HondaPrelude1997Overview/honda/prelude/1997/base/

1997 Honda Prelude

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 Prelude.

The 1997 Honda Prelude overview shows a model that attracted 74 owner complaints, the highest total for the nameplate across its 1990‑2006 production span, with the Power Train identified as the most frequent problem area. Five recalls were issued for this year, underscoring the service actions taken to address those issues. In contrast, the earliest model year in the data set, 1990, recorded only four complaints, highlighting how the 1997 example sits at the peak of reported reliability concerns for the Prelude line. This positions the 1997 Prelude as a notable outlier in the model's complaint history.

Model year200120001999199819971996199519941993

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 550 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLIGHTOEM · verified
Tire size205-50VR16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length178 in
Overall width68.5 in
Overall height52 in
Wheelbase101.6 in
Curb weight2954 lb
Track (front / rear)59.8 / 59.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Prelude of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.9–7.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.90 sec — 1997 Type SH Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1997Type SH Coupe 2.2L I-46.90 sec15.40 sec195 hpFWD
1997Type SH Coupe 2.2L I-47.20 sec15.60 sec195 hpFWD
1997Type SH Coupe 2.2L I-47.20 sec15.60 sec195 hpFWD
1995VTEC Coupe 2.2L I-46.70 sec15.10 sec190 hpFWD
1999Type SH Coupe (used) 2.2L I-47.00 sec15.50 sec200 hpFWD
1993Si VTEC Coupe 2.2L I-46.30 sec14.60 sec190 hpFWD
1993Si VTEC Coupe 2.2L I-46.70 sec15.20 sec190 hpFWD
1992Si Coupe 2.3L I-47.20 sec15.60 sec160 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts181 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts80 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug33.0-36.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub181 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub134 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.64-.78 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance41,400-21,600 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerDenso
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.66 lbs
Oil TypeSP-10
Oil Capacity1.33 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature169-176 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)40.0-47.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)30.0-37.0 psi
Engine Compression135-178. 28 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure10 psi @ Idle, 50 psi @ 3000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.007 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket83 ft-lbs / 17 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle80 ft-lbs / 41 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.063; Rear: 0.063 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.079 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.004 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.905 in / 0.354 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.905 in / 0.354 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
129 ft. lbs.29 ft. lbs
251 ft. lbs.51 ft. lbs
372.3 ft. lbs.72.3 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exterior Lighting (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect alignment)
Every 30,000 miAntilock Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Parking Brake System (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Steering System (inspect)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 45,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect)
Every 90,000 miTransmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 105,000 miBalance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Timing Belt (replace) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 1997 Honda Prelude dominate in one area — the power train, 37 of 74 reports (50%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 5 recall campaigns target the power train, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 10 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the power train pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
81
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
74
Owner complaints
10 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 74 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train37
Electrical System6
Suspension6
Tires5
Engine & Engine Cooling4
Equipment3
Air Bags2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E060000Exterior LightingReported 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… Remedy: 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.

06E026000Exterior LightingReported 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… Remedy: 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.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 81 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DORE5C4S092019-07-11SuspensionThis SKU is a Front Upper Ball Joint. The customer communication requested return of…
980742007-04-20Engine And Engine CoolingCONCERNS WITH ENGINE HESITATION OR STUMBLE CAN BE FELT UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION BETWEEN…
8042004-08-16Engine And Engine CoolingDTC (DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE) P1279, PGM TESTER SOFTWARE ERROR. *SC
980662004-08-03VisibilityA CONDITION EXIST WHERE THE UPPER WINDSHIELD MOLDING IS WARPED OR DEFORMED. *TT THIS…
050120042004-05-01Unknown Or OtherTYPE 1 IMMOBI BRAKE CODES AVAILABLE ON THE INTERACTIVE NETWORK (HONDA). *NM

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Prelude. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 1997 Prelude have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.