1998 Honda Civic vs 1998 Honda Prelude
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1998 Honda Civic | 1998 Honda Prelude |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 435 | 69 |
| Recall campaigns | 3 | 2 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 140 | 74 |
| Investigations | 1 | 1 |
| Crash reports | 81 | 5 |
| Fire reports | 3 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 27–30 | 21–22 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 98,351 mi | 93,790 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Honda Civic | Honda Prelude |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 96 | 4 |
| Electrical System | 88 | 12 |
| Power Train | 49 | 31 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 53 | 4 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 29 | 3 |
| Structure | 26 | 1 |
| Visibility | 23 | 4 |
| Tires | 18 | 1 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 45 | 13 |
| Check engine light | 6 | 0 |
| Hesitation / surging | 6 | 0 |
| Shifting problems | 5 | 0 |
| Vibration / shaking | 5 | 0 |
| Clunking / rattling | 5 | 0 |
1998 Honda Civic
1998 Honda Prelude
Compare all Honda Civic vs Honda Prelude years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.