2017 Honda Ridgeline transmission problems

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The “4WD Failure” message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched and became aware of an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,055.

NHTSA complaint #11758248 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Bought this vehicle in December 2025 used from a dealership. After about a month, I started hearing a noise coming from behind the steering wheel inside the dashboard area. Being that it was a new car to us. We weren’t sure if the noise was problematic so we didn’t take it in right away. The noise started getting worse after a few months and we brought it in. The mechanic couldn’t find the reason for the noise however did notice that there was metal in the oil and heard a knocking that was abnormal in the engine. After some investigation, we discovered that 2017 Honda Ridge lines were known for connecting rod, bearing failures, and many of the vehicles were under recall. We checked the VIN number of our vehicle and were told that this was not under this warranty. We called Honda Customer Care to talk to them about the fact that this problem seem to be the same problem as the service bulletin problem. We asked if they could cover the cost of the repair. They suggested we needed to have it diagnosed by a Honda dealership. We brought it to the Honda dealership who told told us that it would cost $1000 out-of-pocket to be able to diagnose this problem properly. We now have a car that potentially has a extremely dangerous and potentially catastrophic engine problem with premature deterioration and failure of the crankshaft connecting rod bearings that we are afraid to drive and we don’t have the money to fix. When doing research it suggests that there are at least 1.4 million vehicles that are under investigation for the possibility of having the problem that is addressed by the recall, and many of these vehicles are still having this engine failure and we think ours may be one of these. We have not seen any engine warning lights yet however, the mechanic suggested that it is premature crankshaft connecting rod bearing failure as evidenced by the amount of metals showing up in the oil. We just recently replaced the oil in early June (less than 2,000 miles ago).

NHTSA complaint #11749063 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Transmission Jutter or pulsing going up a slight incline at 45mph 50k miles on vehicle Problem repaired by dealer under extended warranty Now same problem occurring again at 90k miles

NHTSA complaint #11740778 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The automatic transmission light/warning lid up. Took to the dealer for diagnostic test. They recommended for transmission replacement based on the codes. Contact Honda to remedy. They review the diagnosis and agreed with the dealer for transmission replacement. It’s terrible that Honda transmission had to be replaced at less than 120,000 miles. The cost to replace is so expensive l, ~$10,500. Honda should recall these defected transmission.

NHTSA complaint #11733130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Transmission started shifting roughly last year, dealership has changed fluid a few times and shifting was better but last time rough shifting came back within a few months. I was driving on a two lane highway and did three individual passes of slower vehicles, after the third pass my transmission lost its mind and started banging into gear then going into neutral, I had to feather the accelerator all the way home. Next drive a few days later in regular traffic it clunked into gears, I did feel the judder for the first time, entered the freeway; check emissions, transmission, blind spot warnings all came on. Got it home a few miles later and had it towed to my dealership, was told the trans is shot, there was metal debris in the fluid. Negotiated getting a reman trans from Honda at a huge expense for a truck only worth $10k according to what carvana would give for it but I can’t find any light truck that I want to spend $45k on again. Having the trans replaced made the most sense since my truck is in really good shape (knock on wood) otherwise. Honda adjusted the cost under Goodwill which I appreciate but the cost should’ve been lowered much more and increase the warranty for others with this trans. People think Hondas are bombproof but then we’re blindsided by this huge repair and people don’t know what they’re getting into by buying these used when used car dealers can really take advantage knowing this fatal flaw exists and knowing most shoppers won’t know and will trust that it’ll be fine being a Honda product.

NHTSA complaint #11729270 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

When driving the vehicle on I-94 near Taylor, MI, 2 codes popped up on my dashboard cluster: 1) Transmission System Problem 2) Blind Spot Info System Problem When diagnosing this at a local auto stores & the Honda dealer itself, a stored code of DTC P0741 Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck OFF is listed. Honda has identified a problem with this under Service Bulletin 23-078, but after talking with the dealer & calling American Honda they state the issue does not relate to my vehicle, even though it falls under their 2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline model.. The model in question is a 2017 Honda Ridgeline Black Edition. American Honda is not taking ownership of the same issue as described in their bulletin stating improper specifications when manufactured.

