevy SS in, and it had a 6.0 liter engine. I thought I was really helping my fuel bill, but not the case, I gained very little. From now on, I will stick to a Toyota Tacoma, or something similar. Dealing with the dealer, well that is a whole 'nother story.

I agree on the shifting and power for fifth gear. I also agree on the telescoping steering wheel. Why we're at it, Honda could also add the multiple drivers position buttons as well. The "trailoring button" on the shift isn't that at all. It's to lock the truck in 3rd gear. Also, If you are going down hill and back off the accelerator, there is grade logic software in the transmission that will cause a downshifting to keep you from riding the brakes. As far as the rear diff, someone correct me if I am wrong, but that's a lot thicker than transmission fluid.

Read the owners manual regarding the transmission and towing suggestions. Try reading up on the VSA and VTM-4 functions as well as they are not as intuitive as they could be. Lot of information on these functions and their peculiarities can be found on this site by using the search tool.

[pegleg]

In response to "mtrotman", "ninefiveo", and others who commented on my post. I did all the research I could, but that is a little hard to do when you buy the very first edition of a new model. At the time I purchased mine, there was very little info out there, simply because this was new on the market. And as to the question, "what does being an amputee have to do with it?' For your info, it has everything to do with what I was talking about. A leg made of wood and fiberglass does not flex and bend in all the normal places. This was a little souvineir I picked up in Vietnam, so I have encountered problems like this for years. Obviously you dont know much about wearing prosthetic devices, so before you slam those of us that do, maybe you should do your own research. And regarding the sudden downshift of the transmission, I have since seen other postings about the same problem. I dont mind the downshift, but at 55 mph? I have never encountered that before. I spent three years working r&r in trans repair shop, so I have a little knowledge about them. The "trailering" button, that was exactly what it was called in my previous Chevy, and others I have owned. As to the differential fluid, no, it is not like regular hypoid 80w-90wt gear oil used in other vehicles. If you care to look at it, go in the dealer parts room and check it out. My point was, the info the dealer fed me did not match the manual. And regarding reading the postings on these kind of sites, well, there are always the know-it all jerks that want to impress everybody else with their vast knowledge. I was just trying to share my experiences, but some thought I needed and "edukayshun" about Hondas. If my count is correct, this is number fourteen from Honda. I currently am a three Honda man, with an '07 Element, and a 4518 riding tractor.And yes, I have owned five other Tacomas, so I dont need any advice on them.

[pjratchford]

OK, I'm 6'1" ish and do not have the seat back all the way, 34" inseam and a big arse [ believe it or not it makes a big difference] as opposed to a rodeo cowboy with size 30 wranglers on. Not sure where you difficulty is as my posse goes from my size to 6'8" and all 275 plus pounds with no difficulty.
TRANSMISSION downshifts? yes I have them to especially coming off of sustained 50 plus mph driving, very unnerving when you turn onto an icy ramp and it decides to shift halfway into the turn, throws your whole balance / axis off. As far as mileage its OK but it is no where near the EPA ratings. Still love the truck tho', is a keeper.
PS try a K&N filter, it helped me. Borla exhaust is next.

[hiPSI]

I'm not gonna trash you but you probably need to read your owners manual. The button on the shift lever is used to help retard your speed going down a mountain. Yes, the fluid is not 90W gear oil because it is being used in a quasi-hydraulic system. It is not automatic transmission fluid either. The additive package is completely different. Otherwise, I agree (as thousands of others also) the truck needs a telescoping steering wheel and the door seals could be a little more robust. Most new people who post here don't trash the ridgeline right out of the box because what is the point? If people are so unhappy with the truck they will likely trade it for something else and that is fine. This truck is not for everybody, just like anything else.

[bigred1]

Originally Posted by 25 Year Honda Owner

Good avice dbb, I totally agree with all you say. Also, my MPG is about what you stated, filled up this moring, 19.7, all local. Pegleg may have a transmission problem!!!

I'm lucky to get 16 mpg also!! This morning i filled up to the tune of 11 gallons with 126 miles at half tank. My MPG is poor also. Didn't change after the tranny TSB either. Peppier yes