Service Bulletin - The wireless charger starts charging the phone and then stops charging, even when the phone remains in the correct position on the charger due to software specifications that can cause some phones to have issues charging.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2021 Honda Ridgeline electrical problems
moderate 12 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
What stands out
No new NHTSA electrical complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 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 electrical 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 - The wireless charger starts charging the phone and then stops charging, even when the phone remains in the correct position on the charger.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - The wireless charger starts charging the phone and then stops charging, even when the phone remains in the correct position on the charger.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Service Bulletin - The engine will not crank on initial startup after precipitation and sub-freezing temperatures. Water can enter the starter motor, and when temperatures drop below freezing, the water will freeze inside the starter motor. This will prevent the starter from cranking the engine.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Dealer Message - American Honda Motor Co., Inc. (AHM) is searching for certain 2020-2023 Ridgelines with a customer complaint of the rearview camera inop. Customer may also complain of the tailgate lock inop, alarm activating on its own, or cargo light inop. To better understand the cause of this condition, AHM would like to collect specific parts from 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 report sudden limp-mode activation without warning while driving at highway speeds, with all warning lights flashing. One owner's truck entered limp mode twice—first the dealership found rodent-chewed harness wires, but at the second occurrence found no damage and had no explanation. A separate issue occurs when the auto start/stop system fails to restart the engine at red lights, stranding owners in traffic. One owner sat stopped in a busy intersection unable to restart until manually shifting to Park and pressing the brake and start button twice.
The wireless phone charger connects and disconnects every 15 seconds, causing phones to overheat and refuse to charge. One owner tested an iPhone Pro Max, Samsung S21 Ultra, and Google Pixel—same problem on all three. The dealership replaced the charger unit, but the problem persisted. That owner reports thousands of owners across multiple Honda models (Ridgeline, Pilot, Accord, Civic, Odyssey) are experiencing the same issue.
Backup cameras fail intermittently or go completely black, with broken wires found in the harness—particularly in the same location as an earlier recall. One owner was denied recall coverage when the camera worked at the dealership appointment. Water is pooling under the rear seat carpet in at least one truck, raising corrosion and electrical hazard concerns. Owners also report check engine lights with power loss and stuttering after freeway driving, along with audio distortion in the infotainment system during Bluetooth or Android Auto use while parked.
Same Honda Ridgeline electrical reports on nearby years: 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2022 · 2023
Failure modes owners describe
Limp mode activation without warning while driving
Engine enters limp/reduced power mode unexpectedly at highway speeds with all warning lights flashing. First occurrence attributed to rodent-damaged harness wires; second occurrence at dealership found no harness damage but issue recurred, creating a safety hazard with no forewarning.
When: 12k miles on first occurrence (3/10/2022); second occurrence at unknown mileage (4/27/2022)
Symptoms owners cite: All warning lights flash simultaneously; Vehicle enters limp mode; Loss of power while driving; No warning before mode activation; Occurs at highway speeds
Codes mentioned: Limp mode
Repairs/costs cited: First incident: Honda replaced damaged harness wires (rodent damage). Second incident: dealership found no harness damage and stated they had no idea what was wrong.
Auto engine idle stop failure to restart
Auto start/stop function fails to restart the engine after shutting off at red lights. Owners report being stranded in traffic with vehicle unable to restart without manual intervention (shifting to Park, pressing brake, pressing start button). Dashboard displays 'Auto Engine Idle Stop System Problem' message.
When: Occurs during normal driving and traffic stops
Symptoms owners cite: Engine fails to restart after auto stop activation; Vehicle stranded in intersection or traffic; Dashboard message: 'Auto Engine Idle Stop System Problem'; Requires multiple restart attempts
Codes mentioned: Auto Engine Idle Stop System Problem
Check engine light with power loss and hesitation
Check engine light illuminates after extended freeway driving, accompanied by loss of power and engine stuttering/shuddering. Vehicle becomes difficult to accelerate. Light clears after engine restart and vehicle returns to normal operation, but issue recurs.
