1995 Honda Prelude Problems and Recalls (6 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1995 Honda Prelude is Airbags (33% of 6 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Airbags — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 6 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 1995 Honda Prelude?

2 of 6 filings named Airbags (33% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Brakes (1 reports).

There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1994 has 9 reports on file; this year has 6. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1995 Honda Prelude

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Airbags. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed.
  3. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  4. Skim a few owner reports below for Airbags. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  5. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Airbags 2 complaints · 33.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 3
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 4
  • Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Airbags (AIR BAGS) appears in 2 of 6 owner complaints (33.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. Airbags (AIR BAGS): 2 complaints, 33.3% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 2 crash reports 2 · 33.3% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 1 complaints, 16.7% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 · 16.7% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 5 complaints, 83.3% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 crash reports 5 · 83.3% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 2 33.3% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 16.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 5 83.3% 2 crashes · 0 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Apr 2000; the first recall shown was reported in Mar 2006. 2000-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Apr 2000 Jul 2019 Recall campaign 06E025000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E025000 Recall campaign 06E026000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E026000 Recall campaign 06E049000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E049000 Recall campaign 06E060000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E060000 Recall campaign 08E050000 ◆ Recall campaign 08E050000
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2000-Q2 Owner reports 1
2002-Q1 Owner reports 1
2003-Q4 Owner reports 1
2004-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q3 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 06E025000
Recall campaign 1 06E026000
Recall campaign 1 06E049000
Recall campaign 1 06E060000
Recall campaign 1 08E050000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Lights.

  1. Recall campaign 06E025000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    POLI-AUTO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE HEADLAMPS AT ITS ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING APRIL 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT POLI-AUTO AT 305-477-1356.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Recall campaign 06E026000

    Safety recall 06E026000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  3. Recall campaign 06E049000

    Safety recall 06E049000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
    Remedy:
    CK MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE NONCOMPLIANT LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CK MOTORSPORT AT 1-909-610-7211.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  4. Recall campaign 06E060000

    Safety recall 06E060000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH
    Remedy:
    AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  5. Recall campaign 08E050000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS, THE LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY BE AFFECTED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 6 of 6 complaints · page 1 of 1
2019-07-11Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11231093
CrashFireInjuryDeath
NEW TIRES PURCHASED IN 2018 DO NOT HAVE STANDARD DOT CODE FOR DATE OF MANUFACTURE. THE CODE IS PRINTED ON THE IRE AS" CCH7..K1710U-1. THE TIRES ARE YOKOHAMA S DRIVE. 205/55-R15. NO ONE SEEMS ABLE TO TELL ME THE MANUFACTURE DATE. THE TIRES ARE VISUALLY OK AND HAVE 4500 MILES ON THEM, BUT I AM CONCERNED AS TO HOW OLD THEY MAY BE, AND SHOULD THE RETAILER BE AWARE OF THE DOT CODE? CAN YOU DE-CODE THE MANUFACTURE DATE?
2014-10-28Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10650825
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 HONDA PRELUDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH BECAME INOPERABLE AND PREVENTED THE DOOR FROM OPENING OR CLOSING. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
2004-07-01Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10079150
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY HONDA PRELUDE WAS REAR ENDED BY A RAISED 4 WHEEL DRIVE CHEVY TRUCK. I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP AND THE CHEVY REAR ENDED ME GOING ABOUT 45 MPH. THE IMPACT WAS SO INTENSE I LOST GRIP OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND MY HEAD JERKED FORWARD HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE AIRBAG NEVER INFLATED, DESPITE THE HIGH IMPACT HIT,OR MY HEAD HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL. AS A RESULT I AM NOW SUFFERING FROM NECK AND UPPER BODY INJURIES. DUE TO THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE SALVAGE YARD. *NM
2003-12-02Airbags (AIR BAGS)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10049040
CrashFireInjuryDeath
OUR HONDA PRELUDE WAS REAR ENDED SENDING IT INTO ANOTHER CAR. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT INFLATE.*AK
2002-01-28Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 564149
CrashFireInjuryDeath
BRAKE SHOES AND REAR BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED. *SLC
2000-06-08Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 723757
CrashFireInjuryDeath
PURCHASED THE CAR USED,THE GENERIC HOOD FLEW UP SMASHING THE WINDSHIELD THE CAR CROSSED ACROSS THE ONCOMING LANE OF TRAFFIC AND HIT THE CURB AN SIDEWALK,THIS DAMAGED A WHEEL,TIRE AND SUSPENSION

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1995 Honda Prelude?

Owners named Airbags most often — 2 of 6 reports (33%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1995 Honda Prelude?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Lights. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1995 Honda Prelude?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Confirm the airbag light behaves normally and that open airbag recalls are closed. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources