With no warning engine started making a loud ticking noise and within a couple of days it was a loud knocking noise. Flashing check engine light came on and engine lost power. Shut down and restarted engine, knocking noise still there but check engine light is not flashing. Knocking noise is loud and vehicle cannot be driven. Mileage is around 170000 but has had regular oil changes. Mechanic has confirmed the engine knock and said not to drive it. Can't afford to replace the engine.
Honda Ridgeline check engine light comes on
100 of the 2,245 owner complaints about the Honda Ridgeline describe check engine light, most of them for the 2017 model year.
- owner complaints
- 100
- worst model year
- 2017
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,700
- typical mileage
- 99,000
By model year
Often reported together
Knocking 31Engine failure 26Loss of power 25Misfire 14Won't shift 9Stalling 7Hesitation 6Fuel pump 4
Trouble codes mentioned
P0303 2P2651 1P0305 1P0304 1P0302 1P0301 1P0300 1P0088 1P0087 1C342D 1
What owners say
I own a 2017 Honda Ridgeline with the 3.5L V6. The vehicle developed a noticeable engine knocking noise along with a check-engine light. I took it to a Honda dealership for diagnosis. The dealer confirmed abnormally low oil pressure, reporting approximately 6–7 PSI at idle on Bank 2, and recommended complete engine replacement at an estimated cost of approximately $9,000. To my knowledge, the dealer has not identified the exact internal component causing the knocking noise or low oil pressure. The vehicle and engine are available for inspection. This vehicle has a significant prior engine-failure history. At approximately 102,851 miles, the previous engine suffered a spun No. 2 connecting-rod bearing, crankshaft/connecting-rod damage, and metal contamination in the oil system. That engine was replaced with a used engine, which is the engine currently installed. Before the current diagnosis, diagnostic code P2651 was present. The related oil-pressure switch and rocker-arm oil-control solenoid were replaced and the codes cleared, but the abnormal engine knocking remained. I am concerned this condition could result in engine seizure, stalling, or sudden loss of power while driving. Because of the knocking noise and confirmed low oil pressure, I do not consider the vehicle safe to drive. I am aware the federal safety agency is investigating connecting-rod-bearing failures involving 2017–2019 Honda Ridgelines and other Honda/Acura vehicles. Given this vehicle's prior documented connecting-rod-bearing failure and its current knocking/low-oil-pressure condition, I am submitting this complaint so the federal safety agency can determine whether it may be related to the broader issue under investigation. The vehicle has been inspected by a Honda dealership, and I have contacted American Honda for assistance.
just got on the freeway when car lost power, slowed down, check engine light turns on, and more lights start flashing. Potentially could have caused an accident if I was going faster on road. Went to mechanic, Code P0301, after diagnosis, fuel injectors failing. Mechanic was able to reproduce incident. Similar to recall for previous models, but not recalled on 2022 model. Need to replace fuel injectors. Had minor loss of power a few days prior, but not as severe
connecting rod bearing (Recall 23V‑751) failed in my 2017 Honda Ridgeline which was not part of the recall for this issue. Oil light came on and I took to my mechanic for service and on the way there i started to hear engine noise. As I pulled into mechanics shop he was outside and heard the noise. He told me that the car was getting ready to have catastrophic engine failure and was going to need a new engine. I was going to drive to the parking lot next door and leave the car to have it towed back to my house and it died as i was tuning into the lot. It was dangerous as it died where there was traffic passing by and i had to push the car out of traffic. The engine light came on Sunday, Monday (Labor Day)the car was not driven and then was taken to mechanic Tuesday morning.
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started shuddering and vibrating before becoming inoperable. The check engine warning light illuminated, and five seconds later the "Low Oil Pressure" warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with a spun rod bearing and engine knock. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, there was a misfire coming from the engine with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and, upon inspection, the contact determined that one of the ignition coils had failed. The contact purchased a new ignition coil, replaced the part, and resumed driving; however, the vehicle made an abnormal rattling sound while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed due to a loosened connecting rod and needed to be replaced. The contact ordered a new engine. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Ridgeline. While the contact's husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle hesitated and failed to accelerate as intended. The check engine and emissions warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with fuel injector failures. The contact was informed that fuel injectors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the fuel injectors needed to be replaced another time. The vehicle was repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000.
