Model year guide

2000 Honda Prelude

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2000 Honda Prelude is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 10 on record.

2000 Honda Prelude — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2000 Honda Prelude at a glance

Safety recalls3
Owner complaints13
Combined21–22 mpg

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

2000 Honda Prelude recalls 3

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 #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.

Electrical System:ignition:switch NHTSA Campaign #05V025000 · manufacturer #P68, P69 · 28/01/2005

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE INTERLOCK OPERATION OF THE IGNITION SWITCH MAY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO TURN THE IGNITION KEY TO THE "OFF" POSITION AND REMOVE THE KEY WITHOUT SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO PARK.

Fix: 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.

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.

2000 Honda Prelude common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Engine And Engine Cooling
Check coolant level and color, look for leaks, and confirm the engine reaches normal temperature without overheating.
Vehicle Speed Control
Test cruise control and throttle response, and watch for any hesitation or unintended acceleration.
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.

2000 Honda Prelude MPG & running costs

Combined21–22 mpg
City20 mpg
Highway25 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$3,825
EPA size classSubcompact Cars
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd or Manual 5-spd
Passenger volume78 cu ft
Cargo volume9 cu ft
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$7,125 more

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 2 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 2000 Honda Prelude costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$19,125
Fuel only$19,125
Per mile$0.26

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
178.0 in
Width
68.9 in
Height
52.0 in
Wheelbase
102.0 in
Curb weight
2,954–3,042 lb
Front track
60.2 in
Rear track
59.8 in

Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2000 Honda Prelude — ranges cover the 2 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.

Investigations & service bulletins

NHTSA defect investigations 1

IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK Closed

THE ABOVE FAILURE REPORT COUNTS ARE FOR MODEL YEAR (MY) 1999 - 2001 HONDA ACCORD MODELS THAT WERE NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF A RELATED HONDA RECALL ACTION (NHTSA 03V423); THESE VEHICLES WERE INVESTIGATED BY ODI UNDER DEFECT PETITION (DP) 04-006. COMPLAINT INFORMATION FOR OTHER MODELS AND MODEL YEARS WAS NOT OBTAINED BY ODI. THE NOTED POPULATION INDICATES THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES (INCLUDING THE MY 2002 ACCORD PLUS THE PREL…

NHTSA #PE05002 · Electrical System · opened Jan 2005 · closed Feb 2005

An investigation means NHTSA is examining a possible defect — it is not a recall, and many close without one.

Manufacturer service bulletins 64

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 64.

"Service Bulletin - There are several A/C leak detection tools available. -Refrigerant Gas Leak Detector -Ultrasonic Leak Detector -Leak Dye"

Bulletin A07-030 · Equipment · Jan 2021

This SKU is a Front Upper Ball Joint. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect for the outer diameter of the ball joint housing being too small. The outer diameter being too small would prevent the part from being installed, a…

Bulletin DORE5C4S09 · Suspension · Jul 2019

LOAD CARRYING CAPACITY REDUCED LABEL FOR ALL HONDA VEHICLES. *PE

Bulletin 08-040 · Equipment · May 2008

CONCERNS WITH ENGINE HESITATION OR STUMBLE CAN BE FELT UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION BETWEEN 1,500 AND 2,000 RPM. *YC UPDATED 10/09/07. *NJ

Bulletin 98074 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Apr 2007

WARRANTY EXTENSION: ACCORD, ODYSSEY, AND PRELUDE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. UPDATE. *TT

Bulletin 02062 · Power Train · Oct 2004

DTC (DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE) P1279, PGM TESTER SOFTWARE ERROR. *SC

Bulletin 804 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Aug 2004

A CONDITION EXIST WHERE THE UPPER WINDSHIELD MOLDING IS WARPED OR DEFORMED. *TT THIS BULLETIN 00-064 REPLACED BULLETIN 98-066 DATED MARCH 28, 2000. *TT

Bulletin 98066 · Visibility · Aug 2004

CONCERNS WITH WARPED OR DEFORMED WINDSHIELD MOLDING. *TT UPDATE. *TT

Bulletin 00064 · Visibility · Aug 2004

TYPE 1 IMMOBI BRAKE CODES AVAILABLE ON THE INTERACTIVE NETWORK (HONDA). *NM

Bulletin 05012004 · May 2004

HONDA DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM LOCKED, NEEDS IMMOBILIZER RELEASE PASSWORD. *NM

Bulletin 204 · Feb 2004

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

Canadian recalls 1

Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2000 Honda Prelude. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.

Other

On certain vehicles, the interlock operation of the ignition switch may not function properly, making it possible to turn the ignition key to the OFF position and remove the key without shifting the transmission to PARK. 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. Correction:…

Transport Canada #2005037 · Feb 2005

Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.

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.

2000 Honda Prelude trims & engines on record

Trims
Base
Engines
2.2L 4-cyl 195 hp · 2.2L 4-cyl 200 hp

2000 Honda Prelude vehicles on record

2000 Honda Prelude 2000 Honda Prelude BaseJHMBB6249YC002943 2000 Honda Prelude 2000 Honda Prelude BaseJHMBB6141YC006390 2000 Honda Prelude 2000 Honda PreludeJHMBB6246YC002558 2000 Honda Prelude 2000 Honda PreludeJHMBB9140YC200116 2000 Honda Prelude 2000 Honda PreludeJHMAB0000L1133576 2000 Honda Prelude 2000 Honda PreludeJHMBB9140YC200544 2000 Honda Prelude 2000 Honda PreludeJHMBB9140YC200262 2000 Honda Prelude 2000 Honda PreludeJHMBB6242YC005327 2000 Honda Prelude 2000 Honda PreludeJHMBB9140YC201247 2000 Honda Prelude 2000 Honda PreludeJHMBB9140YC201097

Other Honda Prelude model years

2001 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981

2000 Honda Prelude — frequently asked questions

Does the 2000 Honda Prelude have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2000 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 2000 Honda Prelude?

Across all 13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are power train, electrical system, engine and engine cooling.

What gas mileage does the 2000 Honda Prelude get?

The 2000 Honda Prelude has U.S. EPA estimates of 21–22 mpg combined, depending on engine and trim (2 versions).

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