HondaPrelude1989Overview/honda/prelude/1989/base/

1989 Honda Prelude

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1989 Prelude.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1989 Honda Prelude specified a 3.6-quart oil capacity requiring 10W-30 or 5W-30 API viscosity and delivered EPA fuel economy ratings of 18/24/20 mpg when equipped with the four-speed automatic transmission. Reliability records document 28 total owner complaints for this model year, with steering systems representing the top concern alongside one recall campaign. This positions the 1989 just outside the 1990-2006 complaint history range, where the 1990 model year later achieved the lowest complaint count at four, meaning this model generated significantly more complaints than the most reliable year in the documented span that followed.

Model year200120001999199819971996199519941989

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.6 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/24/20 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length175.6 in
Overall width67.3 in
Overall height51.2 in
Wheelbase101.2 in
Curb weight2553 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 24 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

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.

8.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.60 sec — 1989 Si Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1989Si Coupe 2.0L I-48.60 sec16.50 sec135 hpFWD
1988Si 4WS Coupe 2.0L I-49.00 sec17.00 sec135 hpFWD
1988Si 4WS Coupe 2.0L I-49.30 sec16.80 sec135 hpFWD
1992Si Coupe 2.3L I-47.20 sec15.60 sec160 hpFWD
1985Coupe 1.8L I-410.70 sec16.80 sec100 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
1995VTEC Coupe 2.2L I-46.70 sec15.10 sec190 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.6 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3.6 qt

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; 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 Linings (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
At 15,000 miParking Brake System (inspect) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Steering System (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect alignment)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miAir Injection System (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect)

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 1989 Honda Prelude lead in one area — the steering, 8 of 28 reports (29%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the steering, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the steering 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.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
28
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 28 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering8
Engine & Engine Cooling7
Seat Belts6
Electrical System1
Equipment1
Steering,Suspension,Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Engine & Engine Cooling,Visibility,Vehicle Speed Control,Tires1
Power Train1
Suspension1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95V103001Seat Belts:Front:Buckle AssemblyReported 24/05/1995

THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY. Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES. CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. CHECK THAT BOTH…

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

How much oil does the 1989 Prelude take?

3.6 qt of ABOVE -4 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 32 degrees F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1989 Prelude have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Prelude get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 24 highway / 20 combined mpg.