How to Take Great Care of Your Honda Ridgeline

There are many fun aspects of owning a truck like the Honda Ridgeline, such as loading up with supplies for a DIY project, going camping for the weekend, and hosting a tailgate with friends. Although ensuring your pickup receives proper maintenance might not be on that list of fun things for most people, it’s incredibly important, and none of that other stuff is possible without good truck care.

If you’re looking for a Honda service center near Mason, then we’re here at McCluskey Chevrolet to assist you with everything you need. Knowing when to care for your truck and what kind of service it requires isn’t always easy, however, so let’s take a look at what you need to know about routine maintenance for your Honda Ridgeline.

Routine Service and the Maintenance Minder

Depending on the model year of your Honda Ridgeline, you’ll have some different options when it comes to keeping track of the service your vehicle needs. In recent years, Honda has developed a Maintenance Minder system designed to let your truck worry about when it needs maintenance so you don’t have to.

We still like to have a sense of when our vehicles need work, so we’ll look at some general guidelines for service to help you with that in a bit, but we wanted to start with this impressive tool that Honda provides. Although we’re a Chevy dealership, we still appreciate what other car companies do, and our certified technicians are trained to work on a variety of different makes and models.

Essentially, the way the Maintenance Minder system works is it uses your truck’s sensors and computer system to keep track of scheduled service intervals for you. For example, it’s set when you have your oil changed, and then it provides an engine oil life estimate based on how you drive and when you’ll need your next oil change.

It’s important to note that this is just an estimate, but it can still be quite useful as it lets you know how your engine oil is doing. Beyond your motor oil, it also provides you with service reminders to let you know that it’s time for maintenance. So you can take care of what you need to do around Mason each day and it will display a code when it’s time for you to schedule service with us.

Understanding Maintenance Minder Codes

Just as important as the Maintenance Minder itself is understanding what the different codes it can display for you mean, since this lets you know what kind of service your Ridgeline needs. Looking at the 2024 model, as an example, its system will display one of two letters (A or B) along with a number; the letter is the main item code and the number (or numbers) is the sub item code. Between these two things, you’ll know just what kind of service your truck requires.

Maintenance Main Item Codes

There are two different main item codes that you should be aware of, and the differences between them are significant. If you see an A in the Maintenance Minder system, then it means it’s time to replace your engine oil. This typically coincides with about 15% engine oil life left for your Ridgeline so you can schedule service at a time that works for you.

On the other hand, if you see a B main item code, it means it’s time for a more thorough inspection. This code indicates you should have your engine oil and filter replaced, as well as your brakes, suspension, fluid lines, fluid levels, and other components inspected.

Maintenance Sub Item Codes

Honda provides seven different sub item codes and more than one of them can be displayed together, which makes it easy to know what kind of work your Ridgeline needs along with an oil change. Code 1 indicates it’s time to have your tires rotated, while a 2 means your air filters need to be replaced and your drive belt should be inspected. Your transmission fluid and transfer fluid need to be replaced if you see a 3, while a 4 means your spark plugs and timing belt should be replaced.

Code 5 indicates you need to replace your engine coolant, while code 6 means your rear differential fluid should be changed, and a 7 tells you it’s time to replace your brake fluid. All of these things won’t come up too frequently, but knowing what they mean makes it easier to take care of your truck.

General Guidelines for Routine Service

If you have an older Honda Ridgeline, then you might not have the Maintenance Minder system; and even if you do have it, we know plenty of folks who prefer to keep track of service on their own. Using those codes, one easy way to remember things is that you should anticipate code A service about every 7,500 miles and B service about every 15,000 miles (or at least once per year). Rotating your tires at every oil change is a good idea (if you don’t adhere to the sub item codes), and your air filters should be replaced about every 30,000 miles (or at least every two years).

Keep in mind that this is for normal driving conditions. If you make a lot of quick trips (like using your truck as a delivery driver) or take your Ridgeline off-road, then you’re driving in what Honda deems “severe” conditions. This means you should replace your engine oil and filter about every 3,750 miles instead, and let us inspect your truck’s parts every 7,500 miles. Idling for long periods of time or driving in a lot of stop-and-go traffic can also be considered severe conditions, so adjust your service schedule accordingly.

Don’t Forget About Periodic Inspections

Sticking to a service schedule and letting us handle routine maintenance is absolutely vital, but it’s also important to perform quick inspections on your vehicle yourself. Honda suggests routine inspections every time you get gas, wash your pickup, or before a long trip; this includes checking your engine oil and coolant levels, checking on your battery to make sure there’s no acid buildup or other issues, and checking your wiper blades.

You should also inspect your tires for damage or signs of uneven wear, check their pressure, and make sure your exterior lights work properly. Beyond this, periodic inspections should also be performed each month including checking your brake fluid levels, the function of your exterior lights, and the condition and pressure of your tires. Doing these things helps you stay ahead of any potential issues and makes it easier to catch a small problem before you have a tire blowout.

How to Get the Most From Your Truck

At the end of the day, proper maintenance for your truck is one of the best things you can do to ensure you get the most from your Honda Ridgeline and that it keeps going strong for a long time. Honda is known for making very reliable vehicles, but without routine service, even the best machines will break down and fail over time. Most people we know don’t have the time or energy to handle all of these things on their own, which is why we’re happy to help and provide expert care for your truck.

Whether your Maintenance Minder system is telling you it’s time for an oil change or you’ve started hearing a strange sound that has you concerned, you can rely on our incredible team here at McCluskey Chevrolet to take care of everything and have you back on the road in no time.