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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 17, 2026
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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

2010
14%
3 of 42
2011
8%
1 of 39
2012
too few complaints
2013
40%
4 of 45
2014
5%
1 of 34
2015
too few complaints
2016
no data
2017
47%
159 of 342
2018
31%
50 of 162
2019
45%
103 of 236
2020
33%
49 of 169
2021
42%
35 of 101
2022
42%
36 of 117
2023
34%
30 of 128

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

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2018 Honda Ridgeline

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 them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

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. 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 17, 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.

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.

Should I buy a 2018 Honda Ridgeline?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2018 Honda Ridgeline shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

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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.