2001 Honda Prelude Problems: Transmission / driveline (21 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2001 Honda Prelude is Transmission / driveline (43% of 21 owner reports). There are 3 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Transmission / driveline — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 21 complaints · 3 recalls

What problems show up on the 2001 Honda Prelude?

9 of 21 filings named Transmission / driveline (43% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Brakes (4 reports).

There are 3 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2000 has 13 reports on file; this year has 21. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2001 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 3 campaigns on file below.
  2. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  3. Brakes. Have a shop check pads, rotors, fluid and whether the pedal feels firm.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Transmission / driveline. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Transmission / driveline 9 complaints · 42.9% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 3
  • Fires 0
  • Injuries 2
  • Deaths 0
All Honda Prelude years →
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 Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) appears in 9 of 21 owner complaints (42.9%) in this vehicle snapshot. Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 9 complaints, 42.9% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 crash reports 9 · 42.9% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 4 complaints, 19.1% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 1 crash reports 4 · 19.1% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 3 complaints, 14.3% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 · 14.3% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 1 complaints, 4.8% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 crash reports 1 · 4.8% Engine (ENGINE): 1 complaints, 4.8% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 · 4.8% Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 1 complaints, 4.8% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 · 4.8% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 1 complaints, 4.8% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 · 4.8% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 16 complaints, 76.2% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 crash reports 16 · 76.2% 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)
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 9 42.9% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 4 19.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 14.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 1 4.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 1 4.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 4.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 1 4.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 16 76.2% 1 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 Jan 2001; the first recall shown was reported in Jan 2005. 2001-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2002-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2003-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2003-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2004-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2005-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2006-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Jan 2001 Jan 2019 Recall campaign 05V025000 ◆ Recall campaign 05V025000 Recall campaign 06E026000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E026000 Recall campaign 06E060000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E060000 Investigation PE05002 ● Investigation PE05002
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2001-Q1 Owner reports 1
2002-Q3 Owner reports 2
2003-Q1 Owner reports 1
2003-Q2 Owner reports 1
2003-Q3 Owner reports 1
2003-Q4 Owner reports 1
2004-Q2 Owner reports 1
2005-Q1 Owner reports 1
2005-Q4 Owner reports 1
2006-Q3 Owner reports 1
2007-Q2 Owner reports 2
2007-Q3 Owner reports 1
2009-Q4 Owner reports 1
2010-Q2 Owner reports 1
2010-Q3 Owner reports 1
2010-Q4 Owner reports 1
2011-Q2 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 1
2019-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 05V025000
Recall campaign 1 06E026000
Recall campaign 1 06E060000
Defect investigation 1 PE05002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (3)

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

In short, these campaigns were filed about Electrical.

  1. Recall campaign 05V025000

    Electrical

    Report date
    Component:
    Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
    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.
    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 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 →
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 10 of 21 complaints · page 1 of 1
2019-03-09Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11185471
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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.
2013-06-12Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
NHTSA ODI 10519578
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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 SHUTS OFF ND WONT START WHILE WE ARE IN TRAFFIC. PLEASE HELP. *TR
2011-05-10Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 10399784
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA PRELUDE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH A VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT END PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACTS VEHICLE. 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.
2010-12-19Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10371189
CrashFireInjuryDeath
JUST LIKE MANY OTHER 97-01 HONDA PRELUDES MY CAR HAS BEGIN TO HAVE PROBLEMS SHIFTING. 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. *TR
2010-09-20Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10356540
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA PRELUDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, SHE WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WITH THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,000.
2010-04-21Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10326896
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHEN STARTING MY 2001 HONDA PRELUDE, PUTTING INTO D4 (AUTO TRANSMISSION) AND BEGINNING TO DRIVE, IT WOULD HIT 3 RPM AND NOT AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT. 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. I HAVE TAKEN IT A FEW TIMES TO THE AUTO SHOP ALTHOUGH THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVELS REMAINED FINE AND NO OTHER INDICATION OF A BLOWN TRANSMISSION WAS FOUND. *TR
2009-11-10Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10291672
CrashFireInjuryDeath
2001 HONDA PRELUDE SH, HAD A PREVIOUS MANUAL TRANSMISSION OVERHAUL AFTER DRIVING IT FOR 3 DAYS THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT ON THE VEHICLE 3 DAYS LATER, MAKING LOUD ANNOYING NOISES. *TR
2007-08-02Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10198325
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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.*JB
2007-05-19Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10191228
CrashFireInjuryDeath
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! THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO REFUSED TO FIX IT, BUT DIDN'T THE NEED TO CUT THE ROTORS THREE TIMES INDICATE A SERIOUS PROBLEM?*AK
2007-04-02Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10186709
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HONDA PRELUDE. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START, BUT THE ANTI THEFT INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL # 05V02500. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 36,663.*AK LEFT MESSAGE 10/16/07 . *LJ

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2001 Honda Prelude?

Owners named Transmission / driveline most often — 9 of 21 reports (43%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2001 Honda Prelude?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Electrical. 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 2001 Honda Prelude?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped. 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