The Lemon Index
20112013Complaints only. Too few sold to score: 14,068 in the U.S. in 2012 (sales source), under the 20,000 a fair per-car score needs. Owners filed 2 complaints in its first 3 years.
Better years to buy
2 owner complaints, first 3 years 17 mpg combined, EPA
Similar cars, same year
2012 Toyota Tacoma 342012 Chevrolet Colorado 382012 Nissan Frontier 58
Lemon Index: 100 = the average car, lower is better.
When problems show up
No complaints for this year listed a mileage, so we can't say when problems show up.
Questions to ask the seller
- Were recalls 22V430000 (body structure), 19E068000 (speed control) and 19V501000 (airbags) done? It has 12 recalls in all. Ask for the dealer printout, or check the VIN.
- Any fuel smell, stalling or hard starts? On a hybrid or EV, any reduced-power warning or battery work?
- Any rust or damage underneath, or doors and hatches that don't close right?
- Do all the lights, screens and power features work? Has the battery, alternator or any wiring been replaced? (6 owners named a electrical repair bill; the middle one was $950.)
From this year's own recalls, top problems, top repair bills and Honda's repair notes. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
How serious. Out of all 2 owner complaints filed so far (every year since it was sold, not just the first 3), owners reported:
“Average car” = what the same number of complaints would include at the rate across every model year we track. Owners report these themselves; NHTSA doesn't confirm the cause.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
Transmission problems in every Honda Ridgeline year →
Check engine light on? Look up any code →
What repairs cost
Repair bills owners named in their complaints to the government (NHTSA), 2006–2014 Honda Ridgeline, in U.S. dollars.
- Electricalone repair bill$435–$1,600middle $950 · 6 owners named a bille.g. NHTSA complaints 10486455, 10888336, 10264306
Not enough reports yet for a number: Engine (4), A/C & heat (3), Airbags (3), Cooling (3), Transmission (3), Screen, radio & camera (2). We show a range once 5 owners name a bill.
Each range is the middle half of the bills owners wrote down (one repair, parts and labor as they said it), not a yearly or total cost. Owners who complain often had expensive repairs, so typical bills can be lower. Prices depend on the shop, the miles and where you live.
Fixes owners look up most.
From 200 YouTube videos · 7.3M views · 2006–2014 Honda Ridgeline
Most-watched topics
- Infotainment, battery & electrical161K views
2006-2008 Honda Ridgeline alternator replacementRust Belt Auto · 69K views · 5 videos - Heat, A/C & blend door145K views
How to Replace Cabin Air Filter 2013 Honda Ridgeline | AQ1058Filterheads · 117K views · 5 videos - Transmission & shifter137K views
2006 Honda Ridgeline Transmission Fluid ChangeAPDTY · 54K views · 5 videos - Steering & suspension88K views
Replacement of Front Complete Strut Assemblies on a 2006 Honda Ridgeline l SENSEN Shocks & StrutsSENSEN Shocks & Struts · 27K views · 7 videos
Show 4 more
- Intake, EGR & engine sensors80K views
How to remove a Throttle Body | 2007 Honda Ridgeline | Check Engine P0506Ghannam Ghannam (Ghavan) · 17K views · 8 videos - Oil changes & service52K views
2013 Honda Ridgeline How to reset oil life maintenance minder. Quick and Easy!HONDACARGUY · 33K views · 3 videos - Starter, alternator & belts35K views
2006 Honda Ridgeline 3.5L Serpentine belt tensioner and belt replacement.Charles And Cars · 23K views · 3 videos - No-start: theft light, key & ignition33K views
![Honda NO START! Fixed!!! [Honda Ridgeline - 1st Generation]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jcFYkHPnf_A/mqdefault.jpg)
Honda NO START! Fixed!!! [Honda Ridgeline - 1st Generation]MC FIX IT · 16K views · 3 videos
Before you buy, watch
Rust Busted Spring! Honda Ridgeline 3.5 2006-2014 Multiple Problems!Rainman Ray's Repairs · 170K views
2006-2014 Honda Ridgeline Power Steering Problems and FixesJack of All Master of None · 79K views
Honda Ridgeline 1st Gen 2006 to 2014 common problems, issues, defects, recalls and complaintsHOWSTUFFINMYCARWORKS · 66K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them. The 2012 is the same generation.
Costs are the middle (median) of the dollar amounts people say out loud in these videos, so one wild number can't swing it. They aren't verified bills or sales; real prices depend on year, miles, condition and where you live. Tap Hear it to jump to the moment.
Recalls 12
- Body structure · recall issued 2022
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
- Speed control · recall issued 2019
The rotating portion of the accelerator pedal assembly may bind.
- Airbags · recall issued 2019
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 …
Show all 12 recalls
- Airbags · recall issued 2019
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 a…
- Airbags · recall issued 2019
The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containi.
- Airbags · recall issued 2018
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Airbags · recall issued 2018
The front passenger air bag may have been installed incorrectly during replacement.
- Airbags · recall issued 2018
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Airbags · recall issued 2017
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Airbags · recall issued 2016
The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
- Airbags · recall issued 2012
An incorrect passenger airbag status indicator may have been installed on the vehicles causing them to fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection.".
- Tires · recall issued 2012
HONDA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2011-2012 RIDGELINE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 25, 2011, THROUGH NOVEMBER 29, 2011.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Canada? See recalls at Transport Canada
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honda Ridgeline PU/CC 4WD | not rated | not rated | not rated | ★★★★☆ |
Fuel cost and engines
About $3,800 (USD) a year in fuel (EPA estimate at U.S. prices, 15,000 miles or 24,000 km a year). Engines: 3.5L 6-cyl.
Every Honda Ridgeline year. 2012 is highlighted. Lower is better.
Newest year first. Red = worse than average, gray = about average, too new (2023+: a partial score, marked “partial”) or too few complaints to score. #1, #2… = that year's YouTube rank among the 14 Honda Ridgeline years with enough videos (#1 = the year owners and reviewers talk about most positively). It is not a reliability rank.
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<iframe src="https://lemonindex.com/embed/cars/honda-ridgeline/?y=2012" title="Honda Ridgeline reliability by model year (The Lemon Index)" width="100%" height="514" style="border:0;max-width:720px" loading="lazy"></iframe><p style="font-size:13px;margin:4px 0 0">Data: <a href="https://lemonindex.com/cars/honda-ridgeline/2012/">Lemon Index</a> (2012 Honda Ridgeline reliability)</p>Quick answers
Is the 2012 Honda Ridgeline reliable?
We can't score it: only 14,068 were sold in the U.S. in 2012 (calendar-year sales), under the 20,000 we need for a fair per-car score. Owners filed 2 complaints with NHTSA in its first 3 years.
What are the most common 2012 Honda Ridgeline problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are fuel system (50%) and body structure (50%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2012 Honda Ridgeline have?
12 safety recalls (latest: body structure). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2012 Honda Ridgeline get?
17 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
Does the 2012 Honda Ridgeline have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
How much does the 2012 Honda Ridgeline cost in fuel a year?
About $3,800 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2012 Honda Ridgeline have?
3.5L 6-cyl.
What Honda Ridgeline year is better than the 2012?
Nearby, the 2013 drew fewer owner complaints per car sold (somewhat fewer complaints than the average car).
The Lemon Index counts owner complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model years (100 = average, lower is better). It measures complaints, not crash safety. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works