2017-2024 Honda Ridgeline 3.5L V6 Engine (J35Y6): Problems, Longevity, and Specs

If you are a fan of Honda and want to buy a midsized pickup truck, your choice is the Ridgeline. The new Honda Ridgeline is still sold in Honda showrooms all around the US although it was refreshed in 2017 after being manufactured for 8 years without any changes. Now, the vehicle doesn't look too fresh but the beauty is not the most important factor of your truck, right?

Today, we'll tell you about the 3.5L V6 J35Y6 engine which is the only option in the Honda Ridgeline - we'll cover its durability and tell you more about its problems. Although this is a very well-known and popularly used Honda engine, you will be able to find something new in this article when we look at the engine as at the heart of the truck.

Key features and my opinion about the engine

• Production years:2015-2020
• Average lifespan of J35Y6:220,000-240,000
• Fuel supply type:direct injection
• Power range:280-290 hp
• Fuel efficiency:average
• Engine block material:aluminum
• Engine reliability score:high
• The most common problems:VCM oil leaks, throttle contamination, carbon buildup on intake valves, engine belt premature failure.

What should you know about the V6 engine in the Ridgeline truck?

So, the Honda Ridgeline of the second generation is available with the only type of engine - the 3.5: V6 unit. This is a very well-known engine codenamed J35Y6. The engine is not only found under the hood of the Ridgeline. It powers other Honda vehicles such as the Pilot, the Odyssey, the Passport, and also the Acura TLX.

This is an aluminum engine but it has cast-iron cylinder sleeves which makes it more possible to repair the engine even after some bad problems. This fact tells us about the durability - Honda believes that this engine may go much longer than the aluminum block, so engineers introduced these sleeves to allow you to repair the block and prolong the life of this part.

Here's what you should know about the engine:

• with the displacement of 3.5L and the power of 280 horsepower, this is one of the most interesting V6 engines among all modern trucks;
• it offers 262 lb-ft of torque which may seem like not a lot for a truck, but all the torque is available from low RPM and this makes it quite good for any task;
• the engine is mated to the 9-speed automatic transmission by ZF (earlier it had the 6-speed transmission which proved to waste a lot of fuel);
• also, all Ridgelines are exclusively all-wheel-drive trucks, so you won't need to pay extra for this important feature;
• the V6 engine is not very economical - it shows about 18 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on highways, but it's not that bad for a truck;
• the engine uses the VTEC system which may sound like good news, but for older cars, it will become a problem with maintenance and repair;
• the VCM or Variable Cylinder Management is also present and of course, it gives some additional problems.

Well, the engine is clearly not bad. It has a very long history and respects traditions. After the first generation of J35 engines, this one still became more technological and complicated. It means, after some time, you will have more problems maintaining and repairing it. It doesn't mean at all that you will not be satisfied with this machine.

We love the V6 from Honda for its durability, great engineering, and smooth work. When you are driving the vehicle, it doesn't seem to have that large and clumsy V6 engine with all its drawbacks. It seems to be pretty dynamic and light. But when you need some power and torque from this engine, it can give you everything you want.

How many miles will the 3.5L V6 engine go in the Ridgeline?

The J35Y6 engine in your Honda Ridgeline can go up to 280,000 miles, on average. We've seen a couple of Ridgelines with more than 300K miles on their dashes and they were still running like new. Of course, to achieve this, you will need to invest some money and time into maintenance.

The durability of this engine can be seen as its main advantage. But some owners still report issues with longevity. There are several cases when these V6 engines just died after barely crossing the 100K-mile mark. But most of them only got their first serious problems at 250,000 miles and later. Experts don't recommend driving J35 engines longer than 280K miles just because after this point they take more money from your pocket and are not reliable anymore.

But still, we can't think of any other mid-sized pickup truck that would be able to drive as many miles without any serious problems. Most other trucks will have turbo engines or even hybrid powerplants that are way less durable.

What are the common problems with the 3.5L V6 Ridgeline engine

It was quite hard to outline a certain amount of serious common problems with the engine because it doesn't show many problems at all. But we've researched the internet and asked some specialists and finally got four of the most common issues that you should expect to experience if you have the Ridgeline.

Here are the most common issues with this engine:

1) Oil leaks

Unfortunately, all Honda VCM engines are prone to oil leaks. The system is not well-engineered and it has some flaws. One of them is bad seals and rings so the oil can come out sometimes. It doesn't mean you are in trouble - repairing those seals is not an expensive or long task, but still, oil leaks in a new engine seem unacceptable.

If you don't control the level of oil in your engine, the J35Y6 powerplant may eventually die because of a lack of oil. The oil pressure light will go on the dash much later than the problem will start destroying the engine.

2) Injector problems

Two issues are pretty common in the fuel supply system. First of all, the injectors may get clogged. They are not that hard to clean but still, the vehicle will obviously feel this problem. It may lose power, take more gasoline, and stall unexpectedly right on the road.

Also, the fuel pump is known for its problems. The pump may just stop sending fuel to the engine at one moment and the truck will stall. Unfortunately, the repair is not that cheap. But the OEM pump will still run at least 100,000 miles.

3) The belt problem

You may have got used to the idea that all modern engines use chains, not belts in their timing systems. But this one uses belts. And these belts may easily stretch or even break at about 60K miles. We recommend replacing the timing belt along with the water pump and other important accessories at least once every 50,000 miles. This will help you prevent timing belt problems.

If the belt breaks, you will have to repair the engine head and maybe even the block. Unfortunately, in this case, the price of the engine repair is going to be more or less the same as purchasing another engine.

4) Towing issues

The towing capacity of the Ridgeline is exactly 5,000 lbs. If you decide to tow something heavier, you will be in trouble. The engine can clearly tow more but the transmission and some other parts will easily fail. Overloading is one of the most important reasons for problems with this truck.

Just check the load of everything you are going to connect to your new truck and avoid overloading the vehicle. Otherwise, you will have to pay quite a lot for the repair.

How should you care about the Honda Ridgeline?

Caring about your vehicle is super important to let it live longer. If you want to see that 300K figure on your odometer in the Honda Ridgeline, better remember these simple tips:

• regularly check the oil level in the J35Y6 engine and top up the oil when needed;
• address any fluid leaks quickly;
• don't overload your truck - it can't tow more than 5,000 pounds;
• avoid aggressive driving - it's certainly not for this V6 engine;
• buy high-quality oil and filters to maintain the engine;
• never allow inexperienced mechanics to get their hands on your Ridgeline.

Be careful with repair and maintenance. The best advice is to go to the dealer each time you want to have the oil changed or something diagnosed. Bad service can lead to many minor issues that will develop into big problems.

Final thoughts

You should know that the 3.5L V6 engine in the Honda Ridgeline is really good. It has only minor problems until it reaches really high mileage. Also, the engine is not very economical but you can't say it's bad in terms of gas mileage. Just compare its main specs with modern turbo engines in other trucks and you will see why so many people choose the Ridgeline with its old-fashioned but really good V6 engine.

Although we've found some drawbacks in this engine, we still think it's one of the best choices if you need a practical and durable truck with no minor issues and endless repairs.