Service Bulletin - The A/C does not blow cold air, and the lower corner of the condenser around the receiver/dryer cap is stained due to a poor O-ring compression against the receiver/dryer barrel wall.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2017 Honda Ridgeline visibility problems
severe Owners of the 2017 Honda Ridgeline have filed 12 NHTSA complaints about the visibility at roughly $350 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See visibility across all vehicles →
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$350
| Model year | visibility complaints |
|---|---|
| 2017 Ridgeline (this page) | 12 |
| 2018 Ridgeline | 3 |
| 2019 Ridgeline | 5 |
| 2020 Ridgeline | 7 |
1fire
What stands out
Among the 9 model years of Honda Ridgeline in our records for visibility problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering visibility 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.
Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2023 Passports, 2016-2022 Pilots, & 2017-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the front passengerâs power window inop from either the driverâs window switch, front passenger's window switch, or both. Customer may also report that the other window switches are still operable. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2023 Passports, 2016-2022 Pilots, & 2017-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the front passengerâs power window inop from either the driverâs window switch, front passenger's window switch, or both. Customer may also report that the other window switches are still operable. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2023 Passports, 2016-2022 Pilots, & 2017-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the front passengerâs power window inop from either the driverâs window switch, front passenger's window switch, or both. Customer may also report that the other window switches are still operable. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2019-2023 Passports, 2016-2022 Pilots, & 2017-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the passengerâs power window inop from driverâs master window switch. Customer may also report that the other window switches are still operable. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to inspect the vehicle prior to you attempting a repair of any kind.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of this model year consistently report spontaneous glass failures. The sunroof simply explodes during normal highway driving—no impact, no warning, just a loud pop and shattered glass. One owner heard this at 50 mph; another at higher speed with ambient temperature around 30 degrees. A rear window cracked and shattered at a stoplight while the defroster was running, with no external object involved. Glass simply comes apart.
Visibility issues extend beyond glass failures. The interior rearview mirror vibrates excessively during normal driving in hot weather, blurring the reflection enough to be distracting and potentially unsafe. One owner reports this at under 24,000 miles. A driver's sun visor came loose and dangled by its electrical wire during highway use, blocking forward vision—luckily the owner could pull over.
Camera and wiper systems have their own problems. Backup camera wiring runs where the tailgate flexes, and owners report wires break from normal open-and-close cycles, killing the camera. Windshield wipers intermittently refuse to operate or stop mid-sweep, requiring restart during driving. Dealers haven't been able to reproduce wiper issues during service visits. One owner also reported a washer fluid leak at high mileage.
Failure modes owners describe
Rearview mirror vibration and distortion
Interior rearview mirror vibrates excessively during normal driving, causing blurring and compromised visibility. Problem occurs at both low and high speeds on paved roads and appears to worsen in hot weather.
When: Under 24,000 miles; recurring during hot weather conditions
Symptoms owners cite: mirror vibrates; vision distortion; blurred reflection
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner reported to Honda USA with no response or callback
Sunroof spontaneous shattering
Sunroof glass spontaneously shatters and explodes outward without warning while driving. Multiple owners report sudden loud pop noise followed by complete glass failure. One instance involved slider closed at time of failure. Another linked to temperature change (30 degrees outside). No recalls issued.
When: 13,000 miles; 32,200 miles; various other mileages; occurs during highway driving
Symptoms owners cite: loud pop sound; glass shatters; glass shards scatter; outward glass ejection
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers recommended diagnostic appointment; one case resulted in sunroof replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued; manufacturer notified in some cases
Driver sun visor detachment
Driver-side sun visor came loose and dangled from electrical wiring when adjusted, obstructing forward vision during highway driving. Visor remained loose unless pushed back and locked with locking tab.
When: During adjustment on interstate
Symptoms owners cite: visor came loose; visor dangling by electrical wire; vision obstruction
Repairs/costs cited: Owner manually repositioned and locked visor
Rear window spontaneous cracking
Rear window cracked and shattered spontaneously while vehicle was stationary at a stop light. Owner was using defroster. Interior surface showed concave area suggesting internal failure point. Police examination found no external debris impact.
When: During defroster use at traffic light
Symptoms owners cite: window cracked; glass shattered in place; loud explosion sound; concave area on interior
Windshield wiper intermittent failure
Wipers fail to operate or stop midway across windshield during highway driving. Owner reports wipers occasionally won't turn on at all and must restart intermittently. Dealer unable to duplicate problem during diagnostic visit.
When: Highway driving; intermittent occurrence
Symptoms owners cite: wipers won't turn on; wipers stop at windshield middle; intermittent operation
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer unable to reproduce issue
Rearview camera wiring damage from tailgate operation
Wiring harness for rearview/backup camera runs between tailgate and body and becomes pinched or damaged through normal tailgate opening and closing. Damaged wires cause camera to fail. Wiring routing design appears unsuitable for repeated tailgate flexing.
When: During normal tailgate operation
Symptoms owners cite: backup camera non-functional; rearview camera stopped working; broken wires
Repairs/costs cited: Wiring harness damaged; camera unfunctional
Windshield washer fluid leak
Vehicle leaks windshield washer fluid. Owner suspects leak originates from reservoir.
When: At 113,795 miles
Symptoms owners cite: windshield washer fluid leak
Repairs/costs cited: Owner has not attempted repair
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had visibility trouble with your 2017 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 visibility problem on the 2017 Honda Ridgeline?
It's a meaningful issue. 12 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $350.
At what mileage does the visibility typically fail?
Based on the 12 complaints filed, visibility issues most often appear around 24,886 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 $350 for visibility 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 visibility?
No active recalls currently cover visibility 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/2017/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.