1998 Honda Prelude: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 86 complaints
86
Total Complaints
106,660mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Top Issue
7
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

79,250 25th Percentile
106,660 Median Mileage
150,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
23
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
8
SUSPENSION:REAR
4
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
3
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
3
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
2
WHEELS
2

Severity Assessment

7
Crashes
0
Fires
11
Injuries
1
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"POWER STEERING SUPPLY HOSE LEAKED/FAILED."
"DRIVER TRAVELING ON A TWO LANE ROAD, TWO VEHICLES WHERE IN FRONT, THERE WAS AN ABRUPT STOP, AND THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK, NOR DID THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY, THE FAILURE FORCED THE DRIVER INTO THE WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED IT. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES."
"DRIVER TRAVELING ON A TWO LANE ROAD, TWO VEHICLES WHERE IN FRONT, THERE WAS AN ABRUPT STOP, AND THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT AND THE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK, NOR DID THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY, THE FAILURE FORCED THE DRIVER INTO THE WINDSHIELD AND CRACKED IT. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28