When: After approximately 1 hour of freeway driving
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illumination; Loss of engine power; Engine stuttering or shuddering; Minimal acceleration response; Symptom resolves after restart
Codes mentioned: Check engine light
Wireless charger malfunction and overheating
Wireless phone charger connects and disconnects repeatedly every 15 seconds, causing phones to overheat and fail to charge. Problem persists even after dealership replacement of the charger unit. Multiple phone models tested (iPhone Pro Max, Samsung S21 Ultra, Google Pixel) all exhibit the same issue. Owner reports this affects thousands of vehicles across multiple Honda models (Ridgeline, Pilot, Accord, Civic, Odyssey) and poses fire/safety risk.
When: Since vehicle purchase (May 30, 2021 for one owner)
Symptoms owners cite: Wireless charger connects/disconnects every 15 seconds; Phones overheat during charging attempts; Failure to charge devices; Issue affects multiple phone brands
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership replaced wireless charger unit; problem persisted on multiple tested phones.
Backup camera wiring harness failure
Backup camera fails intermittently or completely (black screen display). Wiring harness connections fail, particularly in the same location as a previous recall. Failures occur after heavy rain exposure, suggesting moisture-related degradation. Some owners report camera working intermittently and then failing again.
When: One owner: July 4th weekend during heavy rain; another: 3/4/2024
Symptoms owners cite: Black screen on backup camera display; Intermittent on/off glitching; Complete camera failure; Broken wires located in harness
Repairs/costs cited: Broken wires identified in wiring harness at same location as earlier recall.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall available but dealer denied coverage in at least one instance; parts unavailable for nearly one year in another case despite open recall.
Water intrusion below rear seat carpet
Water leaking into the interior below the rear seat carpet, pooling underneath. Owner expresses concern that moisture could corrode electrical wiring routed beneath the carpet, potentially causing additional electrical failures or fire hazard.
Symptoms owners cite: Water visible below rear seat carpet; Pooling of water in interior; Potential for wiring corrosion
Infotainment audio distortion with Android Auto and Bluetooth
Audio system produces unusual volume adjustment/distortion when vehicle is stationary and connected to Android Auto or Bluetooth. Dealer dismissed the issue as normal for the vehicle. Similar systems in owner's brother's 2021 CRV and wife's 2020 RAV4 do not exhibit this problem.
When: Occurs while standing still with Android Auto or Bluetooth active
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal volume adjustment behavior; Audio distortion/weird sounding stereo; Issue specific to stationary operation; Occurs with both Android Auto and Bluetooth
Repairs/costs cited: Owner performed troubleshooting and reset procedures; dealer stated behavior is normal.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer dismissed issue as normal for the vehicle despite not occurring on comparable Honda or Toyota models.
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
The auto start/stop function fails to restart the truck after stopping. I has in the middle of an intersection waiting to turn left. The auto stop turned off the engine. When I let go of the brake the truck failed to restart. I was stuck in the middle of the intersection when other cars were trying to get around me because the traffic lights changed. I couldn’t restart the truck at first.…
After driving on the freeway for about 1 hour, took the exit to the right. Check engine light came on and vehicle had loss of power and was shuttering. Attempts at accelerating were met with little to no power. Tried turning off eco mode, no change. Limped to the first safe place to stop, avoiding any fast traffic behind. Shut off vehicle, and when I started again, no check engine light, vehicle…
My car is equipe with a idle stop start assitant and in 3 ocasions did not restar the vehicle after stoping on a red light, I have to put the car in parking and then try to re-start the vehicle triying 1 or 2 time until starts up.
My Ridgeline have a wireless charger that fails charging and and makes the phone hot after trying to charge the phone and fails, my Honda dealer replaced the unit but the problem persist, I did find that is not only my vehicle but a lot more and Honda is aware of the situation, my concern is that this charger can make my phone explode with huge consequences, I don't feel save with this device…
Had electrical trouble with your 2021 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 electrical problem on the 2021 Honda Ridgeline?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 12 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical 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/2021/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.