I bought a 2001 Prelude, base model, 5 spd,on eBay. Carfax was good, only 60K miles. So far I love the car; great fun. But I have been surprised by a few things that were engineering and/or quality oversights by Honda. All these problems are common to the 5th gen Prelude, as I found out by searching here on this forum. Such as-
-Trunk and tail light lens fill with water during rain. Fixed that by sealing lens gaskets with RTV silicone.
-Left exterior door handle return spring catch broke. Repaired using the fix I found on here.
-Right headlight plastic tab broken. RTV'd in place for now.
-Right rear wheel bearing was bad. Replaced. (Found lots of threads on here about the fragile wheel bearings on this car).
-Front suspension thump in really cold weather (I live in Denver). No fix.
-Front suspension squeaks over bumps. Put silicone grease on sway bar bushings; helped some, but not total fix.
-Rear shock knock. I have done the crossbrace squeak fix under the rear seat (no help). I have not yet done the shock tower collar fix. PITA.
-Right side mirror up/down control not working.
Things I can't blame on Honda, but maybe on past owner-
-Had to replace all four inner/outer front CV boots. (At 60K??)
-Radiator fan broke off electric motor mount, (Maybe a past front collision? But no CarFax record of such on this car).
Again, great car, I like it. But a surprising lapse in Honda engineering/quality on those issues I mentioned.
hmmm.... maybe my 99' was a freak. i bought it new in 99' had it until it was totaled this past june. the only thing i had on your list is:
-the rear shock knock. fixed after buying the newer collars.
-drivers cv boot replaced at 165,000 miles. car was lowered since around 97,000.
i now have a 00' sh so far none of these have surfaced.
I'm a new Prelude owner as well (99 base, 75K miles). The only thing that bothers me about the car is how much oil it burns. Even when I don't use the hot cam, it still goes through a fair amount of oil.
I have 2 preludes both SH, one(99) with 175k with some suspension knocking, but everything else that has happened to your lude hasnt even hinted about happening and its been through some rough Albany winter.
The other one (98) has 163k with a suspension in immaculate condition and everything else seems great. I do agree they burn some oil but not dramatically.
Hondas engineering and quality is not lacking, Im sorry man but I think its just your car to a certain extent.
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98Type SH Stock-Nordic Mist
WTB: Tanabe SMH Catback
Well, I too would have thought the issues in my post were just the particulars of this car I bought, until I did searches on this forum and all the issues I put on my post were in fact common to the 5th gen Prelude. Not a major downer; I will work through all of them to get the issues cured. Car is great fun to drive, and handles well. Lots of road noise though, and the headlight low beams have lousy coverage (yes, they are adjusted properly). I will clean and seal the headlight reflectors, maybe put some Silverstar 9001 bulbs in both the low and hi beam slots.
-Left exterior door handle return spring catch broke. Repaired using the fix I found on here.
So when you pull the handle to open the door from the outside the door opens but the handle doesn't return to its original position? How did you fix it or can you direct me to a write-up or so on how to fix it? If it's like what i described, I have the same issue with my interior door handle on the driver's side. I was just in the car now when I pulled the handle to get out when I realized it was very stiff to pull the handle and it didn't return to it's original position.
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[ H E N R Y ] - '01 Satin Silver Base
Yes, the outside door handle would still open the door, but it would not return flush when you released it, due to the common problem of the plastic tab breaks on the inside that holds the return spring in tension. I did the fix in the procedure, and it works fine now.
yea i have on 01 base as well havent had the door handle mess up on me yet the tabs suck for the headlights people are to lazy to take off the entire bumper lol my suspeintion everytime in the cold i go over a bump feels like something is loose i guess u can call it a knock and as for in the rear as well nothin you can really do about it thats about my only issues.. o and yes we burn mad oill...
I just got my 97 base 5speed and at first the car seemed perfect. Later i find out the idle is jumpy fixed that fitv internal plastic thing was completley loose and now im trying to fix the left headlight because it only turns on when it feels like it. But i too have a lil water in my rear lights and my door handles are soft but always return. Anyone know were i can find a descent pair of interior door handles? Besides honda...But ill work those out and continue enjoying the lude.. I love it..
Fixes to the issues on my original post=
Due to lack of time, I had the Honda dealer do the rear shock tower noise ("shock knock") collar fix, TSB 00-090. Cost was $210. This fixed most of the noise. Now I think I can isolate some noise coming from the backseat lap belt inertia reel seatbelt locker (the thing that locks the belt in place if you stop too quickly). It is behind the plastic panels, where the belt goes once the reel take up the slack. I will pull the panels eventually and check that out. (Might just pull all the belt equipment out from the back seats; too small for anyone to sit back there ever anyway).
What I thought was a front suspension "thunk" when letting out the clutch in 1st gear, I think now is the rubber engine mounts. As this only happens in really cold weather (35 or below), I think the motor mount rubber gets very stiff and unflexible, and then allows the torgue of the engine to rock the engine in its mounts so it hits the limits of the mount travel, and "thunks". This goes away when the weather warms up.
I just replace the rear strut collars, very easy job, $37 in parts from Honda, highway robbery, no help in rear area noise. The collars had already been replaced. Interesting idea about removing rear seat belts, you are right, never had anyone back there as a passenger, except maybe laying down I did not just say that did I?
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I did not just say that did I?
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