1993 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 1993 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
- Airbags323.1%
- Engine215.4%
- Electrical215.4%
- Tires & wheels215.4%
- Body & structure17.7%
- Powertrain (other)17.7%
- Brakes17.7%
- Transmission17.7%
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
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY SON PULLED INTO A DRIVEWAY AND AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT A COLLISION. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT INJURED HIS LEFT HAND. AFTER CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER, HE HAD IT INSPECTED BY A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO ACCUSED HIM OF HAVING AN ACCIDENT. APPOXIMATELY JUNE OF 1999, WHILE CHANGING A TIRE THE CAR SLIPPED OFF THE JACK CAUSING SLIGHT DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE FENDER AND UNDERCARRIAGE. WHY WOULD THE AIRBAG DEPLOY A YEAR LATER?
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HIT A POT HOLE BLOW THE TIRE AND AIR BAG DEPLOYED. TT
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
BOUGHT VEHICLE TO BE SERVICED, AND WAS TOLD THAT OIL DRAIN PLUG ON THE ENGINE OIL PAN WILL BE STRIPPED. DESIGN DEFECT, OIL PANS ARE MADE OUT OF A SOFT METAL WHICH CAUSES THE THREADS TO STRIP OUT PREMATURELY. *AK
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR ME TO DO, I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE MOUNTS NEED TO BE REPLACED.
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
THEY NEED TO BE RECALLS ALL DISTRIBUTOR FOR HONDA. *AK
THE IGNITION FAILED I WAS DRIVING 65MPH AND THE CAR DIED WITHOUT WARNING.
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 WAS TRAVELING EAST-BOUND ALONG I-70 ABOUT 4 P.M. CST WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE TIRE WAS FOUND TO STILL BE INFLATED WHEN I WENT TO CHANGE THE TIRE. UPON TAKING THE CAR TO GET THE TIRES REPLACED, THE DELAMINATED TIRE WAS LOOKED AT AND THE TIRE WAS FOUND TO HAVE HELD A PRESSURE OF 28 PSI. I DID NOT KNOW THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TIRE UNTIL THE ROAD SUDDENLY BECAME BUMPY AND THE TIRE DELAMINATED. I BELIEVED THAT THE TIRE HAD EXPLODED, BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. THE TREAD WAS COMPLETELY GONE AND THE BELT UNDERNEATH WAS COMPLETELY SMOOTH. WHEN THE TIRE DELAMINATION, THE CAR FISH-TAILED WILDLY, AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT REAR OF THE CAR WAS EXTENSIVE - $2200. THERE WERE TIRE MARKS ALL OVER THE RIGHT REAR OF THE CAR. THERE WERE EVEN TIRE MARKS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW. IF I HAD NOT REGAINED CONTROL OF THE CAR, I COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED. DT
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING HIT A POT HOLE BLOW THE TIRE AND AIR BAG DEPLOYED. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO THE CLEAR COAT ON MY 1993 HONDA PRELUDE STARTED PEELING OFF THE TRUNK AND ROOF OF MY CAR. THE HOOD DID NOT PEEL BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED AND REPLACED ABOUT 1 YEAR PRIOR. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING THE BALANCE SHAFT BLEW CAUSING OIL TO LEAK. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR
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
ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *AW
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE METAL SPRING HOLDER ON THE OEM CLUTCH SNAPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING, WHICH MADE SHIFTING NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE AND CAUSED UNNECESSARY AND EXTREMELY DAMAGING WEAR ON THE TRANSMISSION. *TT
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 .