NHTSA recalls & complaints · 1995–2001

Honda Prelude recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns and 210 owner complaints for the Honda Prelude, covering model years 1995 to 2001. The 1998 model year drew the most complaints (69), and Power Train is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Honda Prelude VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

3 recall campaigns on file
210 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
7 model years with data (1995–2001)

most complaints: 1998 (69 for that model year)
top component: Power Train (97 complaints)
latest recall 05V025000 (reported Jan 28, 2005)

17 complaints reporting a crash (8.1%)
1 complaint reporting a fire (0.5%)
13 complaints reporting an injury (6.2%)
1 complaint reporting a death (0.5%)

Honda Prelude complaints by model year

7 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 1998 model year has the most complaints: 69 of 210, or 32.9%. Next come 1997 (66) and 1999 (31). The fewest are for 1996, with 4 complaints.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Honda Prelude complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Honda Prelude complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury	Reporting a death
1995	6	3	0	2	0
1996	4	0	1	0	0
1997	66	3	0	1	0
1998	69	5	0	7	1
1999	31	2	0	1	0
2000	13	1	0	1	0
2001	21	3	0	1	0
All model years	210	17	1	13	1

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Honda Prelude components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Power Train is the component named most often, in 97 complaints (46.2% of all 210), followed by Electrical System (34) and Engine and Engine Cooling (22).

Components named most often in Honda Prelude complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Honda Prelude complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Power Train	97	46.2%
Electrical System	34	16.2%
Engine and Engine Cooling	22	10.5%
Suspension	19	9.0%
Air Bags	11	5.2%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	11	5.2%
Tires	11	5.2%
Steering	8	3.8%
Equipment	7	3.3%
Visibility	7	3.3%
Latches/Locks/Linkages	5	2.4%
Vehicle Speed Control	5	2.4%
Unknown or Other	4	1.9%
Exterior Lighting	3	1.4%
Structure	3	1.4%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Honda Prelude recalls

3 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Prelude, newest first. The 3 campaigns cover model years 1996 to 2001. The 1997 and 1998 model years appear in the most campaigns (3 each).

3 recall campaigns

Honda Prelude recall campaigns covering each model year
1996: 1 campaign	1997: 3 campaigns	1998: 3 campaigns	1999: 2 campaigns	2000: 1 campaign	2001: 1 campaign

Highlighted: the model years with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 05V025000
Reported Jan 28, 2005
Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Model years 1997–2001
On certain passenger vehicles, the interlock operation of the ignition switch may not function properly, making it possible to turn the ignition key to the "off" position and remove the key without shifting the transmission to park.
Consequence:
If the driver does not shift to park before removing the key and fails to engage the parking brake, the vehicle could roll and a crash could occur.
Remedy:
Dealers will perform an inspection procedure that confirms interlock function. Vehicles will be updated with a redesigned interlock lever free of charge. The recall began on March 7, 2005. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009 or Acura at 1-800-382-2238.
Filed by Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
NHTSA campaign 02V120000
Reported May 16, 2002
Electrical System › Ignition › Switch
Model years 1997–1999
On certain sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and sport utility vehicles, electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is started.
Consequence:
Worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the ignition switch. Owner notification began June 14, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009 or Acura at 1-800-382-2238.
Filed by Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
NHTSA campaign 99V069000
Reported May 10, 1999
Suspension › Front › Control Arm › Lower Ball Joint
Model years 1996–1998
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain vehicles were manufactured with ball joints that can prematurely wear out and, in the worse case, the ball joint would separate causing the front suspension to collapse.
Consequence:
This condition would result in vehicle deceleration and a sudden loss of power. Also steering controllability would be reduced.
Remedy:
Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints.
Filed by Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Honda Prelude questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Honda Prelude have?

NHTSA lists 3 vehicle recall campaigns for the Honda Prelude, covering model years 1995 to 2001. The most recent, 05V025000, was reported on January 28, 2005 and is filed under “Electrical system”. The 1997 and 1998 model years are covered by the most campaigns (3 each).

Which Honda Prelude model year has the most complaints?

The 1998 model year, with 69 of the 210 complaints in NHTSA’s file (32.9%). The next are 1997 (66) and 1999 (31). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Honda Prelude complaint?

Power Train is the component named most often: 97 complaints, or 46.2% of all 210. Electrical System (34) and Engine and Engine Cooling (22) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Honda Prelude?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Honda dealer.

How many Honda Prelude complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 210 complaints, 17 report a crash, 1 a fire, 13 at least one injury and 1 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Honda models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Honda VIN decoder with every Honda model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Honda Accord 1995–2026 · 69 recalls · 22,939 complaints
Honda CR-V 1997–2026 · 63 recalls · 15,939 complaints
Honda Civic 1995–2026 · 62 recalls · 15,375 complaints
Honda Odyssey 1995–2026 · 82 recalls · 12,672 complaints
Honda Pilot 2003–2026 · 62 recalls · 9,283 complaints
Honda Fit 2007–2020 · 34 recalls · 2,194 complaints
Honda Ridgeline 2006–2026 · 39 recalls · 2,171 complaints
Honda HR-V 2016–2027 · 13 recalls · 1,840 complaints

All Honda models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.