1992 Honda Prelude Problems
- Complaints
- 22filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 173,375miles, 4 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 22 mpgcombined, 2.2L 4-cyl FWD · 19 city / 27 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1992 Honda Prelude (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 22 consumer complaints for the 1992 Honda Prelude. The part named most often is air bags, with 8 complaints (36% of the total), followed by electrical system (5) and tires (3). 4 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 173,375 miles. Of all complaints, 7 involved a crash, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 0 technical service bulletins for this model year.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Air bags8 36%
- Electrical system5 23%
- Tires3 14%
- Other or unknown2 9.1%
- Engine cooling1 4.5%
- Equipment1 4.5%
- Vehicle speed control1 4.5%
Example complaints
Air bags: “This car is completely totaled! It is smashed all in the front, the back is in the front seat and down to the ground...and the driver side is caved in also, and this airbag could have prevented the head injury, and bruising down by the steering wheel. But the airbag failed !!!!”
NHTSA complaint #740922, filed 2001-02Electrical system: “My ignition switch just started not to long ago to fail on me. Started having problems like a week ago noticing my dashboard lights flickering. I checked my fuses and they were all ok. Two days later my car turned on and turned off when I went to start it. Tried to start it again and kept running. For five days everything was okay but just noticed that my lights were still kind of flickering (dash). Two days ago it didn't want to stay on. …”
NHTSA complaint #10176626, filed 2006-12, 196,750 milesTires: “I have a recently acquired 1992 Honda Prelude with toyo tires on it. The car is not being driven and except for two trips to mvd to get it registered it remains parked in my driveway. Three weeks ago the right rear tire apparently explode and the treads were separated from the tire casing. Two days ago I heard an explosion and found that the tire had exploded and was completely flat. This is the first time I have ever heard of a tire failing when the car was parked. That could have been the cause of quite an accident at 65 MPH on a crowded expressway. …”
NHTSA complaint #10347796, filed 2010-08, 211,000 milesTransmission and drivetrain: “While driving 65mph the vehicle started making a loud popping noise. I was able to pull over and had the vehicle towed to a dealership, there it was diagnosed a failed transmission.”
NHTSA complaint #10230198, filed 2008-06, 109,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
0% of the 4 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 150,000 and 196,750 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1992 Honda Prelude. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prelude · coupe | not rated | 4 / 5 | — | — | — |
Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 1992 Honda Prelude version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prelude FWD | 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 21 | 28 | 24 | $2,800 |
| Prelude FWD | 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 19 | 27 | 22 | $3,050 |
| Prelude FWD | 2.3L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 19 | 24 | 21 | $3,900 |
| Prelude FWD | 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | 19 | 24 | 21 | $3,900 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1992 Honda Prelude in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA investigations
- PE930604whl steering sensor failsClosed · Jun 22, 1993
Technical service bulletins
No technical service bulletins are on record for the 1992 Honda Prelude.
Other model years of the Honda Prelude
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 21 | 85,480 | 1 | — | 22 | — | Stable |
| 2000 | 13 | 73,571 | 1 | — | 22 | — | Not enough data |
| 1999 | 31 | 67,064 | 2 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1998 | 69 | 93,790 | 3 | — | 22 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1997 | 66 | 93,000 | 3 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 6 | 87,500 | 0 | — | 21 | — | Not enough data |
| 1994 | 9 | 128,000 | 0 | — | 21 | — | Not enough data |
| 1993 | 11 | 124,000 | 0 | — | 21 | — | Not enough data |
| 1992 | 22 | 173,375 | 0 | — | 22 | — | Stable |
| 1991 | 15 | 129,000 | 1 | — | 21 | — | Stable |
| 1989 | 21 | — | 1 | — | 21 | — | Stable |
| 1988 | 35 | 192,638 | 6 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1987 | 14 | 133,133 | 2 | — | 25 | — | Not enough data |
| 1986 | 12 | — | 2 | — | 24 | — | Not enough data |
| 1985 | 7 | — | 1 | — | 23 | — | Not enough data |
| 1984 | 5 | — | 1 | — | 24 | — | Not enough data |
All Honda Prelude model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1992 Honda Prelude have?
NHTSA recorded 22 consumer complaints for the 1992 Honda Prelude as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1992 Honda Prelude is reported most often?
Air bags is named most often, in 8 complaints (36% of the total), followed by electrical system with 5.
Has the 1992 Honda Prelude been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 1992 Honda Prelude get?
The EPA rates the 1992 Honda Prelude (Prelude, 2.2L 4-cyl) at 22 mpg combined, 19 city and 27 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 1992 Honda Prelude reported?
Among the 4 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 173,375 miles and the middle half falls between 150,000 and 196,750 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.