YearToAvoid

2019 Honda Ridgeline Engine Problems

NHTSA lists 48 engine complaints for the 2019 Honda Ridgeline, 20% of all complaints filed for that model year. Two related recalls cover connecting rod bearing wear and a timing belt defect. Median mileage at failure was 60,000 miles.

Engine complaints
48
20% of 237
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
2
Median mileage
60,000 mi
Related recalls
2

Typical engine symptoms owners report

  • Owners report rod knock and connecting rod or crankshaft bearing wear, sometimes with metal shavings or copper glitter found in the oil and oil filter.
  • Some owners describe engine failure with no warning, including a case reported at 99,000 miles where the engine seized while driving.
  • Several report engine fires, including smoke from the engine compartment while the vehicle was stationary, with no warning lights illuminated.
  • Owners describe hesitation or lurching during acceleration, with the tachometer cycling up and down repeatedly.
  • Some report their VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign 23V751000 despite showing the same rod bearing symptoms described in that recall.
  • One owner reported a check engine light tied to fuel injector codes matching a service bulletin but not covered under warranty.

When 2019 Honda Ridgeline engine complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 12, 2020, latest Sep 24, 2026.

2019 Honda Ridgeline engine complaints: complaints filed per month5Jan 2020Jun 2021Aug 2023Apr 2024Dec 2024Oct 2025Mar 2026Jul 2026
48 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jan 2020 to Sep 2026; peak Nov 2024 (5).

Engine recalls for the 2019 Honda Ridgeline

  1. NHTSA 23V751000Nov 13, 2023Engine248,999 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.

    Risk: A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.

  2. NHTSA 19V298000Apr 12, 2019Engine93,946 vehicles

    Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:belts and associated pulleys

    Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.

    Risk: Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.

    Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any affected timing belt free of charge. Vehicles receiving a replacement timing belt will also have the engine inspected and any damaged components will be replaced for free. The recall began June 7, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is L4M. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is Z4L.

Engine complaints by Ridgeline model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20105 (12%)
  2. 20111 (3%)
  3. 20121 (4%)
  4. 20132 (4%)
  5. 20143 (9%)
  6. 20150 (0%)
  7. 201797 (28%)
  8. 201826 (16%)
  9. 201948 (20%)
  10. 202039 (23%)
  11. 202134 (34%)
  12. 202225 (21%)
  13. 202324 (19%)
  14. 202413 (22%)
  15. 202523 (26%)

Frequently asked questions

How many engine complaints does the 2019 Honda Ridgeline have?
NHTSA lists 48 engine complaints for the 2019 Ridgeline, accounting for 20% of the 237 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2019 Honda Ridgeline engine?
Yes. Campaign 23V751000 covers a manufacturing error related to connecting rod bearing wear, and campaign 19V298000 covers a timing belt defect where teeth may separate.
At what mileage do engine problems usually appear on the 2019 Ridgeline?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 60,000 miles for engine-related complaints.
Have engine problems led to fires or crashes on the 2019 Ridgeline?
NHTSA records show 2 fires, 3 crashes, and 2 injuries tied to complaints in this model year's dataset, though not all are confirmed to be engine-specific.
Does the recall cover all 2019 Ridgeline VINs?
No. Some owners report their VIN was excluded from Campaign 23V751000 despite showing the same rod bearing symptoms described in the recall.

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.