Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1993 Honda Prelude, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Air bags3
- Electrical system2
- Power train2
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Tires2
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Structure1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 1 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1993 Honda Prelude failed the safety check 0.00% of the time — 100% less often than the average 1993 passenger car (1.20%). Median odometer at inspection: 139,725 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the Netherlands
53 first registered in 1993 are on Dutch roads; 38% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Stofhoes stuurinrichting beschadigd, dicht niet af11
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen11
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde9
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld6
- Richtingaanwijzers kleur wijkt af/niet toegestaan6
- Uitlaatsysteem niet gasdicht / onveilige afvoer uitlaatgasse5
- Stofhoes fuseekogel beschadigd en dicht niet af5
- CO meer dan wettelijk toegestaan4
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
28 cars built in 1993 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 165 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
13 of these cars first registered in 1993 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 268,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
51 1993 cars are on the New Zealand register; 88% arrived as used imports, 8% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
No recall campaigns cover the 1993 Honda Prelude.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Honda told its dealers about the 1993 Honda Prelude: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 636738 | SUBJECT REGARDING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS THAT THE ENGINE HESITATES BRIEFLY WHEN ACCELERATING. *TT |
| 631027 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A BRIEF HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING AT HIGH ENGINE SPEEDS. *TT |
| 629541 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A TWANG NOISE FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SPRING CONTACT. *SLC |
| 623341 | SUBJECT REGARDING PARTS TO CORRECT 5TH GEAR GRINDING. *ET |
| 623292 | SUBJECT REGARDING FIFTH GEAR GRINDS DURING UPSHIFT. *ET |
| 618958 | INFORMATION ON HONING FIBER REINFORCED METAL (FRM) CYLINDERS. *TT |
| 618903 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST WHERE THE TRANSMISSION GRINDS WHEN SHIFTED INTO 5TH GEAR. *TT |
| 613530 | INFORMATION REGARDING INVESTIGATION OF FACTORY AUDIO SYSTEMS IN NON-CURRENT EX COUPES AND WAGONS. **MR |
| 54131 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION GRINDS WHEN SHIFTING INTO FIFTH GRINDS. *YC |
| 52947 | FIFTH GEAR SHIFT FORK WAS NOT MANUFACTURED PROPERLY. *YC |
| 52056 | REAR WHEEL BEARING NOISE. *JD |
| 44012 | UNKNOWN |
| 39519 | POWER STEERING CONTROL VALVE. *TW |
| 39517 | PARTIALLY OPEN WINDOW RATTLES. *TW |
| 39248 | BLOWER MOTOR NOISE. *TW |
| 10005925 | TIMING BELT ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE. HONDA OCTOBER TECH LINE INFORMATION. *TT |
| 10005870 | USE '94 ACCORD SERVICE MANUAL TO ADJUST TIMING BELT TENSION. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
OVERSENSITIVE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENTS
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation