Yes. It sounds like it's time for a warranty repair.

 

Yes they should be lit up...

 

My 2022 RTLE steering wheel lights are very dim. I don’t think anything can be adjusted and cannot be seen while driving.

 

Hello everyone.
My interior control buttons (steering wheel, HVAC buttons, shifter buttons) do not light up. Doesn't matter whether headlight on or off, in auto or low beams on mode, interior light sensitivity "High-Mid-Low" - the interior buttons are completely dark. The HVAC and stereo screen works, but buttons stay dark no matter what I do.
The brightness switch (+ and - buttons on the gauge cluster bezel) adjust the gauge cluster brightness only.
I went through the manual again, but found no info related to the issue.

Has anyone run into a similar issue with a Ridgeline?
I know the easiest solution is to take it to a dealer, but I don't really have time for that and prefer to fix the problem myself (if possible) before spending 2-3 hrs at the service department while a tech would be tearing apart my brand new truck.

 

Could someone please confirm that the 22' RTL overhead console buttons, HVAC control buttons and shifter buttons "letters" should be backlit ?
My overhead console and HVAC buttons are completely dark.
There are 2 small red strips next to "Park" button and "D/S" button has a lit up strip around the button, the rest of the buttons and letters are not lit up/illuminated and I'm having a hard time believing it's designed like that.

 

I can confirm that all of these areas are supposed to be backlit. Your Ridgeline isn't working as designed.

 

Thanks.
I've checked all related to the interior illumination fuses and settings with no luck, so I guess it's trip to a dealer...
Wondering how factory QC team and PDI tech missed it...

 

Wondering how factory QC team and PDI tech missed it...

Missed by PDI tech? That's easy - they usually skip most of the steps and just blindly check off the boxes so they can move on to the next job (they get paid by the job instead of by the hour). I don't believe controls backlighting is an item on the PDI checklist.

I'd bet that the interior lighting worked at the factory and that something (like a fuse or connector) came loose during shipping. It's also possible that the dealer or someone working for them installed an aftermarket device (such as a brake light flasher, alarm, or tracking/telematics device) and damaged the electrical system in the process.

 

I doubt a locked connector or fuse can get loose during shipping, but your other idea is a pretty good one: a dealer I bought the truck from has installed a lojack.
It was never activated (cuz I refused to pay for this add on) and as far as know it connects to the ignition and speedometer wires and should not affect the interior illumination anyhow, but since not all techs know what they are doing - everything is possible...
Any idea where a dealer could've hide a lojack? Under the knee or left kick panel?

 

Connectors and fuses can be installed well enough to work initially then lose connection later due to movement and vibration. I've seen it happen.

Do the buttons on your steering wheel light up?

Check fuse #25 (7.5A "instrument panel lights") in the interior fuse box type A.

Check fuse #4 (10A "small lights") in the underhood fuse box type A.

 

Nope, steering buttons are "dark" too.
Only window switches light up.
Both of these fuses were checked (and replaced with working fuses just in case), but that didn't fix the issue.

 

Most likely a short to ground on one of the many wires or lights on the instrument panel light circuit. It could still be a modification that you're not aware of or it could be a manufacturing defect such as a nicked power wire that is shorted to ground, a bent pin in a connector causing a short, a faulty backlight, or a faulty input or output in the MICU (the computer that controls lighting). A dealer might stumble across the fault quickly or it could take hours or days to trace. Either way, it's a warranty issue so I'd let them deal with it. Let's hope it's a minor issue that is found quickly without having to disassemble the dash and interior to replace a wiring harness - that's the stuff my nightmares are made of.

 

...yeah, I'm worried about that as well, that would definitely ruin my "new car mood"...

 

ok, the truck is back home.
According to the dealer one of the connections inside of the "interior light'" connector that plugs into the MICU was defective or not installed like it should.

 

Thanks for the update - glad you got it resolved!

 

My steering wheel buttons back lighting has never worked. Even when having the wheel swapped out for the heated one. I just assumed they were not suppose to light up, even though was sure my 2006 RTL had lights on the wheel buttons. All the dash lighting works however. Is there a seperate fuse for steering wheel lighting or is it also running thru fuses #4 or #25?

 

All on the same circuit.

 

Got another unpleasant surprise from my RL yesterday...
Steering nigh illumination stopped working...
The first time everything was dark, this time only the steering illumination...

 

This is why dealers shouldn't be modifying vehicles' electrical systems. It's possible this all stems from a factory defect, but the more likely explanation is rooted in the dealer-installed tracking device.

 

Maybe you are right.
As far as I've been told they did not replace anything last time, just fixed the connector.
The tracking device was removed and per tech's it was not connected to any affected by the defective connector circuits anyway...

 

They'll never admit to any wrongdoing. I wouldn't be surprised if the previous issue was actually a shorted wire and not a loose connector. You said a fuse was blown last time. Well, a loose connector implies an open circuit, not a short circuit. Fuses don't blow due to open circuits - they blow due to current faults caused by short circuits.

What statement makes the dealer look better?

"We found a nick in a wire that we had tapped into to install an aftermarket accessory that was not approved by Honda. This caused a short. We 'patched' it by wrapping electrical tape around the damaged insulation and hope that it won't short out again during the warranty period."

"We found a loose connector and re-seated it."

You may have a faulty cable reel ("clock spring") in the steering column or a faulty steering wheel backlight. This could have been what caused the fuse to blow originally, but the dealer couldn't duplicate the fault so they just made up a story that they found a loose connector in order to get reimbursed from Honda for their time and make themselves look competent.

This is just how dealers work - I don't trust any of them because I know first hand how they operate.

 

The first time "the "interior light'" connector that plugs into the MICU was defective or not installed like it should".
I worked for a dealer and agree with you, quality of service has slipped big time and that common for all "mass brands".

 

Update: my 7 month 800 miles old clockspring is out and need to be replaced...
They have the part in stock and assured me it's not a difficult job and not that uncommon.
Have you ever heard about a clock spring going out before 100K+? I haven't.
Wondering what's going to fail next.

 

I haven't look at my steering wheel lights yet but can anyone tell me if your headlamp switch (turn signal stalk) is back lit. I have to turn on the interior lights to make sure my lights are on automatic. Some times I turn them to manual. Usually if I'm parked running somewhere and my headlights are blinding someone.

 

I haven't look at my steering wheel lights yet but can anyone tell me if your headlamp switch (turn signal stalk) is back lit.

It is not. I've never seen one that was.

 

Along those lines....should the 3 garage door buttons in the roof console be lit? Mine are not.

 

They were on my 2017 and 2019 RTL-Es. What is your year and trim?

 

Interior brightness is adjusted using the + and - buttons below the right side of the instrument cluster.

 

I agree with yeti. That control does nothing for the steering wheel lights. I’ve tried this also.