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2018 Honda Ridgeline problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
31%
50 of 162 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2018 Honda Ridgeline. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 31% of relevant complaints.

Better than 68% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2018 Honda Ridgeline have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 50 of 162 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Honda Ridgeline concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (31%). For comparison, the 2017 scores 47% and the 2019 scores 45%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
50
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
162
this model year
Fires reported
1
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
8
3 crashes · 1 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM50 · 31%
BACK OVER PREVENTION30 · 19%
ENGINE22 · 14%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER17 · 10%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM17 · 10%
FUEL SYSTEM13 · 8%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2018 compares with other Honda Ridgeline years

Of the 11 Honda Ridgeline years with enough complaints to score, the 2018 is the 4th-best on engine and transmission share (31%). The worst is the 2017 (47%), the best the 2014 (5%). By volume, the 2018 drew 162 complaints (50 drivetrain), against 342 for the 2017 and 236 for the 2019.

Honda Ridgeline years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2018 Honda Ridgeline

  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN10/01/2026
My truck has a persistent driveline vibration, judder, and hesitation issue. This condition creates sudden, unexpected driveline surge and power-delivery hesitation, which poses a distinct safety concern. Honda TSB 23-078 (Warranty Extension for Torque Converter), acknowledges a manufacturing defect in the torque con…

One of 50 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2018 Honda Ridgeline fuel system recalls

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2018 Honda Ridgeline involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 8 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump23V858000 · Dec 2023

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.

Fix: 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.…

fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump19V053000 · Jan 2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Ridgeline trucks. Exposure to acids, such as from car wash soaps, can result in the fuel pump feed port cracking.

Risk: A crack in the fuel pump feed port can allow pressurized fuel to leak out, increasing the risk of a fire.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, if necessary, and install a fuel pump cover, free of charge. The recall began March 14, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at…

6 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
structure: frame and members26V365000 · Jun 2026
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,…
air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger26V332000 · May 2026
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,…
back over prevention: sensing system: camera22V867000 · Nov 2022
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Ridgeline vehicles. Opening and closing the tailgate may break the rearview camera wiring harness, causing the rearview camera to fail.
structure: body: hood21V932000 · Nov 2021
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2019 Passport, 2016-2019 Pilot, and 2017-2020 Ridgeline vehicles. The hood latch striker may become damaged and separate from the hood, which…
equipment20E068000 · Sep 2020
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling all Honda Genuine Accessory Tonneau Covers, part number 08Z07-T6Z-100F, sold for installation on 2017-2020 Ridgeline trucks. If the tonneau cover is not…
seats18V221000 · Apr 2018
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018 Honda Pilot and Ridgeline vehicles and 2018 Acura MDX vehicles. The front driver and passenger powered seats in the Honda vehicles and the…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2018 Honda Ridgeline? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2018 Honda Ridgeline

Does the 2018 Honda Ridgeline have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 50 of 162 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2018 Honda Ridgeline concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (31%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2018 Honda Ridgeline?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2018 Honda Ridgeline is electrical system: 50 of 162 complaints (31%) name it, followed by back over prevention (30) and engine (22). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 31% of the relevant total.

Is the 2018 Honda Ridgeline reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 31% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 68% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 11 Honda Ridgeline years we score, it ranks 4th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2018 Honda Ridgeline?

Yes. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2018 Honda Ridgeline involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 8 in total: 23V858000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump), 19V053000 (fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Honda Ridgeline years are better?

Among the Honda Ridgeline years we track, the 2014 (5%), the 2011 (8%) and the 2010 (14%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2018 (31%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/honda-ridgeline

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.