Total Complaints
11 filings
HONDA PRELUDE · model year
1985 HONDA PRELUDE
11 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985HONDAPRELUDE carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1985 PRELUDE is fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly:filler pipe and cap with 2 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:delivery (1) and seats:front assembly:recliner (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1985 PRELUDE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
11
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19991007ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
NO SUMMARY.
19991007EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
NO SUMMARY.
19991007SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
NO SUMMARY.
19991007FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
NO SUMMARY.
19991007ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
NO SUMMARY.
19990223FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
GAS FUMES IS LEAKING OUT FROM THE FILLER PIPE, COMING INTO THE TRUCK AREA OF THE VEHICLE AND THEN INTO THE VEHICLE. THE FILLER PIPE WAS UNDER RECALL IN 1993, RECALL # 92V028001; FUEL: FUEL SYSTEMS, THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. REPORT GIVEN BY FATHER, RON CUDDIE. *AK
19990124SEAT BELTS:FRONT
THE FRONT SEAT BELTS DON'T WORK MOST OF THE TIMES. *AK
19980727VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER SWITCH FAILS TO WORK, IT DOES NOT STAY WHEN DEPRESSED.
19970821FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP
FUEL TANK FILLER NECK/PIPE CORRODED. *AK
19960404SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK RECLINING MECHANISM HAS BROKEN TWO TIMES. *AK
19950220FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
FUEL PIPE LEAK. *AK
Compare 1985HONDAPRELUDE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 HONDA PRELUDE have?▼
The 1985 HONDA PRELUDE has 11 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 HONDA PRELUDE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 HONDA PRELUDE is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY and SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER.
Is the 1985 HONDA PRELUDE safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.