NHTSA (USA)Critical
At a glance
What can fail
Road salt corrodes the frame where fuel tank straps attach, potentially causing the fuel tank to detach and leak.
This page covers 11 recalls and 39 owner complaints for the 2011 Honda Ridgeline.
For the 2011 Ridgeline, the dominant pattern in owner complaints centers on the airbag system, which accounts for the large majority of reports filed for this model year. Owners frequently describe concerns with airbag readiness and deployment behavior, though the specific symptoms vary across reports. Structural issues make up the next cluster, with owners describing problems including rear-end instability at speed, unusual suspension behavior, and a roof leak that allowed water intrusion into the cabin. A smaller number of reports touch on suspension noise, specifically clunking from the front end following strut replacement, and at least one complaint involves a tire sitting at an abnormal angle while parked. The rear-end rocking and squealing described in multiple structure-related reports points to rear suspension or axle behavior as a recurring concern among this group.
39
Total Complaints
2
Crash-Related
By System
The 2011 Honda Ridgeline has 11 recalls, the most serious being a Takata airbag defect affecting both the driver and passenger frontal airbags, where the inflator can rupture and send metal fragments into the cabin, causing serious injury or death.
Multiple recalls address this same airbag inflator issue across both seating positions, and prior repair attempts did not fully resolve the problem for all affected vehicles. Separately, vehicles that were registered in certain high-humidity coastal states or territories face a higher risk because heat and moisture accelerate the inflator degradation.
There is also a structural recall covering vehicles sold or registered in roughly two dozen northern and midwestern states, where road salt can corrode the frame to the point that fuel lines crack and leak, raising the risk of a fire.
Rounding out the list, two lower-severity recalls involve the spare tire: certain vehicles were fitted with a full-size spare instead of the specified compact spare, and the tire information label on the door jamb may not reflect the actual spare installed. A label showing the wrong inflation pressure can lead to improper tire use and increase the risk of a tire failure.
At a glance
What can fail
Road salt corrodes the frame where fuel tank straps attach, potentially causing the fuel tank to detach and leak.
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and repair the rear frame at no cost. Honda may repurchase the vehicle if corrosion is severe.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front airbag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown after prolonged exposure to high humidity, heat, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front airbag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver frontal air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to high humidity, temperature, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Driver air bag inflators installed during previous recalls or as service parts may explode during a crash when the air bag deploys due to a manufacturing defect.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the driver air bag inflator with a different inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to humidity, temperature, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may explode due to propellant breakdown from prolonged exposure to heat, humidity, and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The front passenger air bag inflator can rupture during a crash due to chemical breakdown from long-term exposure to heat and humidity.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may rupture during a crash due to propellant breakdown from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Moisture can seep into the dual-stage driver frontal air bag inflator over time, potentially causing it to rupture.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the air bag inflator at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The spare tire installed may not match the tire specifications listed on your vehicle's tire information placard.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect your spare tire and exchange it or update the placard as needed, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Some vehicles received a full-size spare tire instead of the smaller space-saver tire specified on the Tire and Loading Information label, creating a mismatch.
What the fix does
Dealers will check the spare tire and replace it with the correct type if needed to match your vehicle's label.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
