1997 Honda Prelude Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Prelude years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 66 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Honda Prelude. That ranks 2nd out of 7 Prelude model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (40 complaints, 61%), typically at around 95,000 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 2 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 66owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Honda Prelude problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 40 | 61% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 11% | 138,701 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 8% | 45,017 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 8% | 28,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 5% | 138,701 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 3% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 2% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Honda Prelude recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: 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.
Risk: Worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: 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.
Risk: This condition would result in vehicle deceleration and a sudden loss of power. Also steering controllability would be reduced.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Ignition-park interlock (PE05002) — opened Jan 13, 2005, closed Feb 2, 2005, led to recall 05V025000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I bought this car used and have had good luck with honda's in the past but about 300 miles of me owning this vehicle i was entering a freeway when all of a sudden i lost all power with cars going highway speed behind me i had to pull off to the shoulder luckily there was one there the first time it…
Its the automatic transmission it only has 136000 miles on it and i need a new one that's really low miles for a 97 never had a problem like this ever with any of my cars. I heard its with all the hondas. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 honda prelude. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 02v120000 (electrical system) but was advised by the manufacturer that the vin was not included in the recall…
Well basically i bought my 97automatic prelude, and not more than a month later of having the car the transmission started to malfunction. Basically it would sound like a screw driver was being forced into the gears or something. On top of that it was revving ridiculously high and not moving…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 honda prelude. While driving approximately 20 mph in a parking lot, the vehicle stalled. She stated she turned the vehicle off and when restarting, the vehicle resumed normal operation. The contact stated the failure had occurred at least six times, intermittently. The…
Other Honda Prelude years
← 1996 Prelude · 1998 Prelude →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 Prelude | 21 | 1 |
| 2000 Prelude | 13 | 1 |
| 1999 Prelude | 31 | 2 |
| 1998 Prelude | 69 | 3 |
| 1997 | 66 | 3 |
| 1996 Prelude | 4 | 1 |
| 1995 Prelude | 6 | 0 |
See all Honda Prelude problems by year, every Honda model, or the Honda VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Honda Prelude?
Owners most often report power train, electrical system, suspension problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 40 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Honda Prelude?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Honda Prelude a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Prelude model years, the 1997 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.