2007 Honda Ridgeline Brakes Problems

Spongy brake pedal requiring pumping brakes to stop

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY DUE TO FAILURE OF THE BRAIDED PORTION (BOTTOM END) OF HONDA PART: PIPE V, BRAKE PART NUMBER: 46375-SJC-A51. *TR

1. AT A CONSTANT SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, LEVEL SURFACE OR SLIGHT UPHILL GRADE, TRANSMISSION IN OD, TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKED, I EXPERIENCE A SERIOUS VIBRATION AND AUDIBLE TONE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. IN ADDITION, THAT TACH REFLECTS A SLIGHT PULSATION IN ENGINE RPM AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 RPM. THIS IS THE SAME DESCRIPTION AS IN THE ODYSSEY AND ELEMENT RECALLS WHICH INDICATES A FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER. 2. BRAKE PEDAL IS SPONGY AND SOFT. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, THE PEDAL DROPS TO A LEVEL CLOSE TO THE FLOOR. BRAKING IS MINIMAL. WHEN APPLYING 2 PUMPS OF THE PEDAL WHILE BRAKING, THE PEDAL BECOMES FIRM AND HIGH, AS IT SHOULD. BRAKING THEN APPEARS FINE. MY BRAKES WERE BLED TWO TIMES. ON BOTH OCCASIONS, A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF AIR WAS REMOVED FROM THE LINES. THE PROBLEM QUICKLY REAPPEARED AFTER BLEEDING THE BRAKES. THERE WERE NO BRAKE FLUID LEAKS ANYWHERE, JUST AIR IN THE LINES. SIMILAR TO THE ODYSSEY AND ELEMENT RECALL, THE VSA MODULATOR IS ALLOWING A SMALL AMOUNT OF AIR INTO THE SYSTEM ON INITIAL START. 3. THE RIGHT REAR OUTER BRAKE PAD WEARS PREMATURELY. MY RIDGELINE JUST TURNED 100K MILES. I RECENTLY INSTALLED THE THIRD SET OF REAR BRAKE PADS AND THE SECOND SET OF ROTORS. THE CALIPER PISTONS AND ATTACHING HARDWARE MOVED FREELY AND WAS FREE OF CORROSION. I BELIEVE ISSUE # 2, AIR IN LINES, MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THIS. THE BRAKES WITH THE LEAST AMOUNT OF AIR IN THE LINES ARE PERFORMING THE MAJORITY OF THE BRAKING, THEREFORE WEARING THOSE PARTICULAR PADS BEFORE THE OTHERS. *TR

MY 2007 RIDGELINE FAILED TO ACTIVATE EITHER THE ABS OR THE VSA AS I BEGAN SKIDDING ON THE SNOW THAT WAS BETWEEN THE TIRE LANES. THE DRIVE LANES WERE CLEAR PAVEMENT AND AT 64 MPH IN CRUISE CONTROL I CHANGED LANES AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN 4 WHEEL SKIING ON THE SNOW. I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND LOST ALL CONTROL OF MY RIDGELINE AS THE VEHICLE WITH ALL 4 WHEELS LOCKED, SKID OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE SNOW BANK. WITH ALL 4 WHEELS LOCKED THE VEHICLE SLOWED DUE TO THE DEPTH OF THE SNOWBANK. AS IT SLOWED THE RIDGELINE SWUNG AROUND SIDEWAYS AND SLOWLY ROLLED ON ITS SIDE. AT THAT POINT THE SIDE AIR BAG CURTAIN DEPLOYED. SCRATCHING MY EYE BALL AND HITTING MY EAR SO HARD I HAD TO PUT MY HAND TO MY EAR TO SEE IF IT WAS STILL ATTACHED. EITHER THE VSA OR THE ABS SHOULD HAVE ACTIVATED. AND THE DRIVERS AIR BAG SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED DUE TO THE FACT THE VEHICLE WAS LAYING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. CAUSING OVER $10,000 DAMAGE. AFTER THE REPAIR I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ANY OF THE SYSTEMS. NOR WERE THEY CONCERNED THAT THIS INCIDENT, UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES COULD HAVE EASILY ENDED IN DEATH. *TR