Model year guide

1994 Honda Prelude

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 1994 Honda Prelude is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 9 on record.

1994 Honda Prelude — representative photo
Representative photo

1994 Honda Prelude at a glance

Safety recalls5
Owner complaints11
Combined21–23 mpg

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

1994 Honda Prelude recalls 5

Exterior Lighting:headlights NHTSA Campaign #08E050000 · 11/08/2008

K2 MOTOR IS RECALLING 1,921 AFTERMARKET HEADLAMPS OF VARIOUS MODELS SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS ARE MISSING THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTOR WHICH FAILS TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

Fix: 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.

Exterior Lighting NHTSA Campaign #06E060000 · 29/06/2006

CERTAIN AAI MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION LAMPS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LIST PASSENGER VEHICLES. COMBINATION LAMPS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

Fix: 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.

Exterior Lighting NHTSA Campaign #06E049000 · 24/05/2006

CERTAIN CK MOTORSPORTS COMBINATION HEADLIGHTS, CLEAR CORNER, BUMPER, AND SIDE MARKER LIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Fix: 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.

Exterior Lighting NHTSA Campaign #06E026000 · 23/03/2006

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

Fix: 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.

Exterior Lighting:headlights NHTSA Campaign #06E025000 · 21/03/2006

CERTAIN POLI-AUTO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES, P/NOS. 11-728, 11-728D, 11-710, 11-419, 11-713, 11-703, 11-704, 11-708P, 11-735, 11-725, 11-726, 11-716 (P&C), 11-721-1, 11-733, 11-729, 11-730, AND 11-732, SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, …

Fix: 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.

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

1994 Honda Prelude common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 11 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Engine And Engine Cooling
Check coolant level and color, look for leaks, and confirm the engine reaches normal temperature without overheating.
Equipment
Test all accessories — sunroof, climate, seats, electronics — for proper operation.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Fuel System
Sniff for fuel odor, check for leaks, hard starts or stalling, and confirm the fuel gauge reads correctly.
Gasoline
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.

1994 Honda Prelude MPG & running costs

Combined21–23 mpg
City20 mpg
Highway25 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$3,530
EPA size classSubcompact Cars
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd or Manual 5-spd
Passenger volume80 cu ft
Cargo volume8 cu ft
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$5,650 more

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 5 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 1994 Honda Prelude costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$17,650
Fuel only$17,650
Per mile$0.24

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

Dimensions & weight

Length
174.8 in
Width
69.7 in
Height
50.8 in
Wheelbase
100.4 in
Curb weight
2,765–2,932 lb
Front track
60.2 in
Rear track
59.8 in

Manufacturer-reported figures for the 1994 Honda Prelude — ranges cover the 2 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.

Investigations & service bulletins

Manufacturer service bulletins 27

Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 27.

VEHICLE'S EMISSION TYPE. *TT

Bulletin 060103 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Jun 2003

USE '94 ACCORD SERVICE MANUAL TO ADJUST TIMING BELT TENSION. *TT

Bulletin 110102 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Nov 2002

TIMING BELT ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE. HONDA OCTOBER TECH LINE INFORMATION. *TT

Bulletin 1002 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Oct 2002

SUBJECT REGARDING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS THAT THE ENGINE HESITATES BRIEFLY WHEN ACCELERATING. *TT

Bulletin 010402 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Apr 2002

CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A BRIEF HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING AT HIGH ENGINE SPEEDS. *TT

Bulletin 302 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Mar 2002

CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF A TWANG NOISE FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SPRING CONTACT. *SLC

Bulletin 5905 · Suspension · Feb 2002

SUBJECT REGARDING PARTS TO CORRECT 5TH GEAR GRINDING. *ET

Bulletin 01070 · Power Train · Aug 2001

SUBJECT REGARDING FIFTH GEAR GRINDS DURING UPSHIFT. *ET

Bulletin 01070 · Power Train · Aug 2001

INFORMATION REGARDING BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL LABOR OPERATION . *ET

Bulletin 061301 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Jun 2001

PRODUCT UPDATE REGARDING FRONT BALANCER SHAFT OIL SEAL. *TT

Bulletin 00073 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Mar 2001

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the PRELUDE. Model-year data, not specific to one car.

About the Honda Prelude

The Honda Prelude is a sport compact car produced by the Japanese company Honda. It was produced over five generations from 1978 to 2001, and reintroduced in 2025.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.

1994 Honda Prelude vehicles on record

1994 Honda Prelude 1994 Honda PreludeJHMBB31400C202582 1994 Honda Prelude 1994 Honda PreludeJHMBB31400C000318 1994 Honda Prelude 1994 Honda PreludeJHMBB21500C007557 1994 Honda Prelude 1994 Honda PreludeJHMBB21500C005774 1994 Honda Prelude 1994 Honda PreludeJHMBB31400C101867 1994 Honda Prelude 1994 Honda PreludeJHMBB31400C103631 1994 Honda Prelude 1994 Honda PreludeJHMBB31400C100518 1994 Honda Prelude 1994 Honda PreludeJHMBB21500C103044 1994 Honda Prelude 1994 Honda PreludeJHMBB31400C009318

Other Honda Prelude model years

2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981

1994 Honda Prelude — frequently asked questions

Does the 1994 Honda Prelude have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 1994 Honda Prelude. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are done at no charge.

What are the most common problems with the 1994 Honda Prelude?

Across all 11 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are air bags, engine and engine cooling, equipment.

What gas mileage does the 1994 Honda Prelude get?

The 1994 Honda Prelude has U.S. EPA estimates of 21–23 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (5 versions).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.