NHTSA complaint #11722100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

At 96k miles, the transmission started slipping and juddering. Three warnings appeared: transmission system, emission system, and blind-spot monitoring problems. Also P-D indicator flashing to not drive. Took into dealership. They said that code P0776 was appearing - clogged solenoid in the transmission. Also said that transmission fluid had a foul burnt smell and had large pieces of the clutch. All of these are symptoms of the torque converter failure, which is covered under TSB 23-078 with warranty extension to 10 years, 150 k miles in letter of June 2025. The TSB states that the warranty will only cover these problems if code P0741 appears. Visually, the dealership has confirmed that my torque converter has failed and my transmission needs replacing. However, because code P0741 isn't showing up, they will not cover replacement. Also they confirmed that the clogged solenoid was due to the failed torque converter. They are fixated on the code reading and refuse to repair the transmission. They quoted me a price of over $13,000 to do this work. The TSB 23-078 should have included any code associated with the transmission, torque converter, or other transmission components such as the solenoid B that would be affected by the failed torque converter.

NHTSA complaint #11719077 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I heard a loud knocking noise, accompanied by a squeling, that increased/decreased with engine RPM emitting from the engine compartment. I quit driving the vehicle once I returned home. I had the vehicle towed to a Honda dealership where I was told the connecting rod bearing had failed. My vehicle was not included in a safety recall (23V-751) issued by Honda but suffered the same symptoms mentioned in the recall. The vehicle is otherwise solid and well maintained with little issues at current mileage of 92,795.

NHTSA complaint #11700775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission was slipping. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that a transmission flush was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 63,000.

NHTSA complaint #11687885 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate, the engine continuously revved very high, and while at a stop light, the vehicle almost stalled after activating the A/C. Additionally, the transmission failed to immediately shift into gear, and the vehicle jerked while shifting gear. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who performed a transmission software update, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included the Manufacturer’s Extended Warranty Coverage that addressed the failure. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The failure mileage was 80,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA complaint #11687602 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The transmission problem light came on my 2017 Honda Ridgeline. It is less than 9 years old and it has 117K miles. The transmission shifted hard about a month ago, then came the engine light. Honda dealer did a diagnostic and recommended to replace transmission. It’s estimated to cost $10,700. All the routine maintenance has been done at the dealer.

NHTSA complaint #11685792 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Honda has an issue with the torque converters locking up on this vehicle year. Instead of fixing the issue through a recall, they pushed it off by extending the warranty. If the torque converter locks while driving the vehicle, the mostly likely outcome will be an accident. Honda should fix the issue through a recall, instead of the band-aid approach.

NHTSA complaint #11668411 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I have a 2017 Ridgeline. I bought it brand new. Always keep up with the maintenance, keep it clean and well taken care of. I only have 45,000 miles on it. A few days ago the engine failed on me while on the freeway. Limped it off the freeway as it made a horrendous sound, like marbles in the engine. I had it towed, at a cost of $275. I took it to Honda. I told them I was aware of the NHTSA investigation into the the 2017-2019 Ridgeline reports of failing connecting rod bearings. They said they were not aware of that and it was not showing on the recall list for my specific vehicle . Their diagnostic came back requiring a short block replacement as "oil was coming from the oil pan rod bearing." They took it the warranty department, as the original warranty of 5yrs/60,000mi has passed. Honda is going to cover 75% of a $9,738.35 bill because of the low mileage on the vehicle, which brings the cost to "only $1,850." They’re giving me a 12 month/12,000 mile warranty on their work. They’re also recommending that I do a 100,000 miles service that would require a replacement of a timing belt, water pump, drive belt, etc. that would cost an additional $2,123.58. It seems a bit counterintuitive to do that service since I only have 45,000 miles on an eight year-old truck that has been kept up on its regular maintenance schedule. The initial cost to do the diagnostic was stated at $199. I received a call to approve $697 to break down the engine to do further evaluation. After receiving the results of their evaluation, I am now awaiting the estimate with a breakdown of costs. I have yet to receive that, but can provide it when available. The vehicle is still sitting at the Honda service center. I have also contacted Honda directly and have opened a case with them.

NHTSA complaint #11666390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Most likely a connecting rod bearing failure leading to catastrophic engine failure per dealership service department. Vehicle is currently available for inspection. Safety was put at risk by engine part (likely connecting rod bearing) coming loose. It flew through my oil pan and bounced off the road, fortunately no people or other vehicles were hit by the part. Vehicle lost power and engine started smoking, oil spilled all over the road. I had to evacuate vehicle on busy highway (70 mph speed limit) since it was smoking. The vehicle was towed to the dealer which inspected it and said most likely connecting rod bearing failure but could not confirm unless engine taken apart. To my knowledge no one else has inspected it. All service for the life of the vehicle has been performed at Honda dealerships at recommended times. A check engine light had come on shortly before the problem occurred.

