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1989 problems

FaultScore report

1989 Honda Prelude problems

Owners have filed 34 complaints about the 1989 Honda Prelude with NHTSA between 1995 and 2002. The largest single group is the steering.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Honda Prelude

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Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

Complaints

Crashes reported

Fires reported

Injuries reported

How 1989 compares with every other Honda Prelude

Click any bar to open that year's report.

3 1 5 11 12 17 40 34 4 18 26 14 12 9 4 88 86 40 14 25

81 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1989 Honda Prelude

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Steering 9 26.5%

Engine & Cooling 8 23.5%

Seat Belts 6 17.6%

Suspension 2 5.9%

Brakes 2 5.9%

Equipment & Accessories 1 2.9%

Tires 1 2.9%

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 1 2.9%

Acceleration & Cruise Control 1 2.9%

Body & Structure 1 2.9%

Electrical System 1 2.9%

0 crashes, 1 fires

Transmission & Drivetrain 1 2.9%

Exactly what failed

NHTSA files every complaint against a named sub-assembly, not just a system. This is the difference between knowing it was "the engine" and knowing which part of it — the list to hand a mechanic.

Hose, Piping, AND Connections 7 29.2%

Buckle Assembly 6 25.0%

Gasoline 2 8.3%

Engine 2 8.3%

Hydraulic Power Assist System 2 8.3%

Front 2 8.3%

Radiator Assembly 2 8.3%

Clutch Assembly 1 4.2%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Feb 1995 peak 8 Jul 2002

Recalls on the 1989 Honda Prelude

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

United States — NHTSA

95V103001 24 May 1995

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.

Risk: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 1995086 24 May 1995 423,467 units in Canada

Seats And Restraints

On certain vehicles, the platic front seatbelt release buttons may break allowing plastic pieces to fall into the buckle assembly. If this should happen, a no latch, false latch or failure to unlatch condition could occur creating the risk of personal injury in the event of a crash or sudden stop. Correction: Front seatbelt buckles will be repaired or replaced as necessary.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Filed 11 Dec 2000 Tampa, FL Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

SOON AFTER PARKING VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS DUE TO FAULTY WIRES. CONSUMER CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA, AND THEY SENT CONSUMER TO A DEALER SHIP. BUT DEALERSHIP SAID THAT PROBLEM WAS TOO SERIOUS, AND THAT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR HER. CONSUMER CALLED BACK AMERICAN HONDA, AND THEY SAID THEY WILL CALL HER BACK. CONSUMER IS STILL WAITING FOR THE PHONE CALL.

NHTSA complaint #876246 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Filed 2 Jul 2002 Mishawaka, IN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE ENGINE TIMING BELT BROKE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED (@55MPH) ON THE US 20 BYPASS, A LOCAL 2-LANE EXPRESSWAY. THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND POWER DUE TO THE BREAKING OF THE TIMING BELT. LUCKILY NO OTHER VEHICLES WERE NEAR ME AT THE TIME THIS OCCURRED. VEHICLES ON THIS EXPRESSWAY ROUTINELY APPROACH 65 MPH. THIS BEING SO I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND FOUND TO HAVE 3 OF THE 4 ENGINE VALVES DESTROYED BEYOND REPAIR; A ROD OR PISTON IN THE LOWER ENGINE HAS ALSO BEEN AFFECTED, THUS EFFECTIVELY MAKING THE CAR UNDRIVABLE AND UNECONOMICAL TO REPAIR. THE VEHICLE OWNERS MANUAL FAILS TO INFORM OWNERS THAT THE TIMING BELT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED. THERE IS NO INDICATION AT ALL IN THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE ON PAGES 72-77 THAT THE TIMING BELT NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED. THE WARRANTY BOOKLET FOR THE 1989 HONDA PRELUDE STATES ON PAGE 4, " YOU MUST MAINTAIN YOUR 1989 HONDA AUTOMOBILE ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL". THE OWNERS MANUAL ALSO FAILS TO INFORM/WARN VEHICLE OWNERS OF WHAT CONSEQUENCES A BROKEN TIMING BELT CAN HAVE ON THE ENGINE AND DOES NOT WARN/INFORM OWNERS OF THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES ATTEMPTING TO RESTART AN ENGINE WITH A BROKEN TIMING BELT CAN HAVE ON THE ENGINE. SCENARIOS CAN BE ENVISIONED IN WHICH ACCIDENTS COULD OCCUR DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE TIMING BELT. ATTEMPTING TO PASS A VEHICLE AND EXPERIENCING A LOSS OF ACCELERATION COULD RESULT IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH AN ON-COMING CAR ON A TWO LANE ROAD, OR WITH AN ADJACENT ONE IN BUSY, FAST MOVING TRAFFIC ON AN EXPRESSWAY. I CONTACTED AMERICAN HONDA ON 06/20/02, MY CASE # IS 9N012002-06-2000-969. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A PRIVATE PARTY, NOT THE LISTED DEALER--THAT IS WHERE THE CAR WAS BOUGHT WHEN NEW.

