2013 Honda Ridgeline problems: recalls, complaints and whether this is a year to avoid
The 2013 Honda Ridgeline has 45 owner complaints on record with NHTSA, which ranks it 6 of 7 Honda Ridgeline model years by complaint volume. The worst year is 2019 (236); the cleanest is 2016 (0). 8 recall entries cover this year.
Is 2013 a good year for the Honda Ridgeline?
Complaint volume is fairly even across this nameplate, so the model year is a weaker signal here than it is on many cars. Read the components below rather than the totals.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 128 | 5 |
| 2022 | 117 | 3 |
| 2020 | 169 | 9 |
| 2019 | 236 | 12 |
| 2018 | 162 | 8 |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 ← this page | 45 | 8 |
Older years have been on the road longer and collect more complaints for that reason alone, and a year that sold in higher volume collects more while being no worse.
This retrieval holds 7 of the nameplate’s model years. 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021 are absent, which means no records came back for them — not that they were clean. The ranking above is among the years shown.
The 2013 accounts for 5% of every complaint filed against the Honda Ridgeline in this retrieval, which works out to 3.5 complaints per year on the road across the 13 years since it was sold new — the figure to compare against other years, because it removes the advantage a newer car gets simply from having had less time to accumulate reports.
Which recalls cover the 2013?
Air Bags
Regional recall — covers vehicles sold or ever registered in 8 states and territories. Honda is also recalling certain 2011-2012 Acura RL, 2011 Honda Element and 2011-2013 Ridgeline vehicles in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky.
Free remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Air Bags
Free remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138.
Vehicle Speed Control
Free remedy: Dorman will notify owners, and qualified service facilities will replace the affected accelerator pedal assemblies, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2019.
Take the campaign number to any franchised Honda dealer. Recall repairs are free with no mileage or ownership limit, and they follow the car rather than the owner, so a used 2013 with an unrepaired campaign is a free repair you can claim. How recalls work.
Recall text is abridged from the NHTSA record. Search the campaign number at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the full notice and affected VIN ranges.
What do owners report on the Honda Ridgeline?
Across every Honda Ridgeline year, not the 2013 alone — NHTSA does not split component totals by model year.
- Electrical System — 158 reports
- Engine — 98 reports
- Unknown or Other — 88 reports
- Exterior Lighting — 79 reports
If your 2013 is doing something now, these are the guides for that system — each opens with whether it is safe to keep driving:
Which other Honda Ridgeline years should you compare?
2016 Honda Ridgeline → · All Honda Ridgeline years
If you are deciding between years, the table above is the short answer and the Honda Ridgeline page carries the full run with the component breakdown. Before money changes hands, run the VIN for open recalls and read the inspection checklist — ten minutes in the seller’s driveway finds most of what matters.
Check a 2013 before you commit
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