Update: 2006-14 Honda Ridgeline recall for frame & fuel tank corrosion

[NormanBuntz]

I had my 2007 Ridgeline inspected by a North Carolina Honda dealer in October, 2022 regarding recall 22-021 for possible frame and fuel tank corrosion due to road salt. About 112,000 vehicle are affected. Although mine passed the inspection, at the time the dealer(s) did not have all of the corrective parts on hand. Today the dealer completed the recall repairs by flushing and waxing the unibody frame around the fuel tank, bolting on some steel frame support brackets and installing two new fuel tank straps. The work took three hours, and the dealer appears ready to bill Honda $1,076 for the work. Not exactly a small bag of shells, but I'm happy that I have one that qualified for the free repair, instead of having to take a buyout from Honda. Like Toyota did with some of its trucks, Honda acknowledged the flaws and took corrective action.

 

[KGMtech]

Good that Honda is being solid on their problems. Toyota won over many with how they handled their frame failure situation.

 

[Dave9]

Agreed, good that Honda is handling this because it seems inevitable... I mean, it's the reason I don't like the Ridgeline, that without having a proper frame, all of them are vulnerable to rust out failure under load, given the right conditions and # of years (sooner) than a cab on frame truck would have.

However, I don't know the circumstances behind only 112,000 being recalled, but I would want a 3rd opinion. I mean if it qualified because it had more than X amount of rust already, there may be similar levels elsewhere that did not fall under recall repair, so I'd want to know how the rest is.

$1,076 is a small amount of money for a special pre-engineered and OEM qualified fix. These days, replacing a radiator (and so so many other things) can cost that much.

What to do now is acquire stainless plate and build an exoskeleton around the existing, decaying unibody.

 

[NormanBuntz]

The recall was only for those vehicles that were ever registered in states that salted their roads in the winter. My truck has almost zero rust. The fix was offered to all eligible trucks that passed a dealer's inspection. Buyouts were offered to owners whose trucks failed the tests.

 

[Lubener]

The recall was only for those vehicles that were ever registered in states that salted their roads in the winter. My truck has almost zero rust. The fix was offered to all eligible trucks that passed a dealer's inspection. Buyouts were offered to owners whose trucks failed the tests.

You are in an area which uses no salt, so I would expect little if any rust.. What do they do to heavily rusted frames found up north ? Applying wax isn't going to do anything. Are they buying back all heavily rusted vehicles?

 

[joekingcorvette]

I think a lot of vehicles in the rust belt have the same problems with no free repair from the factory's.

 

[dfarr67]

I wish they'd do something about their paint.

 

[NormanBuntz]

I wish they'd do something about their paint.

That must be a recent issue. My Ridgeline was built in Ontario, and the paint has held up really well considering it's 17 years old and the truck mostly sits outside.

 

[Hall]

About 112,000 vehicle are affected.

The recall was only for those vehicles that were ever registered in states that salted their roads in the winter.

Tells you how few Ridgelines Honda has sold then. I'd say that every state north of the Ohio River definitely uses salt in the winter.

 

[NormanBuntz]

You are in an area which uses no salt, so I would expect little if any rust.. What do they do to heavily rusted frames found up north ? Applying wax isn't going to do anything. Are they buying back all heavily rusted vehicles?

As I mentioned, there was a test procedure where several areas of the frame get tested with a punch, photographed and results are sent to American Honda. If the truck fails the test, Honda offers to buy those trucks. Those failures are typically on trucks from the Northeast and the Midwest.

 

[dfarr67]

That must be a recent issue. My Ridgeline was built in Ontario, and the paint has held up really well considering it's 17 years old and the truck mostly sits outside.

2015 Accord, made on USA- Honda has painted about half the car under warranty and I'm still seeing areas flaking off- and while I know my paint- I don't think I'm too fussy in this application. Latest- rear trunk gutter (under trunk lid) 6in strip is peeling. Fade, chalk. etc is one thing, bond letting go is another.

 

[dfarr67]

Tells you how few Ridgelines Honda has sold then. I'd say that every state north of the Ohio River definitely uses salt in the winter.

Salt and worse chemicals.