1998 Honda PRELUDE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
59 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
93,790 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 32 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 23 of 59 complaints (39.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 26 | 44.1% |
| Engine operation | 7 | 11.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 4 | 6.8% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 5.1% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 5.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 23 |
| Electrical System | 8 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 3 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Torque Converter | 3 |
| Suspension:Rear | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Power Train | 2 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 2 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 23; Electrical System: 8; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 3; Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Torque Converter: 3; Suspension:Rear: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Power Train: 2; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 4 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 10 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 6 |
| 150,000 and above | 8 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 4; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 8
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (10). 27 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 3 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 7 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
2000: 3; 2001: 6; 2002: 9; 2003: 8; 2004: 5; 2005: 5; 2006: 2; 2007: 1; 2008: 3; 2009: 7; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2013: 1; 2017: 2; 2018: 1; 2019: 2; 2023: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 26 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 7 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 4 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10004849 · 2003-01-28 (January 28, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 65MPH TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO LOWER GEAR LOSS SPEED, CAUSING TO PULL OUT OF THE ROAD. DEALER PUT A NEW TRANSMISSION, FIVE MONTHS LATER CONSUMER HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *TS
Owner-reported narrative. 39,817 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004849 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007649 · 2003-02-17 (February 17, 2003)
IN JANUARY OF 2000 AFTER 3 TRIPS TO THE HONDA TELLING THEM THAT I HAD A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM (AND BEING TOLD THEIR WAS NOTHING WRONG), MY TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE SYMPTOM WAS THAT IT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY HARD SHIFT INTO 4TH GEAR FROM 3RD WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND LOOSE POWER. THE UNIT HAD THESE SYMPTOMS FOR APPROXIMATELY 24000 MILES, BUT WAS FIRST BROUGHT TO HONDA WITH 9000 MILES ON. HONDA REFUSED TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME THEIR WAS NOTHING WRONG. AT THE TIME, I INDICATED THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY WITH MERGING INTO AND …
Owner-reported narrative. 91,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007649 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10128889 · 2005-07-15 (July 15, 2005)
I HAVE BEEN HAVING MORE PROBLEMS WITH MY ENGINE STALLING SUDDENLY. THE PAST FEW TIMES, I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY IN BUSY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. THE HEATER, RADIO, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WOULD CONTINUE TO WORK BUT THE TACHOMETER WOULD JUST DROP TO ZERO. TWICE, I HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, TURN THE CAR BACK ON, AND PUT IT BACK IN DRIVE, ALL WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY.
Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10128889 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10223692 · 2008-04-08 (April 8, 2008)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HONDA PRELUDE. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE IN HER DRIVEWAY, REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. WHEN SHE RETURNED TO ENTER THE VEHICLE, IT BEGAN TO ROLL OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THE CONTACT WAS DRAGGED BY THE VEHICLE, BUT SHE WAS ABLE TO LET GO AND ROLL ON THE PAVEMENT. THE VEHICLE STRUCK THE MAILBOX AND CAME TO A STOP WHEN IT STRUCK A POLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON JANUARY 30, 2006 FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V025000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH). THE MANUFACTURER WA…
Owner-reported narrative. 115,320 miles reported. Look up ODI 10223692 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11056532 · 2017-12-26 (December 26, 2017)
HONDA RECALL HONDA PARTS DEFECTIVE OR POOR WORKMANSHIP. HONDA DEALERSHIP IN JASPER, ALABAMA IS NOT HONORING REPLACEMENT OF KNOWN DEFECTIVE PARTS ON MY 1998 HONDA PRELUDE. THE FOLLOWING INCLUDES KNOWN DEFECTIVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, KNOWN DEFECTIVE IGNITION MODULE/SWITCH/IGNITION INTERLOCK SYSTEMS. ALL THREE HAVE FAILED COMPLETELY AND OR ARE IN THE PROCESS OF FAILING. MY VEHICLE IS UNSAFE IT CUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD SOMETIMES NOT RESTARTING. THE KEY WILL SWITCH TO OFF POSITION AND COME OUT WHILE THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER IS NOT IN PAR…
Owner-reported narrative. 160,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11056532 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 767316 · 2002-09-17 (September 17, 2002)
FOUR-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFTED ON ITS OWN CAUSING THE CAR TO RAPIDLY BRAKE THEN ACCELERATE WITH NO DRIVER CONTROL. AT THE TIME, I WAS TOLD BY HONDA THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING, THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, THERE WERE NO REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSIONS AVAILABLE FOR SALE, AND I WOULD HAVE TO GO TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP TO HAVE IT REBUILT. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP SHOWED ME THE FRICTION SURFACE ON THE CLUTCHES DISINTEGRATED, CLOGGING THE PUMP AND FILTER WHICH CAUSED THE ERATIC SELF-SHIFTING. I WAS TOL…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 767316 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10283166 · 2009-09-08 (September 8, 2009)
VEHICLE: 1998 HONDA PRELUDE SH (98000 MILES) -VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC -MECHANIC FOUND THAT COMPONENTS: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINTS HAD ESTIMATED 1/4 INCH OF PLAY (MOVEMENT) WHEN THERE SHOULD BE NO MOVEMENT -NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V069000 IS A RECALL FOR THIS COMPONENT FOR 1998 HONDA PRELUDES -HONDA MOTOR CO. STATES THAT MY VEHICLE DOES NOT APPLY -THE WORSE CASE, THE BALL JOINT WOULD SEPARATE CAUSING THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE. CONSEQUENCE: THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE …
Owner-reported narrative. 98,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10283166 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11005225 · 2017-07-14 (July 14, 2017)
MY 1998 V-TEC HONDA PRELUDE RECENTLY HIT 157000 MILES AND SHORTLY AFTER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING LOSS OF POWER, STALLING, AND LOSS OF STEERING. WITHIN 5 WEEKS I HAVE EXPERIENCED IT STALL AND INSTANTLY RESTART WHILE GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, LOSE ALL POWER AND STEERING WHILE TURNING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, AND LOSE POWER AND STEERING WHILE GOING 55 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY. UPON DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THIS WEBSITE, ACROSS THE INTERNET AND SPEAKING WITH SOME MECHANICS I BELIEVE THESE ISSUES TO BE IN LINE WITH TWO MAJOR RECALLS THAT WERE DONE ON …
Owner-reported narrative. 157,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11005225 at NHTSA ↗