Photo: Honda
The Office of Defects Investigation has received no fewer than 42 complaints and an unspecified number of EWR field reports over rearview camera failures in the 2017 to 2018 model year Honda Ridgeline trucklet.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website is full of complaints alleging this condition, as are numerous forums. Take, for instance, the plethora of pictures posted on the Ridgeline Owners Club.
All pictures reveal damage to the tailgate wire harness that connects the rearview camera to the infotainment system. According to the Office of Defects Investigation, “the damage to the wire harness is alleged to be caused by normal use of the vehicle when opening/closing the tailgate.”
Most of the aforementioned complaints highlight rearview camera failure occurring just after the warranty mileage is exceeded. This pretty much confirms that the automaker’s engineers and designers could have done a better job, either by relocating the harness or by redesigning the tailgate.
An inoperable camera goes against the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111 for rear visibility. Also worthy of note, rearview cameras became standard in the U.S. back in May 2018, literally ten years after safety groups proposed this very useful piece of equipment. Congress passed a law in 2008 requiring U.S. regulators to enact measures for its adoption. The Department of Transportation then announced the requirement in 2014.
The Office of Defect Investigation mentions an estimated population of 71,008 units of the 2017 to 2018 model year Ridgeline. The preliminary evaluation opened by the Office of Defects Investigation will determine the scope and severity of this condition, hopefully in a very timely fashion.
Based on the Pilot and Passport crossovers, the Ridgeline is technically considered a mid-size pickup, although it’s a unibody rather than a body-on-frame design. Currently priced from $37,640 excluding destination charge, the Ridgeline comes exclusively with a 280-horsepower V6 engine that’s much obliged to tow up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms) of whatnots.
All pictures reveal damage to the tailgate wire harness that connects the rearview camera to the infotainment system. According to the Office of Defects Investigation, “the damage to the wire harness is alleged to be caused by normal use of the vehicle when opening/closing the tailgate.”
Most of the aforementioned complaints highlight rearview camera failure occurring just after the warranty mileage is exceeded. This pretty much confirms that the automaker’s engineers and designers could have done a better job, either by relocating the harness or by redesigning the tailgate.
An inoperable camera goes against the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111 for rear visibility. Also worthy of note, rearview cameras became standard in the U.S. back in May 2018, literally ten years after safety groups proposed this very useful piece of equipment. Congress passed a law in 2008 requiring U.S. regulators to enact measures for its adoption. The Department of Transportation then announced the requirement in 2014.
The Office of Defect Investigation mentions an estimated population of 71,008 units of the 2017 to 2018 model year Ridgeline. The preliminary evaluation opened by the Office of Defects Investigation will determine the scope and severity of this condition, hopefully in a very timely fashion.
Based on the Pilot and Passport crossovers, the Ridgeline is technically considered a mid-size pickup, although it’s a unibody rather than a body-on-frame design. Currently priced from $37,640 excluding destination charge, the Ridgeline comes exclusively with a 280-horsepower V6 engine that’s much obliged to tow up to 5,000 pounds (2,268 kilograms) of whatnots.
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