My one real Ridge complaint....

[Halabar]

OK, I really do like my truck, and am getting used to everything, but....

gas mileage. Now I realize this is a truck, and highway and even city driving is not bad, but....

driving to work in rush hour. The ridge SUCKS gas when sitting in bumper-to-bumber on the freeway. I've had other trucks, and none have been this bad. perhaps it's something with the idle rpm, or something else, or perhaps the low gearing when doing a start-stop, but whatever it is, I need a daily-driver besides the ridge. (I guess that will make my ridge last a lot longer...)

anyone else doing better in traffic?...

[SmokyMtnRidger]

Please don't take offense, but are you serious? A great truck like the Ridgeline and you are worried about the gas mileage? Most negative gas mileage issues are tied to the driver. Avoid situations that sucks the life out of good mileage, drive as if you had an egg between your foot and the pedal, etc., if good gas mileage is important to you. We knew going into this purchase that the gas mileage wasn't gonna set the world on fire, but if we had wanted that we would have gone and gotten a little truck that, as my dad would say, couldn't pull a greased string out of a cat's, er, nevermind.

As for me, I seek out the road less traveled and many a day can find me taking an extra 10 or 15 minutes to get to and from work because I seek out the "back" ways and get to pass by barns and horses and cows and gorgeous views of the mountains instead of the backend of a car or truck far less interesting than our Hondas. We are averaging about 18.5 mpg. Along with driving the greatest truck ever made, I'll take it. And certainly, that gas mileage is in keeping with what Honda stated from the get go.

Now, I am sorry if this is a vent post at your expense, and I guess it is, but what we gain driving a Ridgeline is worth the gas mileage, in my humble opinion.

Smoky

[Halabar]

Originally Posted by SmokyMtnRidger

Please don't take offense, but are you serious? A great truck like the Ridgeline and you are worried about the gas mileage? Most negative gas mileage issues are tied to the driver. Avoid situations that sucks the life out of good mileage, drive as if you had an egg between your foot and the pedal, etc., if good gas mileage is important to you. We knew going into this purchase that the gas mileage wasn't gonna set the world on fire, but if we had wanted that we would have gone and gotten a little truck that, as my dad would say, couldn't pull a greased string out of a cat's, er, nevermind.

As for me, I seek out the road less traveled and many a day can find me taking an extra 10 or 15 minutes to get to and from work because I seek out the "back" ways and get to pass by barns and horses and cows and gorgeous views of the mountains instead of the backend of a car or truck far less interesting than our Hondas. We are averaging about 18.5 mpg. Along with driving the greatest truck ever made, I'll take it. And certainly, that gas mileage is in keeping with what Honda stated from the get go.

Now, I am sorry if this is a vent post at your expense, and I guess it is, but what we gain driving a Ridgeline is worth the gas mileage, in my humble opinion.

Smoky

Well Smokey,

Do you think I LIKE sitting in traffic?

I live in Los Angeles, so there is NO WAY AROUND the morning commute. If the Ridge was my only vehicle, I'd have no other choice.

If I had "back roads" to take, I certainly would, but, I don't have that option. Unless I go down roads where I might get carjacked or shot at.

And like I said, I have had other trucks and SUV's that performed much better when needing to sit in traffic.

I really do like my Ridge, but it just isn't suitable for being a daily driver when heavy traffic is involved. The morning commute of 18 miles sometimes takes my 45 min door-to-door, and on some days even an hour.

And like I said, in regular driving I find the mileage acceptable and even quite good for a vehicle of it's size. We drive it on all our long trips.

But it is that super-slow bumper-to-bumper that is the issue. And like I said, it may be an issue with gearing or just the idle setting. perhaps something that a custom chip could address.

But in the meantime, another vehicle is needed to be the daily driver.

[Oddjob]

Halabar, how much earlier would you have to leave to avoid most of the traffic? There is a high school near where I work, the first bell is at 730 same time I have to be in the office, so I leave 15 minutes early and get there early but no headackes of traffic or young drivers. My commute to work is 8 miles. Just a thought.

[SmokyMtnRidger]

Originally Posted by Halabar

Well Smokey,

Do you think I LIKE sitting in traffic?

I live in Los Angeles, so there is NO WAY AROUND the morning commute. If the Ridge was my only vehicle, I'd have no other choice.

If I had "back roads" to take, I certainly would, but, I don't have that option. Unless I go down roads where I might get carjacked or shot at.

And like I said, I have had other trucks and SUV's that performed much better when needing to sit in traffic.

I really do like my Ridge, but it just isn't suitable for being a daily driver when heavy traffic is involved. The morning commute of 18 miles sometimes takes my 45 min door-to-door, and on some days even an hour.

And like I said, in regular driving I find the mileage acceptable and even quite good for a vehicle of it's size. We drive it on all our long trips.