NHTSA complaint #763570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 11 Dec 2000 Tampa, FL Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

NHTSA complaint #876246 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 31 Jul 2000 Elkton, MD

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

POWER STEERING HOSE FAILED. THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE SAME HOSE ON 1988, WHICH ARE IDENTICAL TO THE 1989 MODEL.

NHTSA complaint #784435 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 26 Feb 2000 Clifton, VA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES ENGAGE AND APPEAR TO HOLD; BUT BUCKLES RELEASE UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO BELTS.

NHTSA complaint #719292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 17 Jan 2000 Elkton, MD

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

SAME PROBLEM AS 1988 MODEL YEAR RECALL. NO SAFETY DEFECT (S) FOUND IN SUMMARY.

NHTSA complaint #717442 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 17 Nov 1999 Austin, TX

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

POWER STEERING SUPPLY HOSE ON MY HONDA PRELUDE DEVELOPED A LEAK AT THE CONNECTOR CLAMP SEAL, AND DRIPPED FLUID ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD, CAUSING SMOKE. HONDA HAD RECALLED THE POWER STEERING SUPPLY HOSE WHICH THEY INSTALLED IN MY CAR, BUT THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL BECAUSE IT WAS MANUFACTURED FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE "ENDING DATE OF MANUFACTURE". MY HONDA PRELUDE IS A 1989 MODEL, BUT IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN AUGUST OF 1988. PLEASE PETITION HONDA TO EXTEND THEIR RECALL SO THAT I, AND OTHER HONDA PRELUDE OWNERS, CAN BE PROTECTED FROM THIS POTENTIAL HAZARD.

NHTSA complaint #714928 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 11 Nov 1999 Palmdale, CA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE CAR STOPS BY ITSELF WHEN BEING DRIVEN. IT SPUTTERS AND THEN ALL THE ELECTRICAL LIGHTS COME ON AND THE CAR STOPS AND WILL NOT START. I HAVE TOWED IT TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES, AND THEY CANNOT FIGURE THE PROBLEM OUT, AND THEY ARE ABLE TO START THE CAR. THE DEALER SAYS EVERYTHING IS ALL RIGHT BUT WE ARE STILL FACING THE SAME PROBLEM OF CAR STOPPING BY ITSELF AND NOT STARTING AGAIN.

NHTSA complaint #714659 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 8 Oct 1999 Vancouver, WA

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

THIS HOSE FAILURE IS THE SAME TYPE OF FAILURE THAT WAS DESCRIBED IN THE 1988 RECALL, BUT THE DEALER WOULD NOT COVER IT.

NHTSA complaint #712984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 8 Oct 1999 Vancouver, WA

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

THIS IS A COMPRESSOR THAT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ON 2/11/91. I AM NOW ON THE 3RD COMPRESSOR.

NHTSA complaint #712983 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 25 Mar 1999 Indianapolis, IN

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING AT CONNECTOR CLAMP SEAL. NOTICED THE 1988 VEHICLES ARE UNDER RECALL CONCERNING SAME PROBLEM; NHTSA # 89V059 000. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER VEHICLE NOT UNDER RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #829509 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 20 Jan 1999 Sunnyvale, CA

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

POWER STEERING HIGH PRESSURE HOSE LEAKS.

NHTSA complaint #529518 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 9 Sep 1998 Milpitas, CA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

FRONT BELT BUCKLE REPLACED ACCORDANCE WITH A RECALL CAMPAIGN 95V103001, THE REPLACED BUCKLE REFUSED TO LATCH AFTERWARD BEING REPLACED. ABOUT 75% OF THE TIME THE BUCKLE WOULD APPEAR TO BE SNAP, BUT AFTER YANKING ON THE BELT IT WOULD RELEASE FROM AT THE BUCKLE.

NHTSA complaint #540678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 6 Aug 1997 Rockford, IL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

BRAKES SQUEAL. ALSO, POWER STEERING HOSE LEAK/ RADIATOR HOSE MELTS DUE TO CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MANIFOLD/ TRANSMISSION FAILURE/ WINDOWS FOG UP AND CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGES, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. VEHICLE SWERVES/UNEVEN BACK TIRE WEAR.