Conflicted Ridgeline owner

Only by replacing it with a new same diff, that does the same thing for a lot of those guys.

 

That sounds like the semi trucks you hear drive by you on the freeway only quieter.

 

From the article: "Ridgeline will always be a risky choice if you go anywhere further than a dirt road or smooth sand dune."

"The Tacoma is clearly the most well-suited for the off-road trail part. For serious off-roading, it's the one we'd choose out of this bunch by a good margin"

Why they would used the Canyon with street tires instead of the All Terrain trim is beyond me. Either way, I would pick the Canyon over the Ridgeline every time.

Tacoma over Canyon? For me, that is difficult to decide. For me, Towing and diesel fuel economy is more important than off-road capability. For me at least. Add all the issues seen by Tacoma owners here and it has kept me from buying anything... Love the looks and ride of the Tacoma TRD Off-Road...I just do not want any of the headaches some of the folks here are going through... I can wait to see if all these issues get fixed in the next model year... If buying today, I would be going with a 2017 diesel GMC Canyon SLE All Terrain or a diesel SLT with better tires.

I want a truck that can deliver if I need it too... Imho, the Tacoma and Canyon can do that... That Ridgeline does not, and to me, the Ridgeline is a bad looking compromise...

 

Yeah, I was on the fence between Canyon and Tacoma as well. The Canyon even in the All Terrain trim is still very highway focused and off-road capability was more a factor in my choice. Yes, the rear differential can lock up in the Canyon, but not at the driver's control; it's an automatic thing once you start spinning a wheel. For me, that is important. Not so much so for those not intending to be offroad at all.

Something to consider: watch the GM television ads that seem so prevalent. What do they focus on? What are they trying to establish in consumers minds? Seems they're trying to establish a sense of quality in people's perception. Personally I would think that if they'd truly mended their ways they wouldn't need to "sell" it so heavily...

Maybe GM has drastically improved since the 95 Saturn I owned that threw a rod at 85k miles despite meticulous maintenance. Maybe Toyota has gone down in quality since the 02 Camry we retired this year at 240k miles or the 02 4Runner with 170k miles that I'm replacing with a Tacoma. I don't know. I'm more willing to bet on the Toyota than the GM though. Still, I did order a 2017 rather than a 2016.

 

The Ridgeline has remote start. Can accomplish the same thing as the key. Push button start is sort of like power windows. You don't know you like until you get it.

 

To be more specific, it's the proximity key that's so great. I have it on my funcar and just leave the remote in my pocket. Touch the door handle to unlock or to lock. Get it, foot on brake, press start, off you go. No key poking a hole in your pocket or fob banging on your knee.

Remote start can be added to the Tacoma even if not factory, so not a big differentiator either way.

I had remote start on a prior vehicle - it was very handy as noted, able to leave the dogs in the car with the AC going while I ran into the store for a moment. I just locked the car and then hit the remote-start.

 

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The wisdom of a 100 Tibetan Monks is in this thread ...
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No. It's not the same, because remote start will shut off after however many minutes. And it defeats the purpose of preventing wear on the starter if I have to turn it off to use remote start. I have remote start on two of my trucks(one with key and one with push button) I prefer the keyed vehicle because I can leave it running for my dog, and take the spare key and lock the truck without it turning itself off because the push button key has a proximity sensor and will turn the truck off. For my intended purposes, push button start is useless.

 

...i get it... Because Tibetan Monks, don't know much about driving?

 

so ive always had a question about the proximity sensor. say i am at the gas station, i can leave it running, leave the proxy key in the car. can the smart handle accidentally lock you out if you hit the lock button on the handle while the car is running with the key inside?

also when you are inside and the car is running, someone can't unlock the car handle because the proxy key is near by can they?

just makes me wonder because if the door handle allows you to unlock it just by sensing the key is nearby, it must for safety reasons not allow someone from outside to unlock it if i am inside with it locked... had few times where crazy drunk people approached my car and i would be pissed if someone could just open the door/unlock it because the proxy key is near by.

 

Nah, my 06 Colorado at 70K puked the head..the secret warranty you can find online in 2 minutes, yet 2 dealers have no idea what it is.

The free repair that cost me almost 2 grand and the dealer says GM owes me, GM says the dealer does.

The repair of a new head and timing chain which is considered normal to them for a daily driver not taken off road, hauled, or towed with.

 

Don't think the handles will lock or unlock via touch with the truck running. And no need to leave the key in the truck since the truck will stay running even if you walk away with the smart key. Just don't drive away without the fob or you'll be up the creek if you turn the truck off.

 

but that makes me wonder if someone could unlock it if the truck is off and i am inside with the fob. this won't happen to me anymore since i dont deliver anymore but back when i was a pizza delivery driver i had a few drunk people approach my car a few times and scare the crap out of me when i was calculating tips in my car with the car off. a woman driver also had some guy late at night yell at her then run towards her, she quickly hopped into her car and locked the door and the guy tried to open the door, then she drove off. another driver also had some guy in our back parking lot get into a fight and assaulted him. it was all because he called for delivery and we couldnt deliver to him (it was like 5 miles outta our delivery area, and we are busy enough dealing with our own area) so he drove to the store drunk and assaulted a driver as he was about to leave on a delivery.

 

Just tried it and it's smart enough to know if you're inside and blocks out the touch strip. Locked the door and threw the fob in the truck and the door handle wouldn't unlock it.

 

With the key left in the running truck, you will not be able to lock it by touching the handle. It will beep at you.

And again, if the key is inside of the truck, it will not let itself lock the doors from the touch sensor on the outside handle.

And for your third question, key inside, outside handle function will be disabled.
Even if you were to turn the truck off, leave the key inside, lock the doors from the inside, and close the door, it will unlock itself and beep at you

 

Comes down to your settings. Mine is set-up to lock doors when I shift to drive and un-lock when I shift to park. So ya, person can walk up and open my door without a fob.

 

My car has push button start and I can get out and lock the doors and walk away, and it will stay on. It does shut off after a couple hours supposedly.
I've read stories of small children tossing the key fob out the window as they're driving. Would the Taco shut off in that case?

 

This. I think I said it wrong, earlier. You can leave it running and walk away with the fob, but it won't let me lock the truck, which kinda defeats the purpose of wanting to leave it running in a public place..

Edit: does anybody know of a way to be able to lock the truck while it's running, and take the key with you?

 

That's mine. It took the tech less than 5 minutes to say it wasn't normal and luckily a field engineer (I don't know what their formal Toyota titles are) was on site for another issue that day. The field engineer authorized a differential replacement (the carrier assembly, or third member only). It is being replaced today.

 

Honda usually makes a damn good vehicle. i love that little bed trunk.