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HONDA · vehicle model

HONDA PRELUDE

463 NHTSA complaints and 3 safety recalls across model years 1981–2001.

Complaints
463
Recalls
3
Model years
20

The HONDAPRELUDE appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 463 consumer safety complaints and 3 recall campaigns across 20 model years (1981–2001). That averages roughly 23 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 1 investigation file tied to this model. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
200125
200014
199940
199886
199788
19964
19959
199412
199314
199226
199118
19904
198934
198840
198717
198612
198511
19845
19831
19813

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

33
’95
27
’96
19
’97
23
’98
46
’99
57
’00
34
’01
47
’02
44
’03
18
’04
23
’05
13
’06
6
’07
13
’08
12
’09
12
’10
7
’11
1
’12
4
’13
2
’14
1
’15
1
’16
7
’17
2
’18
7
’19
2
’22
2
’23

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare HONDAPRELUDE to Similar Vehicles

HONDAPRELUDE vs CHEVROLETCAPTIVA → HONDAPRELUDE vs MERCEDES-BENZC350 → HONDAPRELUDE vs NISSAND21 → HONDAPRELUDE vs FORDC-MAX →

NHTSA Investigations

PE05002Preliminary EvaluationClosed2005-01-13

IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the HONDA PRELUDE?▼
The HONDA PRELUDE has received 463 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1981 to 2001, with 3 recalls. That averages about 23 complaints per model year.
What years of HONDA PRELUDE are available?▼
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the HONDA PRELUDE from 1981 to 2001 (20 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the HONDA PRELUDE have safety ratings?▼
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many HONDA PRELUDE model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common HONDA PRELUDE complaints?▼
NHTSA complaints for the HONDA PRELUDE are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my HONDA PRELUDE has been recalled?▼
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. HONDA PRELUDE totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.