The 1998 Honda Prelude is a small car that came with a 2.2L 4-cyl engine. At 28 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Subcompact Cars |
|---|---|
| Engines | 2.2L 4-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 4-spd, Manual 5-spd |
| Drive | Front-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 19–20 city / 24–25 highway / 21–22 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,750–$3,900 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 404–423 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 2 configurations |
| Age | 28 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls covering the 1998 Honda Prelude. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
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.
Risk: 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.
On certain sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and sport utility vehicles, electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is started.
Risk: Worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain vehicles were manufactured with ball joints that can prematurely wear out and, in the worse case, the ball joint would separate causing the front suspension to collapse.
Risk: This condition would result in vehicle deceleration and a sudden loss of power. Also steering controllability would be reduced.
Owners have filed 69 complaints about the 1998 Honda Prelude with NHTSA. 5 reports involved a crash. Owners reported 8 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
Manufacturers have filed 74 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 1998 Honda Prelude. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
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 to
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
Dtc (diagnostic trouble code) p1279, pgm tester software error. *sc
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
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 1998 Honda Prelude.
Ignition-park interlock
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
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It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. Its parts make up much of its value. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 1998 Preludes that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 1998 Honda Prelude; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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