Honda Recalls 110,070 Salt-Belt Ridgelines for Rear Subframe Corrosion (26V365)

Honda is recalling 110,070 model-year 2017–2023 Ridgeline pickups originally sold in salt-belt states because the rear subframe can corrode at the suspension mounting points until a rear suspension component fractures. That Ridgeline slice sits inside a larger 880,514-vehicle campaign that also covers certain Honda Pilot, Honda Passport, and Acura MDX SUVs. NHTSA lists the campaign as 26V365; Honda’s numbers are AOU and AOT. Involved VINs became searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 10, 2026. Owner notification letters were expected around July 7, 2026.

This page leads the Ridgeline. The 880,514 figure is the multi-model total — not a Ridgeline-only count. If your truck lives where road salt is normal winter weather, run the VIN and treat rear noise, vibration, or a sudden handling change as a stop-and-inspect moment, not a shrug.

Sources

• NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Report — 26V365 (RCLRPT-26V365-6590.pdf) — Ridgeline population 110,070; production Apr 5, 2016 – Jan 10, 2023; Pilot / Passport / MDX slices; estimated 1% with defect; improper coating / paint adhesion cause; misaligned or inadequately retained rear wheel(s); warnings; chronology; no US warranty claims and no injury/death reports as of May 28, 2026 (Jan 10, 2013 – May 21, 2026)
• NHTSA acknowledgment letter for campaign 26V365 (dated June 9, 2026; manufacturer report date June 4, 2026) — total units 880,514; salt-belt state list; inspect + rear subframe reinforcement kit; owner letters ~Jul 7, 2026; VIN searchable Jun 10, 2026; Honda 1-888-234-2138; AOU / AOT
• NHTSA recalls / VIN lookup

Recall facts (Ridgeline first)

TruckDaily take

Who this is for. Anyone who owns or is shopping a 2017–2023 Ridgeline that was sold or registered in a salt-belt state — plus Pilot, Passport, and MDX owners who share the same rear-subframe campaign math.

Who should skip the shrug. Skip assuming the 880,514 headline is “all Ridgelines.” Skip waiting for a mailer if you already hear rear noise, feel rear vibration, or notice a handling change. Skip treating “no injury reports yet” as proof your mounts cannot fail — Honda’s own filing says corrosion plus vibration can fracture the mounting area.

What we’d do. Plug the 17-digit VIN into nhtsa.gov/recalls for 26V365 / AOU·AOT. If the truck is in the campaign, schedule the free inspection and reinforcement kit. If anything feels wrong in the rear end before the appointment, stop driving it to a dealer on a trailer or flatbed rather than guessing. We would buy a clean Ridgeline in this generation only after the VIN is clear or the free remedy is documented on the RO — not after a salesperson waves at underbody rust and says salt-belt trucks “all look like that.”

What the filing actually says

Honda’s June 4, 2026 Part 573 report and NHTSA’s June 9 acknowledgment put certain 2017–2023 Ridgelines (110,070 units, built April 5, 2016 through January 10, 2023) inside campaign 26V365. Total population across Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline, and Acura MDX is 880,514. Honda estimates 1% of that population has the defect.

The cause language is coating, not “owner neglect.” Rear subframes manufactured with improper coating specifications can lose paint adhesion near the arm-bracket weld area. In regions that use heavy de-icing salt, the exposed metal can corrode early. As material thins, driving vibration can fracture the mount. If the rear control-arm or lower-arm mounting points fail, the rear wheel(s) may become misaligned or inadequately retained — which can hurt handling, stability, and braking and raise crash or injury risk.

Honda limited the recall population to vehicles sold in the listed salt-belt states and Washington, D.C., and reported no occurrences on U.S. vehicles sold outside that region. The same chronology states that as of May 28, 2026, Honda had no U.S. warranty claims and no injury or death reports tied to this issue for the January 10, 2013 through May 21, 2026 window. That field picture is real; it is not a guarantee your subframe is fine without an inspection.

The free remedy is concrete: inspect the rear subframe, install a reinforcement kit, and repair or replace affected rear subframe components as needed. Part 573 says the remedy parts use improved pre-paint treatment and increased coating thickness. Owner letters were scheduled around July 7, 2026; VINs have been searchable since June 10.

Shopper checklist

1. Write down the 17-digit VIN from the dash plate or driver door sticker.
2. Search that VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for 26V365 / Honda AOU or AOT.
3. If the truck is included, call a Honda dealer and schedule the free rear-subframe inspection and reinforcement kit — reference the campaign numbers.
4. Watch for abnormal rear noise, rear vibration, or a handling change. If any of those show up, do not keep driving on it as a “winter road feel” problem.
5. Keep Honda customer service 1-888-234-2138 if a dealer stalls on a free safety fix.

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