Head-to-head reliability
Honda Prelude vs FORD F 150
How the Honda Prelude and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Honda Prelude vs FORD F 150: The Prelude has 34 complaints over 3 years (11.3/yr) and 6 recalls, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years (1,131.1/yr) and 145 recalls. The Prelude's issues include stalling and brake lock-up; the F-150's include transmission hard shifts and power loss. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Honda Prelude or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Honda Prelude
The Honda Prelude, a sporty coupe from the late 1990s and early 2000s, shows a moderate complaint rate of about 11 per year. Owners frequently report transmission issues, including a recall for a faulty transmission that could cause the key to stick, and electrical problems like the car stalling and failing to restart. Brake issues, such as the ABS control unit failing and brakes engaging on their own, also appear. While not as numerous as some trucks, these issues point to a car that may need careful attention to its drivetrain and electrical systems.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150, a full-size pickup, has a much higher complaint volume, averaging over 1,100 per year over a decade. The dominant issue is the 10-speed automatic transmission, with owners reporting hard shifts, jerking, and even sudden power loss. Electrical problems are also common, including camera and pre-collision assist malfunctions. With 145 recalls and a higher rate of crashes and injuries reported, the F-150 shows a pattern of more frequent and varied issues, but its popularity means more data is available.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Honda Prelude | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 34 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 6 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 4 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 11.3 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 3 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Honda Prelude
- 01POWER TRAIN18
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7
- 03SERVICE BRAKES4
- 04HYDRAULIC4
- 05ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING3
Owners report transmission problems, including a recall for a faulty transmission that could cause the key to stick. Some also describe the vehicle not rolling back on an incline as expected, suggesting clutch or transmission issues.
The car may suddenly turn off while driving and then fail to start for a while, which is linked to a recall on the ignition switch. This is a serious safety concern as it can happen on the road.
The ABS control unit can fail intermittently, causing the brakes to engage involuntarily, the front end to vibrate, and one wheel to get hot and lock up. This can be dangerous and requires replacement of the unit.
“I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL FROM THE AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR COMPANY STATING THAT I NEEDED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER, DUE MY FROM MY CAR WHATSOEVER TRANSMISSION. 2 WEEKS LATER I WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE MY KEY FROM MY CAR WHATSOEVER REVERS…”
“BRAKE SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING AND ENGAGING INVOLUNTARILY. FRONT END VIBRATES. ALSO, LEFT WHEEL GETS HOT AND LOCKS UP. VEHICLE HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND SHOULD ROLL BACK WHEN THE FOOT IS TAKEN OFF OF BRAKE PEDAL ON AN INCLINE. INSTEAD, THE VEHICLE DOES NO…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The 10-speed automatic transmission is a major source of complaints, with owners experiencing hard and delayed shifts, jerking, clunking, and even sudden loss of power while driving. This can be alarming and potentially hazardous.
Many owners report warning messages for the front camera and pre-collision assist malfunctioning, which can disable safety features. These issues appear regularly and may require dealer intervention.
Headlight problems are common, with many recalls related to exterior lighting. Owners may experience dim or failing headlights, reducing visibility at night.
“I started noticing hard and delayed shifts from 7th into 8th gear. My RPM's were not increasing when this happened, and then on a very crowded major road I lost all power, vehicle shut off and drifted, then started up and jerked again very hard. This failure…”
“I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2020 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission shifts hard (ie: jerks, clunks) between 4-5 and 5-6 gears, and has on occasion…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Honda Prelude — 6 recalls
The defect: 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 FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIA…
The risk: LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH
The fix: 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.
The defect: 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 TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE D…
The risk: WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
The fix: 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.
The defect: 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.
The 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.
The fix: DEALERS WILL PERFORM AN INSPECTION PROCEDURE THAT CONFIRMS INTERLOCK FUNCTION. VEHICLES WILL BE UPDATED WITH A REDESIGNED INTERLOCK LEVER FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 7, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACUR…
The defect: 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 FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIA…
The risk: LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH
The fix: 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.
FORD F 150 — 145 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from…
The risk: DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and br…
The risk: Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The re…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also…
The risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's num…
Buyer analysis
Honda Prelude or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Honda Prelude has far fewer complaints per year (11.3) compared to the Ford F-150 (1,131.1), indicating a lower rate of reported issues. However, the Prelude's issues, such as stalling and brake lock-up, are serious safety concerns. The F-150's higher volume reflects its popularity and longer production run, but the transmission problems are widespread and costly.
Key differences
- The Prelude has a much lower complaint rate (11.3 per year) than the F-150 (1,131.1 per year), but the Prelude's issues include stalling and brake lock-up, which are critical.
- The F-150's transmission problems are the most common, with hard shifts and power loss, while the Prelude's transmission issues are less frequent but still notable.
- Electrical problems in the Prelude can cause the car to shut off, while in the F-150 they often disable driver-assist features like pre-collision assist.
- The F-150 has more recalls (145) and more reported crashes and injuries, but that may be due to its higher sales volume.
- Check for any signs of transmission trouble, such as difficulty shifting or the key sticking in the ignition, and verify that any transmission recall work has been done.
- Test the brakes carefully, especially for any unintended engagement or wheel lock-up, and ask about the ABS control unit's history.
- Take a thorough test drive to feel for hard shifts or jerking, especially between 4th and 8th gears, and listen for clunking noises.
- Check that all electrical systems, including the front camera and pre-collision assist, are functioning properly and have no warning lights.
Before you buy
- Obtain a vehicle history report to see if recalls were addressed, especially the transmission and ignition switch recalls on the Prelude.
- Have a trusted mechanic inspect the transmission and brakes on either vehicle, and for the F-150, check the 10-speed transmission's condition.
- Test drive on a variety of roads, including hills, to check for brake issues on the Prelude and transmission behavior on the F-150.
- Check for any outstanding recalls and ensure they are completed before purchase.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection that includes a diagnostic scan for electrical faults.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Honda Prelude | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 24 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Honda Prelude or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Honda Prelude vs FORD F 150
- Honda Prelude total complaints
- 34
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Honda Prelude total recalls
- 6
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Honda Prelude avg complaints/year
- 11.3
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Honda Prelude
- Honda Prelude top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN