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If you own a Honda that has been recalled in 2026, then you know how frustrating the situation can be, especially as the automaker’s problems continue to make headlines. But when it comes to one specific recall involving rearview camera failures, the NHTSA has finally closed its investigation. They found that the replacement wire harness installed under a 2022 recall was not expected to develop the same wear-related failure during a reasonable vehicle lifespan.
The NHTSA’s Engineering Analysis covered 129,092 trucks and was prompted by questions about whether the recall repair would hold up over time. That concern actually stemmed from the original problem, which could cause the rearview camera’s tailgate wire harness to wear down and break. This could happen after repeatedly opening and closing the tailgate. Honda’s 2022 recall covered over 117,000 Ridgelines and called for the harness to be replaced with an improved part.
The NHTSA didn’t open its own Recall Query until June 26, 2024, nearly two years after Honda’s original recall action. That review was upgraded to an Engineering Analysis on February 11, 2025, as the agency continued examining whether the replacement harness could eventually experience the same type of failure. The NHTSA’s findings mean that there is no additional action coming from this investigation, and it ultimately closed its Engineering Analysis.
What the recall means for owners
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As part of its investigation into Honda’s rearview camera recall, the NHTSA took a closer look at the vehicles and the wire harness itself. The agency’s Vehicle Research and Test Center surveyed Ridgeline owners in Ohio, inspected select vehicles from those responses, and conducted durability testing to try and replicate the original failure. The NHTSA could not duplicate the problem, and it also found that most of the reported camera issues were caused by different problems unrelated to the harness.
Honda’s original 2022 recall perhaps wasn’t as straightforward for some Ridgeline owners in terms of correcting the problem. Honda initially told owners in January 2023 that the replacement parts needed for the repair were not yet available. That remained the case until August of that year when the automaker finally gave the greenlight, notifying customers to schedule a free repair at an authorized dealer. The repair itself involved replacing the RVC tailgate harness with an improved part, which Honda estimated would take about an hour and a half.
For Ridgeline owners who need to check the current status of the recall, the process is fairly simple. The Honda Service Center recall lookup allows vehicle owners to enter their 17-digit VIN to see if there are any active Honda recalls for their specific model. Owners can then schedule the repair through an authorized Honda dealer, where recall-related repairs are done at no charge. That gives Ridgeline owners a way to move forward and get the recall addressed.