U.S. public vehicle records

1998 Honda PRELUDE: complaints, problems and recalls

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: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 32 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

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.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
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.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Electrical System

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Torque Converter

Suspension:Rear

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Power Train

Power Train:Manual Transmission

Component breakdown data
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.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

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.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2013

2017

2018

2019

2023

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.

Examples from the source records

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 10007975 · 2003-02-22 (February 22, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR IN REGULAR DRIVE IT SUDDENLY DIDN'T PULL NO MORE AND THE ENGINE JUST REVVED. I LET MY FOOT OFF THE GAS AND THEN IT WENT BACK INTO GEAR. THE CAR CONTINUED TO DO THIS AND THEN IT STARTED TO UPSHIFT THEN SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFT TO THE LOWER GEAR CAUSING A VERY SUDDEN JERK AND CHANGE IN SPEED. I TOOK MY CAR TO HONDA OF CLEVELAND IN CLEVELAND, TN. I TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY SUGGESTED TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST RUN. I AGREED AND THE RESULTS WERE CODES P700 AND P730 INTERNAL FAILURE AND INCORRECT GEAR NEEDS TRANSMISSION OVE…

Owner-reported narrative. 81,693 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007975 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10009148 · 2003-02-24 (February 24, 2003)

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION FAILURE.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009148 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10014371 · 2003-04-14 (April 14, 2003)

LOUD SQUEAK COMING FROM BACK OF CAR POSSIBLY UNDER TRUNK OR RIGHT WHEEL WELL INCREASES WITH COLD WEATHER. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10014371 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10014372 · 2003-04-14 (April 14, 2003)

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF SINCE 70,000 MILES. DESPITE PASSING E-CHECK I SEE THAT THIS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH OTHER HONDA MODELS. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10014372 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10030800 · 2003-08-05 (August 5, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING, MY CAR WILL OVER REV, AND JERK INTO GEAR. IF I LET OFF OF THE GAS IT WILL SLIP INTO GEAR LESS HARSHLY. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO HONDA OF COVINGTON IN COVINGTON, LA, AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING DUE TO THE INSTALLATION OF AFTERMARKET PARTS, SUCH AS A COLD-AIR INTAKE, HEADER, AND EXHAUST MUFFLER. MY LOCAL MECHANIC SAIS THIS IS LUDICROUS, AND THAT A SIMPLE ADDITON OF 10-15 HP WOULD NOT CAUSE A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I HAVE NOT MODIFIED OR ALTERED IN ANY WAY THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS OF THE CAR. EACH MODIFICATI…

Owner-reported narrative. 85,170 miles reported. Look up ODI 10030800 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10049094 · 2003-12-03 (December 3, 2003)

1998 HONDA PRELUDE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. I JUST RECENTLY BOUGHT A 98 HONDA PRELUDE. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. I KNOW THE PREVIOUS OWNER, AND SHE WAS A GOOD DRIVER THAT NEVER EVEN UTILIZED THE VTEC, MEANING THE RPM NEVER WENT ABOVE 5000. NOW I HAVE IT, AND IT HAS 63000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS MY SECOND CAR SO I TREAT IT WITH MUCH CARE. BUT NOW SUDDENLY, THE GEARS DON'T SHIFT RIGHT. ITS AN AUTOMATIC AND WHEN THE GEARS ARE SHIFTING OVER IT FEELS LIKE A MANUAL TRANSMISSION WITH A WORN OUT CLUTCH, THE ENGINE REVS UP A BIT AND MISSES THE NEXT GEAR AND SET…

Owner-reported narrative. 64,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10049094 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

02V120000 · Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Reported: 2002-05-16 (May 16, 2002)

ON CERTAIN SEDANS, COUPES, HATCHBACKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN DEGRADE DUE TO THE HIGH ELECTRICAL CURRENT PASSING THROUGH THE SWITCH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED.

Consequence: WORN CONTACTS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 14, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

05V025000 · Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Reported: 2005-01-28 (January 28, 2005)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE INTERLOCK OPERATION OF THE IGNITION SWITCH MAY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO TURN THE IGNITION KEY TO THE "OFF" POSITION AND REMOVE THE KEY WITHOUT SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO PARK.

Consequence: IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT SHIFT TO PARK BEFORE REMOVING THE KEY AND FAILS TO ENGAGE THE PARKING BRAKE, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL PERFORM AN INSPECTION PROCEDURE THAT CONFIRMS INTERLOCK FUNCTION. VEHICLES WILL BE UPDATED WITH A REDESIGNED INTERLOCK LEVER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 7, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

99V069000 · Suspension:Front:Control Arm:Lower Ball Joint

Reported: 1999-05-10 (May 10, 1999)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH BALL JOINTS THAT CAN PREMATURELY WEAR OUT AND, IN THE WORSE CASE, THE BALL JOINT WOULD SEPARATE CAUSING THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ALSO STEERING CONTROLLABILITY WOULD BE REDUCED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.

NHTSA campaign record ↗