no report yet
Ignition: switch
Risk. 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.
1998 Honda PreludeProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 69 owner complaints about the 1998 Honda Prelude, most often about the power train. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 22, 2023. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1998 Honda Prelude has problems
69 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
31Power train2 crash/fire/injury
12Electrical system
9Suspension1 crash/fire/injury
4Visibility
4Engine and engine cooling
4Air bags
3Vehicle speed control
3Steering
2Wheels
108 other systems2 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 31 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 12 | 0 |
| Suspension | 9 | 1 |
| Visibility | 4 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 4 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 4 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 1 |
| 8 other systems | 10 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
3 recalls
1998 Honda Prelude recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Ignition: switch
Risk. WORN CONTACTS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Control arm: lower ball joint
Risk. THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Honda.
Best & worst years
1998 vs. every other Prelude year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Prelude median. How we score
'79'80'81'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1998 Honda Prelude, and the recalls they led to.
- IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCKLed to recall 05V-025
In owners' words
What Prelude owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
This is the first time I had to replace the transmission at 65867 miles on it, Well I was driving down to the street one day and then it's started to Slip In. and out of a gear And the next day I tried to pull out Of. my driveway The transmission is bad and Honda knows this, the second time it is…
HONDA RECALL HONDA PARTS DEFECTIVE OR POOR WORKMANSHIP. HONDA DEALERSHIP IN JASPER, ALABAMA IS NOT HONORING REPLACEMENT OF KNOWN DEFECTIVE PARTS ON MY 1998 HONDA PRELUDE. THE FOLLOWING INCLUDES KNOWN DEFECTIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, KNOWN DEFECTIVE IGNITION MODULE/SWITCH/IGNITION INTERLOCK…
ON MY THIRD TRANSMISSION FOR THIS CAR, I HAVE BECOME SCARED TO DRIVE IT. WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS MY TRANSMISSION WILL RANDOMLY CHOOSE WHEN TO ENGAGE IN THE CORRECT GEAR. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CLOSE ACCIDENTS IN THIS CAR AND I AM NO LONGER ABLE TO MAKE LEFT TURNS. THIS HAPPENS ON THE FREEWAY AT TIMES…
Own a 1998 Prelude?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.