NHTSA complaint #11659354 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

So I complained before and nothing has happened. I took my Ridgeline in for the recall on the backup camera and my camera still flickers or goes out. Happens randomly not all the time. I brought it up twice to the Honda dealership and they couldn’t help me since it was working fine when I brought it in. And my transmission since 20k miles still lags and jutters and makes clanking sounds. I have done multiple transmissions fluid changes like recommended but I don’t trust it. And only the first time they covered it and did a software update but that didn’t fix it then my warranty expired and they wanted to charge me for any repairs after. I have had this issue since I bought the Ridgeline. Not even 100k miles and I can’t trust it to drive more than an hour. This been happening for years and I complained before but nothing ever got done. My backup camera still goes in and out as of today and I have received multiple transmission is over heating warnings that then turn off. And now it’s starting to to not shift sometimes and high revs it.

NHTSA complaint #11656715 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Transmission failure (6 speed). Vehicle has 56200 miles. Never towed and kept in great shape. Noticed judder symptoms around 35000 miles and have changed the transmission fluid 3 times. Recently experienced large jolts from rear of truck during gear shirting. Warning lights on dash went off ( Emissions system problem; Trans system problem) and my plug in analyzer showed code P0776 - pressure control solenoid B performance/stuck off. Took into dealer - they flushed the transmission 3 times and added fluid. Said they could not find anything wrong but did see the codes and dash warnings. Drove vehicle for about 20 miles and now getting jolts in rear end when shifting. Dealer says I need a new transmission.

NHTSA complaint #11651100 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

component: transmission. Not available for inspection - has since been rebuilt. Rebuilder noted leaking 3rd gear clutch seal + failed valve body. safety risk: suddenly unable to accelerate or maintain speed until the vehicle is stopped and restarted. problem recreation: by independent service center inspection: by independent service center warnings: Shift flare on 2-3 upshift & hard engagement. Then dash warning light. Error code: P0776 AT Clutch pressure control solenoid valve B stuck off

NHTSA complaint #11626431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The Drive Train / Transmission has always had a "pause" then a "clunk" before shifting into or from Reverse gear, its worse now. The engine is starting to make noises and Im afraid its part of the engine recall of 2017 and it may fail and injury me while driving. I take excellent care of my truck and its only adult driven by me, hence the concern.

NHTSA complaint #11624625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The torque converter is failing therefore causing the vehicle and pedal to pulsate rapidly. This is a recall for the exact truck we have, just not for our vin which I do not understand.

NHTSA complaint #11622481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

While driving the automatic transmission would shift hard causing a lurching motion with the truck. This has happened multiple times and is a known to Honda. It did it again recently shifting hard or not shifting which is a problem in traffic where cars are moving faster speed I almost had someone hit me from behind because as the truck accelerates it suddenly stops and lurches forward like popping a clutch in a standard. Then the emission control light came on, check transmission light came on, bsi light came on and on the display where it indicates P D R L it the P symbol with an X through it. I was in heavy traffic and felt lucky not to be in an accident

NHTSA complaint #11588446 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Rod bearings failed, leaving metal shards in the pistons which causes engine the to overheat and seize or catch fire. The engine noise was getting increasingly loud over a 3 day period so I took it into the dealership (Honda of Seattle) and they found rod bearings had worn apart and were floating around inside the engine. This requires a full engine replacement. There were no warning lamps.

NHTSA complaint #11582355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Transmission shifts hard Torque converter problems have been reported by many owners online and Honda has apparently extended warranties for some but says my vin is not recalled I would like you to investigate and resolve this issue

NHTSA complaint #11578130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Over the past 15 months, our 2017 Honda Ridgeline has been at the Honda dealership service for over 90 days, or 20% of the elapsed time. A 2nd replacement of the torque converter (3rd unit) in March 2024 has not resolved the judder/vibration, which does not occur when the engine temperature is cold. The vibration is consistently recurring once the engine has reached nominal operating temperature, when the transmission is in 4th-5th gear around 1800 RPM, 30-50 MPH. Based on the dealership-attempted fixes, the dealer believes the issue is due to Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) and Active Control Mount (ACM) degradation. The dealer, in contact with Honda tech line, have no known fix to this systemic defect. The vehicle has been 100% serviced at Fisher Honda per the factory maintenance schedule. All recommended and required service, including Technical Service Bulletins and Recalls have been performed and are up-to-date. Reference earlier NHTSA ID 11554673 (Nov 2023).

