The 1997 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 88 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
35
2crashes
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
5
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
3
2crashes
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
3
3crashes
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
3
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
3
1crashes
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
2
1crashes2injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2
1crashes
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
2
Total complaints88
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“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…”
“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…”
“My 1997 honda prelude automatic transmission died out. When I looked on the forums, honda is very well aware of the failure by design of their honda preludes. *tr”
“I've driving my prelude for 4 years. Very soon after I got it I noticd the shifting was jerky. Soon after it became jumpy and now when I drivie my car from cold its bolting into gear with a tremendous jerk. I feel its on its way out.”
“April 2007 I had the shift interlock update as well as the ignition switch recall done at my local dealer. The shift interlock update included a whole new lock assembly including new tumblers and a new key because I was able to remove my old key while not in park. July 2009 I started having…”
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 1997 Honda Prelude as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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