Service Bulletin - Warranty Extension: Customer Support Program For Driver's Airbag Inflator for 2007-11 CR-V and Other Listed Years and Models.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2009 Honda Ridgeline airbags problems
moderate 21 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
21
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
When does it fail?
Of the 21 airbags complaints filed for the 2009 Honda Ridgeline, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passenger's airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passenger's airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement front passengers airbag inflator only.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant issue across these complaints is the Takata airbag recall—four separate campaigns (16V061000, 16V344000, 17V001000, 18V041000)—with replacement parts chronically unavailable. Owners received recall notices starting in February 2016 but then faced months-long waits for replacement inflators. One owner describes dropping the truck at the dealer in February, getting a 3-month rental, and receiving the vehicle back supposedly fixed—only to get a second recall notice for the passenger side with no parts in stock again. Multiple owners report trying to reach case managers and dealerships for hours or days with no response. Some say the VIN tool initially confirmed a recall, then later showed no recall on file, raising concerns about data consistency.
One separate case involves an airbag warning light tied to a driver-side deflater malfunction requiring unit replacement. Another shows airbag warning lights persisting after a recall repair was completed, with the dealership blaming prior accident damage but leaving the lights on anyway.
Owners express genuine fear about driving these trucks with children, given the hazard description and repair delays. Loaner vehicles were not consistently provided, and Honda's communication throughout the recall process—both at manufacturer and dealer level—was poor.
Same Honda Ridgeline airbags reports on nearby years: 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2010 · 2011
Failure modes owners describe
Takata Airbag Inflator Rupture (Recall Campaign 16V061000 / 16V344000 / 17V001000 / 18V041000)
Multiple NHTSA recall campaigns issued for 2009 Honda Ridgeline due to Takata airbag inflators prone to rupture on deployment. Owners report receiving recall notices but facing extended delays—sometimes months—for replacement parts. Some owners describe the hazard as 'exploding airbags' and express concern about driving with unrepaired units, particularly with children in the vehicle. One owner reported waiting 3 months for driver-side repair and then immediately receiving notice of passenger-side defect with no parts available.
When: Recall notifications received February 2016 through at least early 2016; one case cited 148,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Takata recall notices received for driver and passenger airbags; Parts unavailable for extended periods after recall notification; Dealership and manufacturer unresponsive or unable to provide loaner vehicles; Airbag warning lights illuminated on dashboard; VIN search tool indicates parts unavailable or recall status changes unexpectedly
Codes mentioned: 16V061000, 16V344000, 17V001000, 18V041000
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement of Takata airbag inflators for driver-side, passenger-side, and side curtain airbags. Owners report 3-month rental periods while awaiting parts. One owner described replacement of driver-side airbag after lengthy delay, followed immediately by notification of passenger-side defect with continued parts shortage.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda issued multiple NHTSA recall campaigns (16V061000, 16V344000, 17V001000, 18V041000) for Takata airbag inflators. However, replacement parts experienced severe distribution shortages, leaving vehicles unrepaired for months. Dealerships unable to provide loaner vehicles in some cases. Manufacturer and dealer communication described as slow or nonexistent by owners; some reported 4+ day waits for callback.
Airbag Warning Light with Deflater Malfunction
One owner reported airbag warning light illumination with diagnosis of faulty driver-side airbag deflater requiring unit replacement. This case is distinct from the Takata recall inflator issues.
When: Not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminated on dashboard; Driver-side airbag deflater diagnosed as defective
Repairs/costs cited: Driver-side airbag deflater unit replacement required
Airbag Warning Light After Recall Repair (Possible Unresolved Issue)
One owner reported that after vehicle was repaired per recall, passenger and driver airbag warning lights remained illuminated. Dealership technician attributed illumination to prior vehicle damage (wreck), but the lights persisted and issue was not remedied despite the recall repair.
When: 35,212 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger and driver airbag warning lights illuminated before recall repair; Airbag warning lights remained illuminated after recall repair completed; Technician attributed lights to prior vehicle wreck history
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle taken back to dealership after recall repair; technician stated warning lights were due to prior vehicle wreck damage. Issue not resolved.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall repair performed but warning lights persisted; manufacturer not made aware of unresolved failure.
Synthesized from 21 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 14 most recent
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Honda ridgeline. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v344000 (air bags). However, the part to do the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool…
Takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Honda Ridgeline. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V041000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was…
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Honda ridgeline. The contact stated that the passenger and driver air bag indicators illuminated before and after the vehicle was repaired per a recall. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer who performed the recall repair. The technician stated that the air bag indicators illuminated because the vehicle was wrecked. The manufacturer was not…
Takata recall- I have been unable to get any information as to when I can expect a correction to this problem. In the mean time I am afraid to allow any of my family to set in the passenger seat. What should I do? [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 Honda ridgeline. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 16v344000 (air bags) and 16v061000 (air bags). However, the parts needed to repair the vehicle were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had…
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Honda ridgeline. The contact stated that the recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 16v344000 (air bags) was received in may of 2016. The notice for NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags) was received in february of 2016. After contacting the dealer and the manufacturer on multiple occasions, the contact was informed that the parts needed to repair the vehicle…
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Honda ridgeline. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 16v344000 (air bags) and 16v061000 (air bags). The part to do the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool…
Takata recall. I have been driving this vehicle around with my wife and small children unaware of the possible harm that could come to them from the "exploding" airbags. We just received our truck back with the fixed driver's side airbag after having a rental for 3 months since Honda did not have replacement parts yet. We just received another recall for the "exploding" passenger side airbag…
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Honda ridgeline. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA campaign number: 16v344000 (air bags) and stated that the part needed was unavailable to perform the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Takata recall parts ordered april 14, 2016 still not arrived a absolutely no response when asked status, don't know when they will arrive and no sense of urgency what is taking so long?
Had airbags trouble with your 2009 Honda Ridgeline?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2009 Honda Ridgeline?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 21 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $1,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 21 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 104,535 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Honda/Ridgeline.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.