NHTSA complaint #11577253 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I was driving and without any warning or indication that anything was wrong, I heard a loud clunk noise and immediately lost power to the wheels, but the engine continued running. I was barely able to get the vehicle to the shoulder before it came to a complete stop without me applying the brakes. A Police Officer came to assist and tried to push it, but even after shifting to neutral, the car would not move. The tow company had to drag it onto the flatbed because the front passenger wheel would not turn. The Honda Service Center indicated that the axle separated from the transmission. They are in the process of making repairs. While waiting for the tow truck, my car had to sit in a busy highway on ramp turn lane, nearly getting hit several times despite my hazard lights. Had this happened at a higher speed, busier road, or the highway, it could have been extremely dangerous to me and the cars around me. There were no warnings, messages, or other symptoms prior to the incident.

NHTSA complaint #11558654 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The torque converter failed once already while driving at highway speed, creating an unsafe condition as the vehicle went into “limp mode”. After the torque converter was replaced in 2022, the vehicle has continued in 2023 to exhibit judder from the torque converter lock-up clutch (TSB 17-025 and TSB 17-026) which is symptomatic of the original failure. As recognized by Honda in TSB 23-078, the torque converter may also have been manufactured improperly which led to the warranty extension. The Honda dealership service has verified all steps in TSBs have been completed, and they do not know how to resolve the judder. The concern is the transmission and/or torque converter will fail again creating a subsequent unsafe condition. Despite numerous TSBs with potential fixes, they have been unsuccessful in resolving the defects, which suggests this systemic issue needs elevated to a recall.

NHTSA complaint #11554673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Transmission malfunction. Could lead to transmission failures on the road. Transmission lagging while down shifting and sudden acceleration on occasion. Problem has been duplicated by a 3d party shop that specializes in transmissions. Both Honda and AAMCO agree the transmission has failed. No warning lamps appear indicating a problem unless major transmission shifting occurs which will throw a transmission problem warning lamp. Lamp goes away once car is turned off and re started.

NHTSA complaint #11547633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

2017 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E, keyless entry module wasn't working properly so I had to buy a new one. I was told about the issue when I took my Honda Ridgeline to the Honda dealership for my oil change.The entry control module is currently ordered but we don't know when it will come in. I also informed the service manager about my on/off switch not operating correctly. He informed me that it was on recall so it will repaired for free. I don't know why the keyless entry module wasn't repaired for free since I bought the used 2017 Honda Ridgeline with Honda's extended warranty. Currently I have no vehicle to use because Honda informed me that they don't currently have any because of the pandemic, currently no vehicles in their lot are able to loan to customers.

NHTSA complaint #11453725 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

While driving the transmission feels and sounds as if it is slipping. When this happens the vehicle does not shift smoothly and there is a hesitation and loud clunk noise. The vehicle then slows down causing vehicles following to brake. The vehicle was taken in for inspection and repair but service center could not reproduce the problem. This is an intermittent problem that has occurred five times over a 6 month period the first year and again the following year.

NHTSA complaint #11438571 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

VEHICLE BEGAN TO DISPLAY WARNING LIGHTS: VEHICLE STABILITY ASSIST (VSA) PROBLEM, EMISSIONS SYSTEM PROBLEM, ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM PROBLEM, POWER STEERING SYSTEM PROBLEM, HILL START ASSIST PROBLEM AND TRAILER STABILITY ASSIST PROBLEM (TSA.) ONCE LIGHTS APPEAR, THE TRUCK GOES INTO "LIMP" MODE RESTRICTING ACCELERATION TO 2,000 RPMS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO ACCELERATE (DANGEROUS IF PULLING ONTO A BUSY ROAD) OR IF LIGHTS COME ON WHILE DRIVING AND RPMS OVER 2,000 THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY DOWN SHIFTS MAKING A DANGEROUS DECELERATION (ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY.) HONDA DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BAD CAMSHAFT, CAMSHAFT THRUST COVER AND CMP SENSOR (AS NOTED IN HONDA SERVICE NEWS ARTICLE FROM JANUARY 2018 A18010I VERSION 1.) AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THIS MODEL AND YEAR, IT'S A KNOWN PROBLEM BY HONDA RESULTING FROM A DEFECTIVE CAM SHAFT. HOWEVER, HONDA REFUSED TO STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT. IT'S A $2,300 REPAIR FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD AND 69,000 MILES. I'VE MADE A COMPLAINT WITH HONDA CORP, MY LOCAL HONDA DEALERSHIP AND NOW NHTSA.

NHTSA complaint #11403730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.