IllustrationWAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30MPH WHEN ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THEN, VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. SERVICE MECHANIC INDICATED THAT DISTRIBUTOR HAD FAILED & BEARINGS WERE MELTED. THIS IS WHAT CAUSED VEHICLE TO STOP. *AK
1992 Honda Prelude
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Prelude years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 4 of 22 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Air Bags. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
22 reportsTHE DISTRIBUTOR BEARING LOCKED UP CAUSING THE ROTOR TO MELT. *MJS
DEALERS STATED THAT IT IS A PROBLEM PECULIAR TO HONDA PRELUDES/ACCORDS. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
WHEN SHIFTING CAR INTO PARK GEAR SHIFT WILL GET STUCK. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS UNSAFE BECAUSE CAR HAS TO STAY IN NEUTRAL BECAUSE IT WON'T GO INTO PARK. CONSUMER HAS KIDS THAT PLAY, AND ONE TIME THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL ON ITS OWN. *AK *ML
THIS CAR HAS BEEN PAMPERED YET CONTINUES TO BREAK AND BE QUITE COSTLY TO MAINTAIN. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THEY WERE DEPENDABLE AND CHEAP TO MAINTAIN. THIS IS THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED AND WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ANY HONDA PRODUCT TO ANYONE. IT HAS PUT ME IN MAJOR DEBT. I AM VERY DISAPOINTED WITH THE DEALERSHIP/MA…
Read full complaint
THIS CAR HAS BEEN PAMPERED YET CONTINUES TO BREAK AND BE QUITE COSTLY TO MAINTAIN. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THEY WERE DEPENDABLE AND CHEAP TO MAINTAIN. THIS IS THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED AND WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ANY HONDA PRODUCT TO ANYONE. IT HAS PUT ME IN MAJOR DEBT. I AM VERY DISAPOINTED WITH THE DEALERSHIP/MANUFACTURER.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 30-35 MPH, HIT A POTHOLE IN THE STREET, AND BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
DISTRIBUTOR FAILED LEAVING CONSUMER STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY.
WHILE AT A STOP, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FRONTAL COLLISION AT THE DRIVER'S SIDE BUMPER IN WHICH THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS GOING ABOUT 50MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
DRIVER WAS HIT FROM THE REAR, AND THEN HIT IN TURN, SHE HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER. AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
FAILURE ON THE ACCELERATOR, CONSUMER APPLIED FORCE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SURGED, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT.*AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
2EA95024 · Oversensitive Air Bag Deployments
Opened Aug 31, 1995 · Closed Aug 30, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags
AIR BAG CAN DEPLOY WITHOUT VEHICLE CRASH
PE93060 · 4WHL Steering Sensor Fails
Opened Jun 22, 1993 · Closed Oct 29, 1993
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available