Home › Cars › Honda › Ridgeline › 2021
2021 Honda Ridgeline problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
42% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2021 Honda Ridgeline are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 50% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 17 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 35%).
Does the 2021 Honda Ridgeline have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 35 of 84 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Honda Ridgeline concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (42%), and the largest group is filed under engine (28). For comparison, the 2020 scores 33% and the 2022 scores 42%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. 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.
Complaints by component
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 2021 compares with other Honda Ridgeline years
Of the 11 Honda Ridgeline years with enough complaints to score, the 2021 is the 4th-worst on engine and transmission share (42%). The worst is the 2017 (47%), the best the 2014 (5%). By volume, the 2021 drew 101 complaints (35 drivetrain), against 169 for the 2020 and 117 for the 2022.
Honda Ridgeline years to avoid and best years →
2010 Ridgeline problems · 2011 Ridgeline problems · 2013 Ridgeline problems · 2014 Ridgeline problems · 2017 Ridgeline problems · 2018 Ridgeline problems · 2019 Ridgeline problems · 2020 Ridgeline problems · 2021 · 2022 Ridgeline problems · 2023 Ridgeline problems
The rest of the picture on the 2021 Honda Ridgeline
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2021 Honda Ridgeline said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical engine repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- 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
One of 35 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2021 Honda Ridgeline engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns on the 2021 Honda Ridgeline, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. 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.
7 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2021 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.
Get a history report from EpicVIN Before you pay: EpicVIN’s $1 offer is a 3-day trial (up to 5 reports) that renews at $49.99 a month unless you cancel. Other plans are listed under “View all our packages” at checkout. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link. It does not change what this page reports.Questions people ask about the 2021 Honda Ridgeline
Does the 2021 Honda Ridgeline have engine problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 35 of 84 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Honda Ridgeline concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (42%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Honda Ridgeline?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2021 Honda Ridgeline is engine: 28 of 101 complaints (28%) name it, followed by electrical system (15) and forward collision avoidance (15). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.
Is the 2021 Honda Ridgeline reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 42% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is worse than 50% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 11 Honda Ridgeline years we score, it ranks 4th-worst. 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 2021 Honda Ridgeline?
No. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns on the 2021 Honda Ridgeline, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
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 2021 (42%). 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
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Check a VINExperimental 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.