AI Damage1988 Honda Prelude: common problems
Owners of the 1988 Honda Prelude filed 35 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 35
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 37% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 23% of all complaints
- 3 Seat belts 23% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 3% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 3% of all complaints
- 8 Suspension 3% of all complaints
- Steering: 13 complaints (37% of all).
- Fuel system: 8 complaints (23% of all).
- Seat belts: 8 complaints (23% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (9% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 2 complaints (6% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 35 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The accelerator pad may have caused an accident. Please describe. Tt
Upon impact right front, passenger seat belt tightened resulting in chest contusion. Please describe details. Tt
The power steering pressure line has a leak at the connection right above the exhaust manifold. I contacted american honda to see if the recall had been taken care off, and they stated that it had. I have the same issue that many other owners have.
At the ending week of december while driving it started to smoke from under hood area and lack of control on power steering occurred. Went to local honda dealership cason honda located at 1445 e.223rd st.carson, [ZIP] [phone] on 12/22/06, lisa rodriguez assist me with my vehicle concerns.
Fuel filler pipe rusted . As a result, when driving the pipe leaked underneath the vehicle.
Vehicle had power steering hose leaking onto exhaust manifold and smoking as per nhtsa recall # 88v059000. Contacted american honda who informed me that this recall does not apply to vin ([xxx]). Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
This specific line has caused significant smoking, has been completely replaced as of may 2001, however, the problem continues with leaking fluid.
Rear light seals leaking causing water to run off the wires and into the trunk as well as the back seat and carpet.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,335 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Prelude has 17 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 35, above average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
- Prelude 19845 sources
- Prelude 19857 sources
- Prelude 198612 sources
- Prelude 198714 sources
- Prelude 198921 sources
- Prelude 19904 sources
- Prelude 199115 sources
- Prelude 199222 sources
- Prelude 199311 sources
- Prelude 19949 sources
- Prelude 19956 sources
- Prelude 19964 sources
- Prelude 199766 sources
- Prelude 199869 sources
- Prelude 199931 sources
- Prelude 200013 sources
- Prelude 200121 sources
- Prelude 202617 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1988 Honda Prelude?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, fuel system, seat belts. Total complaints: 35. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (31%), steering or power steering problems (31%), seat belts (14%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1988 Honda Prelude?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1988 Honda Prelude from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1988 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.