1987 Honda Prelude Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1987 Honda Prelude, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Fuel system529.4%
- Seat belts317.6%
- Tires & wheels211.8%
- Exterior lighting211.8%
- Electrical15.9%
- Brakes15.9%
- Driver assistance15.9%
- Steering15.9%
- Engine15.9%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN GOOD FAITH. WHILE DRIVING SHE NOTICED A FUEL SMELL. CONSUMER DIDN'T KNOW FROM WHERE SMELL WAS COMING AT THAT TIME. BRAKES WERE 75% FRONT AND REAR. TIRES WERE 50% THREAD AND MIXMATCHED. *AK THE VEHICLE HAS A DAMAGE FROM PREVIOUS MAJOR ACCIDENT AND FUEL TAND WAS REPLACED INCORRECTLY. *YH
SMELLS LIKE GAS FUMES. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
REAR RESTAINT BELT IS PERMANENTLY RETRACTED AND LOCKED, I AM A MOTHER OF TWIN TODDLERS AND REQUIRE THE USE USE OF BOTH REAR SEATBELTS IN ORDER TO SECURE THEIR SAFTEY SEATS PROPERLY. MEANWHILE I'VE TRIED TO SECURE IT WITH THE MIDDLE LAP BELT BUT IT HAS FAILED AT PROVIDING ANY KIND OF RESRAINT WHEN I TAKE A SHARP TURN IT TIPS OVER AND MY DAUGTERS HAVE BEEN INJURED A FEW TIMES OVER THIS DEFECT. I AM AFRAID IF I AM TO GET IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT THIS MIGHT FAIL TO SAVE THEIR LIVES. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, THE WHEATHER CONDITIONS ARE DANGEROUS FOR DRIVING AT THIS TIME AND I AM VERY WORRIED. *AK
SEAT BELTS DO NOT FIT PROPERLY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED CAR IN JANUARY OF 2010. IT HAD INSTALLED ON IT, A SET OF FOUR DOUGLAS 185/70R/13 TIRES WITH THE MANUFACTURE DATE OF 0408 ON THE SIDEWALLS, AND THE PREVIOUS OWNER STATED THEY WERE ONLY ABOUT 2 MONTHS OLD (BOUGHT AT WAL MART). THEY ARE MODELED XTRA TRAC AW. WELL ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, I HAD ONE COMPLETELY BLOW OUT DUE TO SIDEWALL FAILURE. THIS BLOW OUT DAMAGED PRETTY MUCH THE ENTIRE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF MY CAR. I HAD TO REPLACE MY WHEEL BEARING, CV JOINT, AND A BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS I'M NOT SURE ABOUT ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE AREA. NOW THE OTHER THREE TIRES ARE BULGING ON THE SIDEWALLS, AND THE TIRES ONLY HAVE ABOUT 10,000 MILES ON THEM. WAL MART WILL NOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME, SINCE I DO NOT HAVE A RECEIPT. HOWEVER IF YOU GOOGLE THESE TIRES, THERE ARE PAGES UPON PAGES OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT SIDEWALL FAILURE ON THESE TIRES. SOMETIMES EVEN JUST WITHIN A MONTH OF USE. I WAS ONLY CURIOUS IF THERE HAPPENS TO BE A RECALL ON THE PRESENT SET OF DOUGLAS TIRES, OR IF IT IS ONLY THE RECALL IN 1994. IF THERE IS NOT, I THINK THERE SHOULD BE ONE. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO REPLACE A SET OF FOUR TIRES AFTER ONLY 10,000 MILES. *TR
CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN GOOD FAITH. WHILE DRIVING SHE NOTICED A FUEL SMELL. CONSUMER DIDN'T KNOW FROM WHERE SMELL WAS COMING AT THAT TIME. BRAKES WERE 75% FRONT AND REAR. TIRES WERE 50% THREAD AND MIXMATCHED. *AK THE VEHICLE HAS A DAMAGE FROM PREVIOUS MAJOR ACCIDENT AND FUEL TAND WAS REPLACED INCORRECTLY. *YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
PURCHASE CAR NEW THE HAZARD LIGHTS AREN'T WORKING RIGHT . TT
THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH DESIGN IS AT UNSAFE POSITION WHEN MAKING A TURN USE THE SIGNAL LIGHT YOU MAKE A MISTAKE AND TURN LIGHT OFF WHEN USING THE SIGNAL LIGHT .
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
IGNITION SWITCH - THE VEHICLE WILL START BUT WHEN THE KEY IS RELEASED FROM START THE ENGINE DIES. THIS PROBLEM MAY BE REPEATED OR WILL AGAIN START WORKING CORRECTLY. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN GOOD FAITH. WHILE DRIVING SHE NOTICED A FUEL SMELL. CONSUMER DIDN'T KNOW FROM WHERE SMELL WAS COMING AT THAT TIME. BRAKES WERE 75% FRONT AND REAR. TIRES WERE 50% THREAD AND MIXMATCHED. *AK THE VEHICLE HAS A DAMAGE FROM PREVIOUS MAJOR ACCIDENT AND FUEL TAND WAS REPLACED INCORRECTLY. *YH
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
FROM DAY ONE- IDLE FLUCTUATION WITH TONS OF DOCUMENTATION AND DENIAL TO PROBLEM BY DEALER & REPRESENTATIVE-FIRST DAY CAR WAS PURCHASED THERE WAS A CODE 12. ALL 4 FUEL INJECTORS REPLACED & EGR TUBES CLEANED. LIVED WITH UNRESOLVED PROBLEM ALL THESE YEARS, BUT NOW I HAVE SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND AM FRIGTHENED TO DEATH TO DRIVE THE CAR. I ALMOST KILLED SOMEONE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
TIE ROD ON FRONT STEERING MECHANISM STRIPPED OFF, LEAVING DRIVER WITHOUT STEERING CAPABILITIES.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE VEHICLE'S OIL PAN PLUG STRIPPED WHENEVER THE OIL WAS CHANGED. *TT *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .