2000-2001 Honda Prelude Reliability Score: 8.1 out of 10

34 NHTSA Complaints

3 Recalls

0 Fire Reports

4 Crash Reports

Reliability Score

8.1 / 10

Reliability score

Fewer owner complaints than similar sports cars

The class average is 7.0. Based on complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the engine, transmission or drivetrain.

Owners filed 19 powertrain complaints. A typical sports car fleet of this size and age would have drawn about 31.

Scores this high have held: three years on they had moved 0.2 points in the typical case.

Breakdown

Complaints overall19 complaints against about 31 for similar vehicles

8.1

Last three years

n/aNot enough data

Engine, transmission or drive unit failed or replaced

n/aNot enough data

Oil consumption, fuel in the oil or overheating

n/aNot enough data

Each line scores one view of the same complaints the same way, so the lines overlap. The mark on each bar is the class average. A line needs 20 expected complaints to show a number.

By model year

20008.2
20018.1

Similar vehicles are others in the same class, compared at the same age and in the same years. The score counts complaints owners filed with NHTSA, per vehicle built, which is different from the share of vehicles that fail. How the score is worked out

On the record

No serious powertrain recall covering 5% or more of this generation and no escalated investigation in NHTSA's files. Warranty extensions and settlements have not been researched.

Complaints by Engine Code

H22A4

2.2L 4-cyl / 195 hp

27 complaints 13.5 per year Gasoline

View details

Complaint Breakdown

transmission

electrical

engine

cooling

brakes

Show 1 additional engine variant with limited data

These engines appear in fewer than 10 owner complaints. A low count can mean a clean record, and it can also be a VIN-decode anomaly in NHTSA's data.

Honda Prelude Unidentified Engine

7 complaints 3.5 per year

View details

Complaint Breakdown

transmission

safety systems

brakes

Owner Complaints by System

Complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the Honda Prelude, counted across every engine. A complaint can name more than one system.

Transmission: 18 owner complaints

Electrical System: 7 owner complaints

Recalls (3)

06E060000Jun 29, 2006serious

Exterior Lighting

CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

06E026000Mar 23, 2006serious

Exterior Lighting

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

05V025000Jan 28, 2005serious

Electrical System

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.

Alternatives in Sports Car

4 engines / 69 complaints

5 engines / 24 complaints

6 engines / 41 complaints

3 engines / 27 complaints

1 engine / 22 complaints

3 engines / 24 complaints

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common 2000-2001 Honda Prelude complaints?

Owners have filed 34 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000-2001 Honda Prelude. The systems they name most often are the transmission, the electrical system and the brakes.

Is the 2000-2001 Honda Prelude a good used car?

That depends on the model year, the mileage and the maintenance history of the car in front of you. Owners have filed 34 complaints with NHTSA about the 2000-2001 Honda Prelude. Check which systems they name most often and whether a recall is still open on that car.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2000-2001 Honda Prelude have?

NHTSA has 34 owner complaints on file for the 2000-2001 Honda Prelude as of the latest data pull. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and counts rise with sales.

What recalls affect the 2000-2001 Honda Prelude?

NHTSA lists 3 recalls covering some 2000-2001 Honda Prelude vehicles. Which ones apply depends on the VIN: enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see the open campaigns on a specific car.

What should I check before buying a used Honda Prelude?

Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup and confirm every open recall has been done. Look hardest at the transmission, the electrical system and the brakes, the systems owners complain about most. Ask for maintenance records, have an independent mechanic inspect the car and run a vehicle history report for prior accidents and title issues.

Does the Prelude have NHTSA crash test ratings?

NHTSA has not published crash test ratings for the 2000-2001 Honda Prelude. Not all vehicles are tested each year. For the latest NHTSA safety information, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Data from NHTSA federal complaints database. 34 complaints analyzed. Data confidence: moderate. Last updated: 2026-10-12.