[OhSix]

Dust. On a gravel road. And a window cracked open.

UNFORGIVEABLE!

 

[OhSix]

The way dust pours through his vents is unforgivable.

As a driver for more decades than I care to admit, I don't need a warning light for low fuel. I'm cognizant of such things. Even if I were slacking in the fuel level awareness department, the presence of an unusual light, regardless of it's location, is more than sufficient warning when glancing at gauges. Which a conscientious driver does with regularity. How's this for logic? The low fuel warning light is located by the fuel gauge. What a concept!

Every single product available for purchase requires at least some level of acclimation. Complaints about functions like markings, switch direction, ETC are gratuitous in my mind, not everything can fit the expectations of every user, fer chissake.

Perhaps leaving out more frivolous complaints and focusing on the dust issue with relevant information would have been helpful. Simple details like dust in or out of HVAC recirculation mode would be a HUGE differentiator.

Given the OP comments about what he considers counter intuitive design on the wiper stalk, the placement of a low fuel warning light and lack of information about the issue of "dust penetration", its hard to discern pettiness from seriousness.

As always, just my opinion.

 

[OhSix]

^^^^^^^^^^ agree 100%

Now with respect to the dust.... the only times I had "issues" with dust, had to do with how it absolutely INVADES the bed if you have a closed tonneau cover, but never installed any dust seals around the tailgate. I couldn't believe how much difference it made when I finally put some dust seals back there.

I do know that there are cabin vents behind the rear seat (right?), and I'm guessing that's probably where any dust entering the cabin would be coming from, but only if you don't have positive pressure in the cabin (as in a/c, heat, or vent fan on??).

If the implication I picked up was that you want to be able to drive with the windows down & not get any dust in the cabin while driving on dusty roads (????), all I can suggest is some good hallucinogens..... cause that's the only way that's going to happen. :act024:

Correct you are Mr. Nick. The equalization vents you mentioned are located on the R & L sides of the rear cabin wall. Little plastic inserts with flaps they rest in closed position until motion of the vehicle or air pressure inside the cabin causes their position to change. Unless those pressure conditions get in a wonky state, they shouldn't allow dust to back flow into the cabin, and even if that happens, the dust would have to travel a circuitous route to cause the issue in the OP video.

It "seems to me", the issue pointed out can only be related to air entering the cowl pathway and some unknown route around the cabin filter, which is highly unlikely due to factory assembly. After being the victim of previous "service work" done by wrench monkeys of questionable talent, one has to wonder if somewhere in the history of the OP RL, someone left a part out during reassembly.

Having spewed that, the OP combines unrelated criticism of design with an issue serious enough to force the sale of an otherwise excellent rolling assembly. *If it were me*, I'd have broken out the tools and gotten to the bottom of the issue under my well proven theory that "no one cares for your vehicle like you do". Back that up with "you can't pay someone to care about what they do for a living" and DIY becomes the solution to lots of issues.

 

[OhSix]

I think these will be my final comments on this as I have nothing to gain by remaining involved.

The cabin air filter was in place. I replaced it several times, trying different brands in hopes of fixing the problem.

I spent a considerable amount of time searching for the issue over my 27 months of ownership - that makes so much sense that I felt it didn't need to be said.

I have driven many other vehicles in these same conditions. None of them shot dust through the vents like the Ridgeline.

I have spoken with a few people in Honda service centres. Without fail, when I told them I was trying to fix the dust issue in my Ridgeline, they didn't ask "what issue", they KNEW what I was talking about, and served up the party line each time.

I have spoken with other owners, and seen a few comments on this forum regarding this issue, but I have yet to hear from someone who drives with the window cracked open in dusty conditions who doesn't have this issue.

Wireless,

Honestly not trying to pick at you. But from an outside perspective your post ranked reasons for selling the RL. 2 of those reasons are a purely subjective interpretation of product design - and your individual expectation of what makes sense to you.

Opinions about how things should work are fine, but the 3rd - much more serious - although obscure issue of dust penetration "while window is cracked" offered little detail except for a brief expression of disappointment in Honda.

After spending time describing your expectations of the user interface attributes in an automobile, the issue you skimmed over deserved a deeper explanation of steps taken to locate and resolve the problem. Especially if someone else could benefit from your experience and might even be chasing a similar issue.

Now you are saying that after 27 months of ownership, it should be obvious to readers of your post that you put serious effort into locating the problem.

What we have here is a failure to communicate.