1990 Honda Prelude Service and Repair Manual
This factory service and repair manual for the 1990 Honda Prelude is built around this exact year, engine and trim, so the specs, clearances and torque values inside are the ones Honda published for the 2.0L B20A5 or 2.1L B21A1 engine under your hood, not a generic figure pulled from another Prelude generation.
Engines covered
- 2.1L inline-four — DOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline
- 2.0L inline-four — DOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline
- 2.0L inline-four — SOHC, naturally aspirated, gasoline
Body styles covered
- 2-door coupe
Trims covered
- 2.0 S
- 2.0 Si
- Si
- Si 4WS
- Si ALB
- SR
Known issues on the 1990 Prelude. One recall is on federal record for this model year, covering the front seat belt buckle assembly: the red plastic "PRESS" release buttons on the front buckles can break, and the broken pieces can fall into the buckle mechanism and keep it from latching properly, leaving the belt unable to protect an occupant in a crash. Owners have filed 4 complaints for the year, and no technical service bulletins are on file. The factory diagnostic and repair procedures behind that buckle assembly, and everything else on the car, are here.
Whether you're inspecting the seat belt buckles, rebuilding the B20A5 or B21A1 head, or working through a routine service interval, it keeps you on Honda's own procedure and spec for your specific 1990 Prelude.
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
THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES. CAREFULL
INFORMATION REGARDING CAM-ON FUEL FILL CAP FAILURES DURING SMOG CHECK. *YH
INFORMATION ON HONING FIBER REINFORCED METAL (FRM) CYLINDERS. *TT
DURING COLLISION THE VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR SIDE AND THE CAR DOOR CAME OPEN AND THE DRIVER WAS THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE, THE SEAT BELT WAS ATTACHED TO THE DOOR BUT WAS STILL INTACT IN THE
ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD FAILED.
OWNER'S MANUAL INDICATES FOR CSS INSTALLATION IT REQUIRES SPECIAL LAP BELT ATTACHMENT TO SECURE CSS TO VEHICLE. TT
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION, HARD TO LATCH SAFETY BELTS. TT