But it is that super-slow bumper-to-bumper that is the issue. And like I said, it may be an issue with gearing or just the idle setting. perhaps something that a custom chip could address.

But in the meantime, another vehicle is needed to be the daily driver.

I have no idea what you *like* or don't *like* but I am getting an idea. Have you always had this commute or did it come about after you bought your Ridgeline? Best of Luck on your quest to find a suitable and affordable commuter vehicle.

Smoky

[Ridge]

Well, i know what you mean. LA traffic is a b#$##ch. It can take 2hrs to go fifty miles. I doubt you have an idleing problem. It's more of a "time spent idleing problem". I hate LA traffic with a passion and when I have to go there for music business, I time my arrival there to be late at night and try to leave there on a Sunday. It's a hideous place for sure.

You never mentioned the mpg you were getting. In that soul/fuel sucking enviroment, I think I would have opted for something like a prius. I bought the RL because we don't have traffic jams here and it's pretty much a clear shot wherever you want to go. I'm getting 19 to 21 mpg with no traffic problem. In LA I would expect it to be much worse. I would think you would only be pulling around 1,000 rpms in slow traffic. In LA you should really be driving a Civic, Echo type of vehicle as a commuter.

The biggest piece of advice I could give you in LA is to move very close to where you work ( like within walking distance) Just watch hundreds of dollars flow into your pocket every month.

[ProHonda]

I think its how the throttle is aplied, I found the SMOOTHER i use the peddle the MPG does go up.

05/06 Mustangs have the same problem, electronic throttle. I hate this system. Overly sensitive and too smart for its own good.

Also the truck should get better as miles rack up.

Stuff that kills MPG:

Aerodynamics (truck is a brick)
tires ( high rolling resitance)
throttle input
staying in 5th gear as much as possible (imposible in traffic)

We average 17-18 combo driving (hwy driveing brings avg up)

My 2cents

[thinblueline54]

Originally Posted by Halabar

Well Smokey,

Do you think I LIKE sitting in traffic?

I live in Los Angeles, so there is NO WAY AROUND the morning commute. If the Ridge was my only vehicle, I'd have no other choice.

If I had "back roads" to take, I certainly would, but, I don't have that option. Unless I go down roads where I might get carjacked or shot at.

And like I said, I have had other trucks and SUV's that performed much better when needing to sit in traffic.

I really do like my Ridge, but it just isn't suitable for being a daily driver when heavy traffic is involved. The morning commute of 18 miles sometimes takes my 45 min door-to-door, and on some days even an hour.

And like I said, in regular driving I find the mileage acceptable and even quite good for a vehicle of it's size. We drive it on all our long trips.

But it is that super-slow bumper-to-bumper that is the issue. And like I said, it may be an issue with gearing or just the idle setting. perhaps something that a custom chip could address.

But in the meantime, another vehicle is needed to be the daily driver.

Hey I agree with you but for some reason people on here get so offended with the truth. Yes I have gotten better mpg from my former F150 that I lost when I traded for the Ridgeline. Honda really missed something somewhere when developing this truck. For all those that have their head in the sand, look at the research, this truck averages a miserable 10 mpg in the city and 15 on the hwy. It's in consumer reports. If you are getting 20 mpg then consider yourself lucky!! But if you think you are getting that good of mileage then re calculate. Just get a tried and true Tacoma...I should have.

[LadyRidge]

Originally Posted by thinblueline54

Hey I agree with you but for some reason people on here get so offended with the truth. Yes I have gotten better mpg from my former F150 that I lost when I traded for the Ridgeline. Honda really missed something somewhere when developing this truck. For all those that have their head in the sand, look at the research, this truck averages a miserable 10 mpg in the city and 15 on the hwy. It's in consumer reports. If you are getting 20 mpg then consider yourself lucky!! But if you think you are getting that good of mileage then re calculate. Just get a tried and true Tacoma...I should have.

I have had my Ridgeline since March 2.
I get good gas mileage and get bad gas mileage. It's up to me.
I don't think I will need to recalculate with almost 30K miles on the odometer. I know how to make the numbers go up and down with driving habits.

And just my opinion.. I don't think people here get defensive about it. It's not easy to know what someone is really thinking without seeing their face or hearing their voice. The benefit of the doubt needs to go along way on the internet, especially in forums such as this.
This of us who frequent this board hear about the gas issue it quite often and with all the threads of explanation from so many of us who get the good mileage and the bad, there really isn't a reason to question it.

I hope you find a resolution.

[ProHonda]

Maybe a mind set here, Honda = 30 MPG line of thinking ??

Could the engine be out of tune ??

First year 03 Cobra got bad MPG, the tune was too rich. The 04 got better MPG due to better tune and no gas guzzler tax

Only time will tell, I say its WAY to early to jump to conclusions