Honda Prelude Reliability
463 NHTSA complaints (1981–2001). Complaint rate: 2530.1 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 1997–1999 Honda Prelude. The 1996 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Honda Prelude Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 70 | 4.3% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 20 | 0.0% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 18 | 0.0% |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 18 | 5.6% |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS | 17 | 0.0% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 17 | 5.9% |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 17 | 70.6% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 15 | 0.0% |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP | 14 | 0.0% |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 10 | 20.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981GOOD | — | 3 | 0 | — | View → |
| 1984GOOD | — | 5 | 0 | 1 | View → |
| 1985 | — | 11 | 0 | — | View → |
| 1986 | — | 12 | 0 | — | View → |
| 1987 | — | 17 | 2 | 1 | View → |
| 1988AVOID | — | 40 | 2 | 5 | View → |
| 1989AVOID | — | 34 | 0 | 1 | View → |
| 1990GOOD | — | 4 | 0 | — | View → |
| 1991 | — | 18 | 2 | 4 | View → |
| 1992AVOID | — | 26 | 7 | — | View → |
| 1993 | — | 14 | 2 | — | View → |
| 1994 | — | 12 | 3 | 1 | View → |
| 1995 | — | 9 | 3 | — | View → |
| 1996GOOD | — | 4 | 0 | 1 | View → |
| 1997AVOID | — | 88 | 18 | — | View → |
| 1998AVOID | — | 86 | 7 | — | View → |
| 1999AVOID | — | 40 | 2 | — | View → |
| 2000 | — | 14 | 1 | — | View → |
| 2001AVOID | — | 25 | 3 | — | View → |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
Tap any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
See also: Honda Preludeaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Honda Prelude?
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