1999 Honda Prelude Transmission and drivetrain Problems
- Complaints
- 8about this part
- Share
- 26%of 31 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 90,882miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 8 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 1999 Honda Prelude, 26% of the 31 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 90,882 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“The sportshift automatic transmission m6ha in my 1999 Honda Prelude started to slip and while going down the freeway the car lost all power to the wheels and would just rev up the engine when I pressed the gas pedal down and would not move the car while in all drive gears. It cost me $2,396.75 to get my Honda Prelude's sportshift automatic transmission m6ha replaced at a transmission shop while I was out on a family vacation trip to arizona.”
NHTSA complaint #10435250, filed 2011-11, 135,765 miles“1999 Honda Prelude sport shift automatic transmission failure at 46,000 miles and at a speed of 36 MPH as documented by Honda! I haven't done anything wrong and neither has any other Prelude owner and Honda wants $6,000 dollars of my hard earned money! Yes that's 1/4 the total cost of the car brand new! Please help.”
NHTSA complaint #10010156, filed 2003-03, 46,000 miles“Consumer complained about a transmission problem. Engine idle went up and the vehicle accelerated forward. Consumer took vehicle in for repairs. However, manufacturer would not assist in resolving the problem.”
NHTSA complaint #10067126, filed 2004-04, 28,000 miles“The contact owns a 1999 Honda Prelude. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact became aware that the failure was due to the ignition switch. The contact replaced the part himself. The contact also noticed that while the vehicle was turned off, the gear shifter independently shifted into gear. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11498032, filed 2022-12, 170,000 miles“When shifting into gear while stopping at a traffice light and when attempting to shift gears, shift fails to respond and gear fails to go into reverse, causing a near vehicle crash. Consumer has contactecd dealer. Please provide any further details.”
NHTSA complaint #888043, filed 2001-05Transmission and drivetrain: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 11 | 52% |
| 2000 | 7 | 54% |
| 1999 | 8 | 26% |
| 1998 | 31 | 45% |
| 1997 | 40 | 61% |
| 1994 | 1 | 11% |
| 1993 | 2 | 18% |
| 1992 | 3 | 14% |
| 1989 | 1 | 5% |
Other parts of the 1999 Honda Prelude
7 complaintsEngine cooling
7 complaintsTires
5 complaintsEquipment
3 complaintsSteering
2 complaintsSuspension
2 complaintsAir bags
1 complaintsBrakes
1 complaintsBody and structure
1 complaintsVehicle speed control
1 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
1 complaintsWheels
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1999 Honda Prelude
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology