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ProblemsByVin File / 2012-HONDA-RIDGELINE NHTSA data synced 12 hours ago
Honda

2012 Honda Ridgeline problems

The 2012 Honda Ridgeline has 7 critical safety recalls on file — the kind NHTSA opens when crashes, fires, or injuries are documented. 24 owner complaints alongside. Read those first.

Ask A Mechanic

The 2012 Honda Ridgeline has 24 NHTSA owner complaints and 12 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). The most-reported system is airbags at 14 complaints (~$1,100 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.

Honda Ridgeline owner complaints by model year
Model yearOwner complaintsRecalls
2009 Ridgeline 35 9
2010 Ridgeline 42 10
2011 Ridgeline 39 11
2012 Ridgeline (this page) 24 12
2013 Ridgeline 45 8
2014 Ridgeline 34 7
2015 Ridgeline 2 0
2012 Honda Ridgeline
Photo: Elise240SX / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · representative photo of the Honda Ridgeline
0 5 10
Reliability score
3.2 / 10

Significant reliability concerns on file. Read the trouble spots before buying.

7
Critical
5
Severe
0
Moderate
Should you avoid this 2012 Ridgeline?
High-risk ownership

Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open.

Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.

NHTSA crash-test safety ratings

Rollover 4/5

Driver-assist features on the tested model: Electronic stability control: Standard · Forward collision warning: No · Lane departure warning: No

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program — tested configuration: 2012 Honda Ridgeline PU/CC 4WD. Stars rate crash protection in NHTSA's tests, not overall reliability — see the owner-complaint data below for what actually goes wrong.

Buying a used 2012 Honda Ridgeline? Check these first

Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.

What to inspect on this specific car

Recalls to confirm are done

Run the VIN from the listing — 12 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.

Verdict for buyers: 3.2/10 model. The priciest documented failure is body (~$1,500) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.

We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.

See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →
✦ Ask the data · AI

Ask anything about your 2012 Honda Ridgeline

A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.

Dash light, leak, worn part — snap it and we'll read it against this car's record.

Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.

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Top trouble spots 2 categories with 3+ complaints

airbags
14 reports · avg $1,100
moderate
body
4 reports · avg $1,500
moderate
Buyer's checklist
Going to look at one? Use the pre-purchase inspection list.
Generated from this 2012 Ridgeline's actual NHTSA complaint history — every item points at a documented failure pattern on this exact vehicle, not generic walkaround filler.
See the checklist ->
Honest Calculator
Should you buy an extended warranty on this 2012 Ridgeline?
We pulled the math: risk-weighted exposure, typical contract cost, and our verdict on whether coverage pencils out for this specific vehicle.
See the calculator ->

What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim

2012 Ridgeline · airbags
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Honda ridgeline. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v061000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for…
2012 Ridgeline · airbags
Takata inflators: I had service performed for the takata airbag issue on or about july 13. Within a month the SRS unit light came on. I took it in to lucas Honda, where I bought the ridgeline. After a few days of them not finding the problem, they came back to me and said the…
2012 Ridgeline · steering
1. Left Rear Cam Bolt Seized, YES 2. This will not allow for any movement to have tires probably aligned. 3. Yes, I have documentation available upon request 4. No 5. It was caught during an alignment, I first noticed it during the first rear end recall but area was outside…
10/10/2023 · NHTSA ODI #11549158.0
2012 Ridgeline · electrical Fire
After returning from a short trip to the local convenience store smoke was observed coming from under the hood and also into the cabin as the truck was entering the driveway. Driver immediately opened the hood and witnessed that the engine was smoking and on fire. Driver…
10/04/2022 · NHTSA ODI #11487806.0
View all 24 owner complaints →
Had a problem with your 2012 Honda Ridgeline? File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free and official — owner filings are what build the federal safety record behind this page.

Estimate your repair exposure

Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.

0 mi 200k mi
At 80,000 miles
Likely repair cost in next 24 months
$0

Active recalls showing 3 of 12

critical NHTSA 19V501000 June 27, 2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are E5D and X5C.
critical NHTSA 19V500000 June 27, 2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are S5B and W59.
critical NHTSA 19V182000 March 6, 2019

Honda (American Honda Motor Co

An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
View all 12 recalls →

Common questions

Is the 2012 Honda Ridgeline reliable?

It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 3.2 out of 10 based on 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2012 Honda Ridgeline has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.

Should you avoid the 2012 Honda Ridgeline?

The 2012 Honda Ridgeline is a higher-risk ownership prospect. Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open. The record behind that call: Reliability score 3.2/10 — below the segment average; 12 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.

What should I check before buying a used 2012 Honda Ridgeline?

Inspect the airbags first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 14 owner complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.

Is the 2012 Honda Ridgeline a good used car to buy?

It scores 3.2 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 24 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is airbags. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.

What's the most common problem on the 2012 Honda Ridgeline?

Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is airbags, with 14 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop.

What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?

The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.

How do I check if my Honda Ridgeline has open recalls?

Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.

Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2012 Honda Ridgeline?

Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 24 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.

Related

Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public records database, last synced 12 hours ago. Verify the raw federal record at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Honda/Ridgeline. Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated with Honda. Some links on this page are affiliate links and we may earn a commission if you purchase through them.
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