1989 Honda Prelude Owner Complaints

THE ENGINE TIMING BELT BROKE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED (@55MPH) ON THE US 20 BYPASS, A LOCAL 2-LANE EXPRESSWAY. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND POWER DUE TO THE BREAKING OF THE TIMING BELT. LUCKILY NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE NEAR ME AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED. VEHICLES ON THIS EXPRESSWAY ROUTINELY APPROACH 65 MPH. THIS BEING SO I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND FOUND TO HAVE 3 OF THE 4 ENGINE VALVES DESTROYED BEYOND REPAIR; A ROD OR PISTON IN THE LOWER ENGINE HAS ALSO BEEN AFFECTED, THUS EFFECTIVELY MAKING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE AND UNECONOMICAL TO REPAIR. THE VEHICLE OWNERS MANUAL FAILS TO INFORM OWNERS THAT THE TIMING BELT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED. THERE IS NO INDICATION AT ALL IN THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE ON PAGES 72-77 THAT THE TIMING BELT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED. THE WARRANTY BOOKLET FOR THE 1989 HONDA PRELUDE STATES ON PAGE 4, " YOU MUST MAINTAIN YOUR 1989 HONDA AUTOMOBILE ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL". THE OWNERS MANUAL ALSO FAILS TO INFORM/WARN VEHICLE OWNERS OF WHAT CONSEQUENCES A BROKEN TIMING BELT CAN HAVE ON THE ENGINE AND DOES NOT WARN/INFORM OWNERS OF THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES ATTEMPTING TO RESTART AN ENGINE WITH A BROKEN TIMING BELT CAN HAVE ON THE ENGINE. SCENARIOS CAN BE ENVISIONED IN WHICH ACCIDENTS COULD OCCUR DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE TIMING BELT. ATTEMPTING TO PASS A VEHICLE AND EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF ACCELERATION COULD RESULT IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH AN ON-COMING CAR ON A TWO LANE ROAD, OR WITH AN ADJACENT ONE IN BUSY, FAST MOVING TRAFFIC ON AN EXPRESSWAY. I CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA ON 06/20/02, MY CASE # IS 9N012002-06-2000-969. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A PRIVATE PARTY, NOT THE LISTED DEALER--THAT IS WHERE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT WHEN NEW.*AK

NHTSA ID

763570

Incident

Jun 18, 2002

SOON AFTER PARKING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS DUE TO FAULTY WIRES. CONSUMER CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA, AND THEY SENT CONSUMER TO A DEALER SHIP. BUT DEALERSHIP SAID THAT PROBLEM WAS TOO SERIOUS, AND THAT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR HER. CONSUMER CALLED BACK AMERICAN HONDA, AND THEY SAID THEY WILL CALL HER BACK. CONSUMER IS STILL WAITING FOR THE PHONE CALL. *AK

NHTSA ID

876246

Incident

Dec 1, 2000

FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES ENGAGE AND APPEAR TO HOLD; BUT BUCKLES RELEASE UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO BELTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

719292

POWER STEERING HOSE FAILED. THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE SAME HOSE ON 1988, WHICH ARE IDENTICAL TO THE 1989 MODEL. *ET

NHTSA ID

784435

Incident

Dec 1, 1999

SAME PROBLEM AS 1988 MODEL YEAR RECALL. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) FOUND IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

717442

Incident

Dec 21, 1999

POWER STEERING SUPPLY HOSE ON MY HONDA PRELUDE DEVELOPED A LEAK AT THE CONNECTOR CLAMP SEAL, AND DRIPPED FLUID ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD, CAUSING SMOKE. HONDA HAD RECALLED THE POWER STEERING SUPPLY HOSE WHICH THEY INSTALLED IN MY CAR, BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL BECAUSE IT WAS MANUFACTURED FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE "ENDING DATE OF MANUFACTURE". MY HONDA PRELUDE IS A 1989 MODEL, BUT IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN AUGUST OF 1988. PLEASE PETITION HONDA TO EXTEND THEIR RECALL SO THAT I, AND OTHER HONDA PRELUDE OWNERS, CAN BE PROTECTED FROM THIS POTENTIAL HAZARD. *AK

NHTSA ID

714928

Incident

Nov 2, 1999

THE CAR STOPS BY ITSELF WHEN BEING DRIVEN. IT SPUTTERS AND THEN ALL THE ELECTRICAL LIGHTS COME ON AND THE CAR STOPS AND WILL NOT START. I HAVE TOWED IT TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES, AND THEY CANNOT FIGURE THE PROBLEM OUT, AND THEY ARE ABLE TO START THE CAR. THE DEALER SAYS EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT BUT WE ARE STILL FACING THE SAME PROBLEM OF CAR STOPPING BY ITSELF AND NOT STARTING AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

714659

THIS HOSE FAILURE IS THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURE THAT WAS DESCRIBED IN THE 1988 RECALL, BUT THE DEALER WOULD NOT COVER IT.

NHTSA ID

712984

Incident

Oct 1, 1999

THIS IS A COMPRESSOR THAT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ON 2/11/91. I AM NOW ON THE 3RD COMPRESSOR.

NHTSA ID

712983

Incident

Mar 5, 1998

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING AT CONNECTOR CLAMP SEAL. NOTICED THE 1988 VEHICLES ARE UNDER RECALL CONCERNING SAME PROBLEM; NHTSA # 89V059 000. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER VEHICLE NOT UNDER RECALL. *AK

NHTSA ID

829509

Incident

Oct 22, 1998

FRONT BELT BUCKLE REPLACED ACCORDANCE WITH A RECALL CAMPAIGN 95V103001, THE REPLACED BUCKLE REFUSED TO LATCH AFTERWARD BEING REPLACED. ABOUT 75% OF THE TIME THE BUCKLE WOULD APPEAR TO BE SNAP, BUT AFTER YANKING ON THE BELT IT WOULD RELEASE FROM AT THE BUCKLE.

NHTSA ID

540678

POWER STEERING HIGH PRESSURE HOSE LEAKS.

NHTSA ID

529518

Incident

Dec 1, 1997

BRAKES SQUEAL. ALSO, POWER STEERING HOSE LEAK/ RADIATOR HOSE MELTS DUE TO CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MANIFOLD/ TRANSMISSION FAILURE/ WINDOWS FOG UP AND CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGES, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. VEHICLE SWERVES/UNEVEN BACK TIRE WEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

518145

Incident

Oct 1, 1996

THE RELEASE BUTTONS ON THE BELTS ARE CRAKED AND BROKEN. *AK

NHTSA ID

811942

TIMING BELT BROKE, BENDING THE VALVES, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *DH

NHTSA ID

503243

Incident

Nov 3, 1995

RADIATOR REPLACED. *SD

NHTSA ID

502766

Incident

Nov 28, 1995

POWER STEERING LINE IS BROKEN AND DRIPS FLUID ON MANIFOLD. TT

NHTSA ID

978776

THE POWER STEERING IS LEAKING CONSUMER IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WAS RECALL ON THE 1988 # 88V05900 . TT

NHTSA ID

973733

THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE. TT

NHTSA ID

970684

Incident

Apr 1, 1995

PASSENGER SIDE WITH SEAT BELT HAS DIFFICULT TIME TO UNLATCH BUCKLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

963769

Incident

Jun 1, 1989

SEAT BELT; THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE CAME LOOSE FROM THE LATCH. TT

NHTSA ID

960249

Incident

Jan 1, 1994