I have an engine failure at 99k miles. The car is in pristine condition inside out. Oil changes are done every 5k miles. Without any warning, check engine light or any indication from the car's computer, the engine just failed while driving. It sounded like there was something grinding inside the engine. The truck was towed to Honda dealer and they said I need a new engine replacement. They found metal shavings in the engine oil. The invoice indicates "Found more has bad rod knock recommend replace engine assembly"
Bought this vehicle in December 2025 used from a dealership. After about a month, I started hearing a noise coming from behind the steering wheel inside the dashboard area. Being that it was a new car to us. We weren’t sure if the noise was problematic so we didn’t take it in right away. The noise started getting worse after a few months and we brought it in. The mechanic couldn’t find the reason for the noise however did notice that there was metal in the oil and heard a knocking that was abnormal in the engine. After some investigation, we discovered that 2017 Honda Ridge lines were known for connecting rod, bearing failures, and many of the vehicles were under recall. We checked the VIN number of our vehicle and were told that this was not under this warranty. We called Honda Customer Care to talk to them about the fact that this problem seem to be the same problem as the service bulletin problem. We asked if they could cover the cost of the repair. They suggested we needed to have it diagnosed by a Honda dealership. We brought it to the Honda dealership who told told us that it would cost $1000 out-of-pocket to be able to diagnose this problem properly. We now have a car that potentially has a extremely dangerous and potentially catastrophic engine problem with premature deterioration and failure of the crankshaft connecting rod bearings that we are afraid to drive and we don’t have the money to fix. When doing research it suggests that there are at least 1.4 million vehicles that are under investigation for the possibility of having the problem that is addressed by the recall, and many of these vehicles are still having this engine failure and we think ours may be one of these. We have not seen any engine warning lights yet however, the mechanic suggested that it is premature crankshaft connecting rod bearing failure as evidenced by the amount of metals showing up in the oil. We just recently replaced the oil in early June (less than 2,000 miles ago).
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light was flashing on the instrument panel. The contact stated that there was a knocking sound coming from the engine. The contact associated the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V751000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); with the failure; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and then to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with a lower-end rod bearing failure and a damaged crankshaft. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 87,000.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2015-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2016 and 2018-2019 Pilot, 2017 and 2019 Ridgeline, and 2018-2019 Odyssey vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the connecting rod bearing in the engine may wear and seize, damaging the engine.
- Risk
- A damaged engine may run improperly or stall while driving, increasing the risk of a fire, crash, or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and repair, or replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 28, 2024. 2016-2017 Acura MDX owner letters were mailed November 1, 2024. 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed in mid-December 2024. Honda began mailing owner notification letters as of March 18, 2024. 2015-2016 Acura owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-December 2024, 2018 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed the end of March/early April 2024, 2019 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-May 2024, 2020 Acura TLX owner letters are expected to be mailed mid-June 2024, and 2016-2020 Acura MDX owner letters are expected to be mailed January 27, 2025. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's numbers for these recalls are XG1 and GG0.
Recall number 23V751000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling: engine: gasoline: belts and associated pulleys
- What is wrong
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Acura MDX and Honda Pilot vehicles and 2019 Acura RLX, RLX Sport Hybrid, TLX and Honda Odyssey and Ridgeline vehicles. The timing belt teeth may separate from the belt.
- Risk
- Teeth separation from the timing belt may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of crash.
- Remedy
- Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any affected timing belt free of charge. Vehicles receiving a replacement timing belt will also have the engine inspected and any damaged components will be replaced for free. The recall began June 7, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Honda's number for this recall is L4M. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1‑888‑234‑2138. Acura's number for this recall is Z4L.
Recall number 19V298000 · Recall details
Questions about the Honda Ridgeline check engine light
Why does the check engine light come on in the Honda Ridgeline?
Owners who report it most often also describe engine knocking or ticking, engine failure and sudden loss of power, and the codes they mention most are P0303, P2651 and P0305.
Which Honda Ridgeline years have check engine light problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2017 (23 complaints), 2019 (16 complaints) and 2021 (16 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix check engine light on the Honda Ridgeline?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,700 (median of 9 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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