2018 Honda Ridgeline Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2018 Honda Ridgeline has a complaint index of 50 and ranks 10th worst out of 19 model years, earning a Caution verdict. It has 161 complaints, 7 recalls, and the top problem area is the Electrical System at 30% of complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 50/100
- #10 of 19 Ridgeline years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 161
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 7
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 3
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 1
- Top issue
- Electrical System
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 21.5
- 18.5 city / 25.5 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 1 / 0
Top 2018 Honda Ridgeline problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System49 (30%)
- Collision Avoidance & Cameras33 (20%)
- Fuel System30 (19%)
- Engine26 (16%)
- Other17 (11%)
- Structure & Body10 (6%)
- Transmission & Powertrain9 (6%)
- Visibility & Wipers7 (4%)
- Lane Departure6 (4%)
- Brakes5 (3%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Rearview camera stops working because the wiring harness at the tailgate breaks after repeated opening and closing.
- Water enters the capless fuel filler flapper and freezes in cold weather, blocking refueling and sometimes trapping the vehicle with an empty tank.
- Forward collision warning and lane departure systems reportedly failed to alert or brake when the vehicle got too close to traffic ahead.
- Owners report brake response issues, including one case where the vehicle rolled backward and made contact with another vehicle before a braking failure while merging onto a highway.
- A radar sensor tied to the collision avoidance system reportedly stayed miscalibrated and kept triggering warning lights even after dealer recalibration.
2018 Honda Ridgeline recalls
7 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 26V365000Jun 4, 2026Structure & Body880,514 vehicles
Structure:frame and members
American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. The rear subframe may corrode at the suspension mounting points, which can result in rear suspension component failure.
Risk: Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the rear subframe and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit and, as necessary, repair or replace the rear subframe components, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed July 27, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated in the fall of 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are AOU and AOT. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 10, 2026.
- NHTSA 26V332000May 21, 2026Airbags98,892 vehicles
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification:front passenger
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic hatchback, 2016-2020 Civic coupe, 2016-2022 Civic, 2017-2022 Accord Hybrid, and 2016-2022 Accord vehicles. The front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, which can cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally during a crash.
Risk: Air bags that deploy unintentionally during a crash increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat weight sensors, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Honda's customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are BOL, WO9, OOA, WOM, XOH, NOC, POD, BOE, UOF, POB, EOG, AOI, QO8, TOJ, DO7, and SOK. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 24V064. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 29, 2026.
- NHTSA 23V858000Dec 18, 2023Fuel System2,490,460 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX vehicles. The fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can cause an engine stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel pump module, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed September 6, 2024. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-215 and 20V-314.
2018 Honda Ridgeline fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 18.5 MPG
- Highway
- 25.5 MPG
- Combined
- 21.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $3,025
- 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.
2018 compared with other Ridgeline years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2018 Honda Ridgeline reliable?
- NHTSA data gives the 2018 Ridgeline a complaint index of 50, ranking 10th worst among 19 model years, with a Caution verdict. Electrical System complaints make up 30% of the total, followed by Collision Avoidance & Cameras at 20%.
- What are the most common problems on the 2018 Honda Ridgeline?
- The largest reported categories are Electrical System (49 complaints, 30%), Collision Avoidance & Cameras (33 complaints, 20%), Fuel System (30 complaints, 19%), and Engine (26 complaints, 16%).
- Does the 2018 Honda Ridgeline have a fuel system recall?
- Yes. NHTSA recall 19V053000 covers 2017-2019 Ridgeline trucks where car wash acid exposure can crack the fuel pump feed port, and recall 23V858000 covers a broader fuel pump module replacement across multiple Honda models including the Ridgeline.
- How does the 2018 Ridgeline compare to other years?
- The 2018 model's complaint index of 50 is lower than 2017 (83), 2019 (89), and 2025 (94), but higher than 2013 (33) and 2014 (11), which are rated Good and Best.
- What is the fuel economy of the 2018 Honda Ridgeline?
- EPA rates the 2018 Ridgeline at 21.5 mpg combined (18.5 city, 25.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,025.