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VTEC Failure?

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12K views 18 replies 10 participants last post by  Jweiss7939  
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#1 ·
Long time lurker here, but this is my first post. Had my first problem with the Ridgeline today an it's a big one. (it's an 06 with 24,500 miles)

Was heading home from New York on the Mass Pike when I pulled out to pass someone. I floored it and it would rev no higher than 4500 rpm's where it would hang. Not a good feeling when your trying to accelerate and it feels like your stuck in quick sand. By letting off the gas, I could get the tranny to upshift, but even then it would still hang at 4500 rpm. Thinking it was a tranny issue at first I backed off pulled off at the first rest area I came to and did an inspection.

No lights, no leaks, no strange noises and up until this point the truck has been flawless. Oil and coolant levels are fine and the oil itself looks fine. It's been approx. 5k since the last change and is at 30% according to the maintenance minder. Temp gauge never budged at all.

Babied thing thing home the best I could and took it straight to the dealer. The first thing they did was the computer reflash per the TSB on here, but that didn't fix it. Went for a ride with a tech and determined that it was an engine/VTEC issue and that the tranny is fine. When the cam should be changing over the engine is going in to some kind of "limp home" mode and won't allow it to be revved above 4500 rpms. Like I said, it just "hangs" there.

There was something in the Honda technical computer that said the exact symptoms I have are caused by a "failed VTEC rocker". The tech thought this was strange since that type of failure usually happens in older cars that went long periods without an oil change.

Car is staying in until Monday so they can do a more through exam then. Anyone on here experience this or have any ideas?

The only thing I could find searching on here that was similar was this:

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/.../under-hood-performance/3334-fyi-engine-light-vtec-system-mystery-4wd-lost.html

My experience was very similar, except no lights ever went on for me.

Any idea what this means for the long term reliability of the engine? Am I stuck with a lemon now? I know everyone says this, but I really do baby this thing. Never been off road, never towed anything and the heaviest thing it's ever hauled is a bunch of furniture. Not making it to 25k without serious engine problems is unacceptable in this day and age.

Thanks in advance.
 
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#2 ·
I've heard of this happening in Accords like mine when the oil level is low (even if it doesn't look low when you check it, the vtec can be sensitive). My understanding of the issue is that there isn't enough oil for the cam shaft to engage the vtec. I assume its no difference in the Ridgelines as to the 6th gen accords, and I don't consider 1998-2002 that old of cars, and many people who have had the problem change their oil religiously as well. I would also highly doubt any long term damage, since the fact it didn't engage was a safety feature that limited the vtec to engage without enough oil to handle it. There was enough oil in your engine, just not quite enough for vtec in other words, and it protected itself by not engaging.

I don't know if it makes as much sense written out, but I hope I helped somewhat.
 
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#4 ·
Thanks Jeffro - makes sense to me.

HH4 - I noticed that thread just after I posted. Very similar symptoms, but I never had any lights come on. The tech couldn't pull any codes either.

Obviously I'm not the only person to have this happen and Honda knows something since they something (albeit very little) in their tech database.

We'll find out Monday.
 
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#6 ·
I think this thread might get closer to your problem. I've never heard of a car needing restarted to get it to work properly, but maybe I'm miss-reading the thread. 2800 also seems low to me for vtec to kick in, but long story short, this seems closer to what you're describing.

Also, the 1998-2002 Accord's Vtec engages around 3800-4500 rpm's, similar to what you're decribing for the Ridgeline. Every vehicle is different as far as when vtec engages.
 
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#7 ·
Got a call from the dealer. They did an oil change (it was due for one anyways) and reflashed everything again. They test drove it and the problem is gone.

Didn't have time to pick it up tonight, but am going to tomorrow. Needless to say I'm skeptical, though it does make sense based on Jeffro's post.
 
#9 ·
Honda should have never changed from Filtech to Fram.
 
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#10 ·
Picked it up from the dealer last night. The reflashed it again and changed the oil. Got the classic "it's not throwing any codes right now so we can't do anything" line. The head tech also speculated that it could have been caused by an oversensitive oil sensor, which while in line what people on here are saying, is not confidence inspiring.

All I can do is drive it and see what happens I guess. I'm still pretty pissed off that something like this happens at 25k miles though.
 
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#12 ·
1,800 miles later it just started doing this again. No codes, no noises, oil level is at the top, but it won't rev past 4500 RPM's.

Dropped it off at the dealer and am waiting for the diagnosis. An oil change and a reflash isn't going to cut it this time.....

I love my Ridgeline, but this is just no way this type of problem should be happening to a car with just under 27k miles.
 
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#13 ·
It really does sound like the oil pressure sensor to me. It's obviously not detecting that there is enough oil pressure and because of that it is going into a sort of safe mode. Also, if you've been babying this thing so much, why are you revving passed 4500 RPMs? I think i've done that maybe once in the entire time i've owned the truck and I wouldn't even say I baby it.
 
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#14 ·
Dealer doesn't know what the issue is yet, but they have their head/best tech looking at it and they are "working thru the night on it". Luckily it's not our primary vehicle so they can keep it until it's 100% fixed as far as I'm concerned.

You ever try passing someone on the highway or have to pull out on to a busy road in traffic? The Ridgeline is no lightweight - sometimes you have to put the pedal to the metal to get it to go. At the risk of sounding like some sort of "Fast & Furious" watching ricer, what's the point of having VTEC if your never going to use it.

Reving the engine past 4500 RPM's hardly constitutes "beating on" the truck anyways. It's not like I'm holding the thing at redline for hours at a time and it is well within the normal operating parameters the engine was designed for.
 
#16 ·
I suppose it's possible. The oil pressure sender just sounds to me to be much more likely, especially since the problem went away after an oil change, only to return a few thousand miles later when the oil filter was getting dirty.
 
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#18 ·
Got it back and everything seems to be working normally.

They replaced the VTEC spool valve assembly and the VTEC solenoid. Oil pressure sensors (and oil pressure) checked out, but when they checked the fuel pressure at high RPM's it was low. (Fuel pressure was normal at low RPM's) - that's why they replaced the fuel pump.

I have to say it makes sense and I am satisfied that they checked in to everything. Knock on wood it stays this way
 
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