1994 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 1994 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
- Airbags327.3%
- Engine218.2%
- Heating & air conditioning218.2%
- Powertrain (other)19.1%
- Electrical19.1%
- Body & structure19.1%
- Fuel system19.1%
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
LETTER FROM SENATOR CORNYN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE TAKATA AIR BAG NOT DEPLOYING IN AN ACCIDENT. *SMD THE CONSUMER WAS HIT BY ANOTHER DRIVER AND WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *JB
AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHEN VEHICLE HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD.
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
TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED AS RECOMMENDED AT 90,000. THE REPLACEMENT BELT BROKE AFTER ONLY 30,000 AND CONSEQUENTLY CAUSED DAMAGE TO VALVES AND PISTONS.
THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE AIR CONDITIONER. THIS CAUSED THE AIR CONDITIONER TO NOT RELEASE AIR. ALSO, WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH THE ENGINE STALLED OUT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
CONSUMER STATED A WEEK PRIOR TO FAILURE, THE AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN LEAKING ONTO THE FLOORBOARDS OF THE PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE, THEN THE FAN BLOWER AND AIR CONDITIONING UNIT CUT OFF ALL AT ONCE.*JB
THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE AIR CONDITIONER. THIS CAUSED THE AIR CONDITIONER TO NOT RELEASE AIR. ALSO, WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 40MPH THE ENGINE STALLED OUT. *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
SPEEDOMETER IS ERRATIC, WHEN DRIVING SPEEDOMETER WILL READ 10 TO 20 MPH TOO FAST. ALSO, IT JUMPS FROM ONE SPEED TO ANOTHER WHEN DRIVING NORMAL SPEEDS. CONTACTED DEALER WHO STATED ALL THEY CAN DO IS REPLACE THE SPEEDOMETER.*AK *YH
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
CAR WAS DRIVING NORMAL THEN JUST SHUT OFF. CRANKS WON'T START I WAS DRIVING NORMAL THEN IT JUST SHUT OFF. AND NOW IT CRANKS OVER WON'T START. *TR
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
CONSUMER STATED A WEEK PRIOR TO FAILURE, THE AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN LEAKING ONTO THE FLOORBOARDS OF THE PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE, THEN THE FAN BLOWER AND AIR CONDITIONING UNIT CUT OFF ALL AT ONCE.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
ATTEMPTED TO REFUEL VEHICLE WHEN SUDDENLY AFTER AN EMPLOYEE TRIED TO REPAIR DISPENSER GASOLINE EXPLODED FROM THE NOZZLE FORCEFULLY INTO MY FACE ESPECIALLY MY LEFT EYE, NOSE AND MOUTH. THE EMPLOYEE COULD NOT STOP THE GASOLINE FROM COMING OUT SO HE THREW THE ENTIRE DISPENSER IN MY CAR FLOOR BOARD. MY THREE YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS BUCKLED IN HER CAR SEAT IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS REFUELING ACCIDENT OCCURRED JUNE 2, 1995. IT HAS NEVER BEEN FULLY INVESTIGATED BY COMPETENT EXPERTS TO DETERMINE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT FUTURE REFUELING INJURY, FIRE, AND EXPLOSION. OUR FAMILY HAS PERMANENT INJURY AS A RESULT OF THIS TRAUMATIC REFUELING ACCIDENT WHICH HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED. HOWEVER, NO ONE HAS STEPPED UP TO APOLOGIZE AND HELP OUR FAMILY GET THE MEDICAL TREATMENT NEEDED. *TR
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 .