2007 Honda Ridgeline

MY RADIATOR FAILED IN A FASHION IN WHICH THE RADIATOR FLUID MIXED WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, DESTROYING MY TRANSMISSION. I WAS DRIVING MY 2007 HONDA RIDGELINE ON A MAIN ROAD IN VA WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING ME. THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS CAUSED BY THE RADIATOR FAILING AND SUBSEQUENTLY MIXING COOLANT WITH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THIS MIX OF FLUIDS DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR. I DID NOT WANT TO BUY A NEW CAR, SO I HAD A LOCAL SHOP INSTALL A USED TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR AT THE COST OF ABOUT $4K. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH HONDA RIDGELINES AND MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION LINE BOLTS LEADING TO THE RADIATOR ARE COMPRISED OF DISSIMILAR METALS CAUSING CORROSION AND A DANGEROUS TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. I ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT HONDA OF AMERICA ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE IN THE REPAIR BECAUSE A HONDA SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 250K MILES WITHOUT PREMATURE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. HONDA REPLIED BY MAKING ME AWARE OF THE WARRANTY AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE, AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE IT IS A WELL KNOWN SCENARIO AS CITED ON RIDGELINE ENTHUSIAST WEBSITES. I HAVE BEEN A HONDA ENTHUSIAST AND OWNED 6 HONDAS SINCE 1991, AND I HAVE ALWAYS HAD GOOD LUCK WITH THESE VEHICLES, BUT THIS SCENARIO IS CERTAINLY AN EXCEPTION AND WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO SERIOUS INJURY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HONDA RIDGELINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V001000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE REPAIR CAUSED THE VEHICLE STABILIZATION MOTOR TO FAIL. ADDITIONALLY, THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INCORRECT WIRING HARNESS WAS INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE WHILE REPLACING THE BLOWER MOTOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATER WAS ALSO INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RIVERSIDE AUTO MALL (LOCATED AT 2025 US-41, MARQUETTE, MI 49855, (906) 228-4900) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,166.

WHEN I BOUGHT THE HONDA RIDGELINE I FOUND THE TRANSMISSION LINE AN COOLANT LINE BROKE INSIDE RADIATOR CAUSING ISSUES AND HAVING TO REPLACE LINES AN RADIATOR ALONG WITH TRANNY FLUSH. NOW THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD INTO FOURTH SHAKING THE TRUCK EVERY TIME TOUCHING THE GAS AROUND 60MPH AND SOMETIMES NORMAL CITY DRIVING. ALDO THE BRAKES ARE SOFT AND SPONGY AND HAS TO BE PUT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR TO START STOPPING. I LIKE HUNDREDS OF OTHER RIDGELINE OWNERS DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY HONDA DOESN'T FIX THESE ISSUES THAT BASICALLY ALL RIDGELINES HAVE. ALSO WHOEVER THE IDIOT WAS THAT DECIDED TO PUT A 4SPEED TRANSMISSION IN THE TRUCK SHOULD BE BEATEN AN FIRED! HONDA NEEDS TO STOP RIPPING PEOPLE OFF, YOU KNOW YOUR SCREWING PEOPLE OVER CHARGING A LOT FOR WHAT HAPPENS TO BE CRAP. IT WOULD BE A GREAT TRUCK IF WASN'T MADE SO CHEAPLY AN SLAPPED TOGETHER WITH GARBAGE PARTS.

THE ISSUE SEEMS TO OCCUR RANDOMLY. WHEN IT OCCURS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VTM4 LIGHT, VSA LIGHT AND A FEW OTHER WARNING LIGHTS LIGHT UP ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE TRUCK WILL SLOW DOWN GRADUALLY WITH NO RESPONSE FROM THE ACCELERATE PEDAL. I HAVE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TURN OFF THE TRUCK OR LET VEHICLE COST AND IT WILL EVENTUALLY KICK IN. I HAVE SAFETY CONCERNS WITH THIS HAPPENING AT UNKOWING TIMES WHICH CAN EITHER POSSIBLY CAUSE ME TO WRECK OR SOMEONE TO HIT ME FROM BEHIND BECAUSE THE VEHICLE JIST WONT MOVE I JAVE TO COAST IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

THERE IS NO KNOWN WAY TO OPEN THE IN BED TRUNK. I'VE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND CONTACTED HONDA AND NEITHER HAVE AN ANSWER. IF SOMETHING IN THE TRUNK PREVENTS THE TRUNK FROM OPENING, THE OWNER NEEDS TO DESTROY THE TRUNK TO OPEN IT. WHAT IF A CHILD WAS STUCK IN THE TRUNK AND COULDN'T FIND THE RELEASE? I DID FIND A WAY TO OPEN THE TRUNK BY CUTTING A 4"X4" WHOLE. HONDA OFFER NO HELP WHAT'S SO EVER. (THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY)

WHILE DRIVING HOME ON A SECONDARY ROAD, OUR RIDGELINE LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE THE TRANSITION. I COASTED TO THE SHOULDER AND FOUND IT WOULDN'T GO IN FORWARD OR REVERSE. WE HAD IT TOWED TO OUR FAMILY MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND COOLANT LINES BLED TOGETHER WITHIN THE RADIATOR, AND IT CAN BE SEEN IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR, AND RAN THE TRANSMISSION DRY. THE END RESULT IS THE NEED FOR A TRANSMISSION FLUSH, A NEW RADIATOR, AND NEW TRANSMISSION. THEY CANNOT GUARANTEE THAT THE NEW RADIATOR WON'T FAIL IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE OLD ONE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP WITH AN EXPECTED COST TO EXCEED $4000. ON A VEHICLE WITH 125K MILES. THE EXACT SAME ISSUE HAPPENED TO MY NEIGHBORS RIDGELINE AS WELL.

THE SPARK PLUG EJECTED, W/ COIL BLOW OUT WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. NO ADVANCE WARNING OF A PROBLEM NOR DID THE ENGINE CHECK-LIGHT WARNING COME ON PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE TRUCK WAS SERVICED ROUTINELY ACCORDING TO THE FACTORY RECOMMENDATIONS BY CERTIFIED HONDA DEALERS. THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE HEAD IN TWO PIECES. ONE PEACE CAME OUT AND BLEW THE COIL PACK INTO THE FAN, WHICH THEN LANDED ON THE BATTERY AND MELTED RIGHT THROUGH IT. THE SECOND HALF WENT DOWN THRU THE ENGINE SHOOTING METAL AND DEBRIS INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK DESTROYING THE ENGINE AT ONLY 67,442 MILES. REPLACEMENT/REPAIRS QUOTE WAS $12,048.85 AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY (5 YRS OR 100,000 MILES) ALLEGEDLY DOESN'T COVER SPARK PLUGS! IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, ACCORDING TO ONLINE OWNER BLOGS WITH HONDA ENGINES IN GENERAL: HTTP://WWW.RIDGELINEOWNERSCLUB.COM/FORUMS/7-1G-UNDER-HOOD-PERFORMANCE/45379-BLEW-SPARK-PLUG-HEAD.HTML HTTPS://WWW.FITFREAK.NET/FORUMS/1ST-GENERATION-GD-01-08/76611-SPARK-PLUG-EJECTION-W-COIL-BLOW-OUT.HTML