2020 Honda Ridgeline: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
168 NHTSA owner complaints · 9 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Editor's note
The Honda Ridgeline's only AVOID year is 2025, at 48 on 81 complaints, and its 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2023 trucks are CAUTION at 61, 60, 69 and 64. The years to buy are 2024 (85 on 54 complaints), 2022 (80 on 113) and 2021 (76 on 100). Read the full note on the model page. 2020 specifically: 168 complaints on record, score 69/100 — read the year table on the model page to see where it sits among its siblings.
Read the guide
Used mid-size pickups: Colorado, Canyon and Ridgeline years to avoid, including 2020 — written and signed by Adir Trabelsi, 2026-09-16.
Owner complaints: 168 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 28.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
When driving normally, oncominng traffic is triggering the frontal collision warning system. Is some cases long enough to start the emergency braking procedure if I do not engage the brakes manually preventing the automatic emergency braking. This usually happens on curves in the road in typically right hand curves. This is happening on 2 lane roads at between 45 and 55 mph. Initiating and emergency braking at this s…
The vehicle's front-facing monocular camera experienced an internal component failure that triggered a permanent error code U3000-49. This hardware failure instantly disabled multiple core safety features simultaneously, including the Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping Assist (LKAS), Road Departure Mitigation, and Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) ABS Braking and High Beam Support with all dash lights re…
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 m…
Recalls: 9 campaigns (4 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 24V064000 | Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Pilot, Accord, Civic sedan, HR-V, Odyssey, 2020 Civic coupe, Fit, 2021-2022 Civic hatchback, 2021 Civic Type R, Insight, 2020-2021 CR-V, CR-V Hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline, Accord Hybrid, 2020 Acura MDX, 2022 Acura MDX, 2020-2022 Acura RDX, and 2020-2021 Acura TLX vehicles. The front passenger… |
| 26V365000 | Structure:Frame And Members | American Honda Motor Company (Honda) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, 2017-2023 Ridgeline, 2019-2023 Passport, and 2014-2020 Acura MDX vehicles that were sold in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,… |
| 24V321000 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera | Honda (America Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Ridgeline vehicles. The rearview camera (RVC) tailgate wire harness may fatigue and break, which can prevent the rearview camera image from displaying. |
| 23V174000 | Visibility:Rearview Mirrors/Devices:Exterior | Honda (American Honda Motor Co) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Pilot and Ridgeline, and 2020-2022 Passport and Odyssey vehicles. The heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, allowing the mirror glass to detach. |
| 20E068000 | Equipment | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling all Honda Genuine Accessory Tonneau Covers, part number 08Z07-T6Z-100F, sold for installation on 2017-2020 Ridgeline trucks. If the tonneau cover is not properly secured in the open or closed position, wind resistance may cause the cover to flip and buckle. |
| 23V858000 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2023 Honda Accord, Civic Coupe, Civic Sedan, Civic Hatchback, Civic Type R, CR-V, HR-V, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Acura ILX, MDX, MDX Hybrid, RDX, RLX, TLX, 2019-2022 Honda Insight, Passport, 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid, 2018-2019 Honda Clarity PHEV, Fit, and 2015-2020 Honda Accord Hybrid, Pilot, Acura NSX… |
| 26V332000 | Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant Classification:Front Passenger | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2018-2021, 2023 Acura TLX, 2019-2024 RDX, 2017-2020, 2022-2026 MDX, 2017-2021, 2023, 2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2017-2022 Pilot, 2019-2021 Passport, 2018-2026 Odyssey, 2019-2022 Insight, 2019-2021 HR-V, 2018-2020 Fit, 2020-2022 CR-V Hybrid, 2017-2022 CR-V, 2017-2018, 2021 Civic Type R, 2017-2021 Civic… |
| 23V458000 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Master Cylinder | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Civic, 2020-2023 Ridgeline, 2021-2023 Passport, 2021-2022 Pilot, and 2020 Acura MDX vehicles. The tie rod fastener that connects the brake booster and the brake master cylinder may have been improperly assembled during manufacturing, which can cause the brake master cylinder to separate from… |
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a pickup of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 21 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,950
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Electrical System48 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other41 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Engine37 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Forward Collision Avoidance14 complaints · typical job: Radar or camera module replacement and calibration (3.0 h labour + parts)$780–$2,160
- Back Over Prevention14 complaints · typical job: Reversing camera or park-sensor replacement (2.0 h labour + parts)$420–$940
- Exterior Lighting12 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
Other Honda Ridgeline years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Honda Ridgeline?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Electrical System (48 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2020 Honda Ridgeline a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 69/100, computed from 168 NHTSA complaints and 9 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2020 Honda Ridgeline's most common problem?
48 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2020 Honda Ridgeline sit in the Electrical System group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement: about 3.0 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $540–$1,310 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2020 Honda Ridgeline cost to run per year?
About $4,992 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $24,960 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Does the 2020 Honda Ridgeline have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 9 recall campaign(s) for the 2020 Honda Ridgeline, 4 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/02/2024. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other pickups of about the same age.
What will a 2020 Honda Ridgeline really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Strong evidence — 168 complaints, 9 recalls on record
- 168 NHTSA complaints on record (28.0/yr of exposure) — in line with a typical year of this model (30.7/yr)
- 9 recall campaigns, 4 touching safety-critical systems