YearToAvoid

2012 Honda Ridgeline Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Caution The 2012 Honda Ridgeline has a Complaint Index of 6, one of the lowest among the 19 model years tracked, but 11 recall campaigns cap its verdict at Caution. Airbags are the top complaint area with 14 reports, mostly tied to the Takata inflator recall.

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
6/100
#18 of 19 Ridgeline years
Verdict
Caution
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
24
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
11
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
0
reported in complaints
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Top issue
Airbags
Best nearby year
2014
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
17
16 city / 21 hwy
Injuries / deaths
0 / 0

Top 2012 Honda Ridgeline problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags14 (58%)
  2. Structure & Body5 (21%)
  3. Other2 (8%)
  4. Steering2 (8%)
  5. Brakes1 (4%)
  6. Electrical System1 (4%)
  7. Engine1 (4%)
  8. Fuel System1 (4%)
  9. Seat Belts1 (4%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires1 (4%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Owners report the third brake light garnish detaching from the tailgate area, in one case while driving 75 mph.
  • Some describe losing power steering assist briefly while driving through puddles of water, with no warning before it happens.
  • Several owners on the Takata airbag recall list describe long waits for replacement parts and frustration with dealers not providing loaner vehicles.
  • One owner reported the fuel gauge showing an inaccurate reading, sitting near 3/4 full even when the tank was topped off.
  • A brake complaint describes intermittent ABS and VSA warning lights coming on along with the shifter getting stuck in park until the brake pedal was pumped.
  • One owner reported smoke and fire coming from under the hood and into the cabin after a short drive.
2012 Honda Ridgeline complaints: complaints filed per month4Feb 2015Apr 2016Jul 2016Oct 2016Mar 2019Sep 2022May 2025
24 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2015 to May 2025; peak Jun 2016 (4).

2012 Honda Ridgeline recalls

11 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 22V430000Jun 16, 2022Structure & Body132,882 vehicles

    Structure:frame and members

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles that were sold, or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin. An accumulation of road salt may cause the frame mounting surface, where the fuel tank mounting bands are attached, to corrode and possibly detach the fuel tank, which can result in a fuel leak.

    Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the rear frame, as necessary, free of charge. Depending on the extent of any corrosion damage, Honda may offer to repurchase the vehicle. Owner notification letters were mailed August 9, 2022. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is LCD.

  2. NHTSA 19V500000Jun 27, 2019Airbags1,558 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013 Acura ILX, 2015 RDX, 2005-2010 and 2012 RL, 2009-2014 TL, 2010 and 2012 ZDX, 2007-2011 CR-V, 2011-2013 and 2015 CR-Z, 2009-2013 Fit, 2013 Fit EV, 2010-2011 and 2013 Insight and 2007-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are S5B and W59.

  3. NHTSA 19V501000Jun 27, 2019Airbags1,657,752 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2012 RL, 2003-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with passenger frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

    Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C.

See all 11 recalls for the 2012 Honda Ridgeline →

2012 Honda Ridgeline fuel economy and fuel cost

City
16 MPG
Highway
21 MPG
Combined
17 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,800
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2012 compared with other Ridgeline years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Caution2842917
2011Caution22391017
2012Caution6241117
2013Good3345717
2014Best1134617

All Honda Ridgeline years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2012 Honda Ridgeline reliable?
NHTSA data shows a Complaint Index of 6 for the 2012 model, low compared to other Ridgeline years, but the verdict is Caution because of 11 recall campaigns requiring a dealer visit.
What is the most common problem on the 2012 Honda Ridgeline?
Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 14 of 24 complaints (58%), largely linked to Takata inflator recalls.
Does the 2012 Honda Ridgeline have a Takata airbag recall?
Yes. NHTSA lists multiple airbag recalls covering the 2012 Ridgeline, including campaigns 19V500000, 19V501000, 18V662000, 18V041000, and 17V029000, all involving frontal airbag inflator replacement.
How does the 2012 Ridgeline compare to other years?
With a Complaint Index of 6 and rank 18 of 19 model years worst-first, 2012 has fewer reported problems than most Ridgeline years, but its 11 recalls keep it from earning a Good or Best verdict.
Are there any fire or crash reports for the 2012 Ridgeline?
NHTSA lists 1 fire complaint and 0 crash reports for the 2012 Ridgeline, with no reported injuries or deaths.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.