AI Damage2001 Honda Prelude: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Honda Prelude filed 21 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 21
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 52% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 19% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 19% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 5% of all complaints
- 6 Equipment 5% of all complaints
- 7 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints
- 8 Steering 5% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 11 complaints (52% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 4 complaints (19% of all).
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (19% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 1 complaints (5% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (5% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speednamed in 2 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 21 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Takata recall any time I put my car in d4 (automatic) it gets to about 2500 rpm to 3000 rpm in 1st then I have to message the throttle so it will shift and once it shifts to 2nd it starts shifting very quickly no matter the rpms to 3rd then 4th. Also when it's shifting it jerks pretty violently.
The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the body damage was repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Was going 15 mph. Car in front slamed on brakes, we slammed on brakes, the brakes went all the way to the floor,and the car didn't stop. Ran into the truck in front of us and smashed the right corner panel.
While driving the car just turns off then wont start for awhile when starts back up shuts off while driving down the road we know there is a recall on the ignition switch and interior lights on this vehicle we have three kids that ride in this car and don't want something to happen while we are driving the car and it…
If I do not allow my car to warm up it will rev really high and jerk into gear. The first time it happened I pulled out of my driveway and it revved really high. Had the driver behind me not swerved over they would have rear ended me.
After hitting 3 rpm, it would rev up to 5 rpm before jerking into gear. This happens each time I first drive my car after it had been sitting, unless allowing it 10-15 minutes to completely warm up. If 2nd gear did happen to engage, it would have to rev and jerk into 3rd gear.
On two separate occasions when applying the brakes when coming to a stop the engine cuts off, without warning, no jerking, nothing. The dash had three lights lit as when you turn the ignition on before you start the car. The car can be restarted immediately after engine dies. Taking it to honda on 8/7/07.
Brakes are sticking and causing the car to vibrate and emit a low humming noise. When I put my foot under the brake pedal and pulled it up the noise went away. Honda dealerships had'cut the rotors three times, which was not in any way normal!
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 8,077 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Prelude has 17 complaints (22 years in the data). This year has 21, above average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
- Prelude 19845 sources
- Prelude 19857 sources
- Prelude 198612 sources
- Prelude 198714 sources
- Prelude 198835 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 202617 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Honda Prelude?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, electrical system, service brakes. Total complaints: 21. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: jerking, harsh shifts (24%), vibration (14%), won't start (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 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 2001 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 2001 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.