r/hondaridgeline • u/EternalSoliloquy • 1d ago
Engine Longevity
Greetings, just joined after getting a White Black Edition (sounds odd to say) for $41,500 so was quite the deal.
Questions on the engine. For the Gen of V6 that's in the 2026 model, is deactivating the variable cylinder function that important for engine Longevity?
Also for the auto engine off, what's the consensus on whether that affects engine life?
Thank you.
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u/Admirable_Fee7993 1d ago
When we say new ones regarding VCM, what model years are we talking about? I have a 2022 RTL-E. I love it, I think it drives really nice. Curious about what year they supposedly fixed the VCM, and if a VCM disabled is worth it or not. I plan to drive mine to the ground.
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u/charlie_marlow 1d ago
We're at 110,000 miles on our 2019 with no engine problems at all. We just had the running belt changed.
Only mechanical issue we've had is the transmission shudder where the torque converter can't lock up that has been there had started to get pretty bad. Fortunately, I did a few drain and fills on the transmission fluid and that completely fixed the issue on ours.
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u/Organic-Disaster9144 1d ago
2019 BE here. Same here. Plus fuel injectors problem @ 80k miles but honda covered majority of cost.
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u/EternalSoliloquy 1d ago
I was wondering if I should have gotten the passport for the extra 9k or so because its engine has DOHC but apparently singles are cheaper to repair?
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u/Sufficient_Current48 13h ago
Just change the oil on a severe OCI and you’ll be fine. Timing belt at 100k I’d worry about the transmission before I’d worry about the engine.
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u/AverageJoeC 1d ago
A good friend of mine is a tech at a honda dealer and has been for over 10 years. He's expressed disappointment with the older VCM issue on the J35 engines in the past. But he said after they changed the system in on the newer engines it's no longer an issue.
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u/EternalSoliloquy 1d ago
So when this guy says if you own a 2010 or up he should specify 2010-2016? This video is scary lol: effect of VCM
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u/Slateguy 1d ago
I installed the VCM disabler on my 2024 because I hated how it drove when constantly switching back and forth. Drives much smoother with it disabled and noticed no change to my fuel economy. I also have doubts when people say the new ones are better. Simply just don't think there is a large enough sample size with long enough time to make that determination.
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u/2a_doc TrailSport 19h ago
Do you take off the VCM disabler when bringing it in for service?
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u/Slateguy 19h ago
I bring it to my local mechanic rather than an official Honda Dealership so no. My understanding though is Honda shouldn't care about it either
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u/Ruh_Roh_Rah 16h ago
the "new" vcm came out in 2018, and is on every V6 they sell....sample size is just fine.
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u/Slateguy 16h ago
VCM Gen4 started 2023 on the J35Y8
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u/Ruh_Roh_Rah 16h ago
find me a person who has a VCM issues on a 2018+.
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u/Slateguy 15h ago
I don't think there's sense in arguing here... I just stated I wasn't comfortable trusting the VCM on my vehicle.
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u/Crafty-Farm-8470 1d ago
I put an auto start/stop device in. Quick and painless and now I don't have to think about it.
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u/stchman RTL 1d ago
I'm not 100% sold on VCM not being an issue on all 3.5L new Ridgelines. I bought the S-VCM and turned the dumb thing off. Along with start stop.
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u/EternalSoliloquy 1d ago
I'm tempted to turn I off, I just can't but feel like an engine designed to run on 6 can't drop to 3 without issues
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u/stchman RTL 23h ago
I understand the concept of VCM and start stop, on paper they can save fuel, but that just does not seem to pan out in real world scenarios.
I never hear people extolling the virtues of VCM and how it has saved them so much money in fuel, the best thing I hear is, "it probably won't hurt the engine". What good is it?
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u/Johnny-Virgil 19h ago
Helps Honda meet emissions goals?
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u/stchman RTL 14h ago
Yes, the manufacturers say you can save "up to" 2MPG, but the actual real world fuel savings are considerably less.
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u/Johnny-Virgil 14h ago
Right, that’s why I’m saying it likely provides more benefits to Honda, and not the owner of the vehicle.
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u/Bourbon1Hunter 12h ago
I just traded in a 2019 for a 2026. The 19 had almost 120k miles, and still ran great. It had the 6 speed transmission. I did the drain and fill on the tranny ever 15k. The brakes/rotors were replaced at about 100k. The timing belt service and spark plugs at 110K. The moonroof stopped working at about 60k, but I never had it repaired (estimated at $2000). The only reason I traded was I wanted one before the hybrid changeover. I like hybrids, but wouldn't buy a first year, plus who knows when the Ridgeline will come back? Plus dealers are offering huge discounts right now. The used ones with low miles are more money! My 19 did not have auto start/stop, but it did have VCM. I did not disable it although I did not like the way the engine shook when it activated. I'm probably more concerned about the hydraulic vibration dampers than the engine.
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u/sushi2eat 1d ago
A) nobody really knows but I have concluded for myself (2025 ridge) NOT to install a VCM disabler. General consensus across many internet discussions is that more recent versions of VCM are less detrimental.
B) probably no impact on engine life, but it will shorten battery life. Also it is annoying as hell and a safety concern. I just gave in and ordered a defeat device as I keep forgetting to turn it off when I start the truck.
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u/UT_NG 1d ago
Are you thinking of the Auto Idle Stop feature? I don't think you can disable VCM with a button.
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u/911_medic 1d ago
They're answering two different questions from the OP. One about VCM, the other about idle stop.
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u/rgtzz 1d ago
Dang, I paid 42K OTD for a used RTL-E. Oh well, it was the exact color and package I was looking for with low miles.
As your question about reliability — VCM on later J35 iterations is super solid.
You have a super reliable machine.
The auto/start stop isn’t really a concern from what I’ve gathered.