Total Complaints
4 filings
HONDA PRELUDE · model year
1996 HONDA PRELUDE
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996HONDAPRELUDE carries 4 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 1996 PRELUDE is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 2 filings, followed by suspension:front:control arm (1) and electrical system:wiring: rear compartment/trunk (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 1996 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.
4
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050901FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK
ELECTRICAL FIRE IN VEHICLE TRUNK. *NM
Mileage: 88,888
20010924SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM
WHILE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 20 MPH BALL JOINTS WENT OUT, AND CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. THERE IS A RECALL ON VEHICLE FOR SAME PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK THERE WAS A FAILURE OF FRONT LEFT LOWER BALL JOINT, WHICH RESULTED IN A SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT, WHILE TRAVELING ON FLAT PAVED STREET.*JB
20010307ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE MAIN BEARINGS IN MY MOTOR SPUN AND ARE SCORED, THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE TO THE CRANKSHAFT AND BEARING JOURNALS. DUE TO THIS LOSS OF PRESSURE THE ENGINE BLOCK,CRANKSHAFT,JOURNALS, AND MAIN BEARINGS ARE RUINED. THE TOP HALF OF MY MOTOR IS FINE INCLUDING THE DUAL OVERHEAD CAM,PISTONS,VALVES,LIFTERS,CONNECTING RODS,ETC. I HEARD OF A RECALL OF MID 1990 HONDA ENGINES RECENTLY FOR SOME SORT OF THROWOUT BEARING OR ROD BEARING FAILURE THAT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO LOSE OIL PRESSURE CAUSING SEVERE WEAR LIKE WHAT I AM EXPERIENCING. THE COSTS OF REPAIR OF MY VEHICLE ARE GREAT AND IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND A REPLACEMENT MOTOR. I'M HOPING TO GET HELP FROM HONDA FOR REPAIRS AND AM LOOKING TO YOU TO FIND OUT IF I'M ELLIGABLE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SEAN.
19980317ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 75MPH THE VEHICLE CUT COMPLETELY OFF. HAS BEEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 6 TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM. *AK
Compare 1996HONDAPRELUDE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 HONDA PRELUDE have?▼
The 1996 HONDA PRELUDE has 4 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 HONDA PRELUDE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 HONDA PRELUDE is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK.
Is the 1996 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.