The 1998 Honda Prelude has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,611,534 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 86 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the power train. Last updated July 5, 2026.
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.
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.
SUSPENSION99V0690001999-05-10124,875 affected
Defect
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.
Complaints by component
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
23
1crashes2injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
8
SUSPENSION:REAR
4
1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
3
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
3
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
3
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
2
2crashes2injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2
POWER TRAIN
2
Total complaints86
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“This is the first time I had to replace the transmission at 65867 miles on it, well I was driving down to the street one day and then it's started to slip in. And out of a gear and the next day I tried to pull out of. My driveway the transmission is bad and honda knows this, the second time it is…”
“This is the first time I had to replace the transmission at 65867 miles on it, well I was driving down to the street one day and then it's started to slip in. And out of a gear and the next day I tried to pull out of. My driveway the transmission is bad and honda knows this, the second time it is…”
“While driving or at stop light, car stalls without warning. Must have a jump to restart and can only drive 5-10 miles before car stalls saying battery not charging. Battery and alternator both test as good. Car may start and run normally for several days then problem reappears.”
“While driving or at stop light, car stalls without warning. Must have a jump to restart and can only drive 5-10 miles before car stalls saying battery not charging. Battery and alternator both test as good. Car may start and run normally for several days then problem reappears.”
“While driving or at stop light, car stalls without warning. Must have a jump to restart and can only drive 5-10 miles before car stalls saying battery not charging. Battery and alternator both test as good. Car may start and run normally for several days then problem reappears.”
“While the car is in motion driving on the free way the car will shut off due to ignition switch or tumbler any key movement will cause the car to shut off making the steering wheel to lock up vary dangerous to travel with children.”
“While the car is in motion driving on the free way the car will shut off due to ignition switch or tumbler any key movement will cause the car to shut off making the steering wheel to lock up vary dangerous to travel with children.”
“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…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationPE05002 Opened 2005-01-13 · closed 2005-02-02
IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK
THE ABOVE FAILURE REPORT COUNTS ARE FOR MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 - 2001 HONDA ACCORD MODELS THAT WERE NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF A RELATED HONDA RECALL ACTION (NHTSA 03V423); THESE VEHICLES WERE INVESTIGATED BY ODI UNDER DEFECT PETITION (DP) 04-006.COMPLAINT INFORMATION FOR OTHER MODELS AND MODEL YEARS WAS NOT OBTAINED BY…
InvestigationPE05002 Opened 2005-01-13 · closed 2005-02-02
IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK
THE ABOVE FAILURE REPORT COUNTS ARE FOR MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 - 2001 HONDA ACCORD MODELS THAT WERE NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF A RELATED HONDA RECALL ACTION (NHTSA 03V423); THESE VEHICLES WERE INVESTIGATED BY ODI UNDER DEFECT PETITION (DP) 04-006.COMPLAINT INFORMATION FOR OTHER MODELS AND MODEL YEARS WAS NOT OBTAINED BY…
InvestigationPE05002 Opened 2005-01-13 · closed 2005-02-02
IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK
THE ABOVE FAILURE REPORT COUNTS ARE FOR MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 - 2001 HONDA ACCORD MODELS THAT WERE NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF A RELATED HONDA RECALL ACTION (NHTSA 03V423); THESE VEHICLES WERE INVESTIGATED BY ODI UNDER DEFECT PETITION (DP) 04-006.COMPLAINT INFORMATION FOR OTHER MODELS AND MODEL YEARS WAS NOT OBTAINED BY…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1998 Honda Prelude as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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