2025 Honda Prologue: What to check before buying

Front axles click or clunk when the wheel is turned near full lock, during U-turns, or when accelerating through a turn from a stop. Onset is usually within the first 9,000 miles, and the noise gets louder over time. Dealers often confirm the sound but return the car unrepaired, saying Honda has no fix yet or is waiting on a new part. Some cars had both axles replaced and the clicking came back. One crash report describes the car drifting left, steering and brakes not responding, and the vehicle overturning.

A "Service High Voltage System" warning can appear while driving or charging, sometimes after cold weather. It is often followed by reduced acceleration, loss of cabin heat, and charging that stops at a low level. Dealers frequently clear the codes without finding a cause, and the warning returns weeks later. The instrument cluster and infotainment screens also go black while driving, for anywhere from 15 seconds to several minutes. Other reports describe sudden braking while reversing with nothing behind the car, and a backup camera image too dark to use at night.

Front CV axles click during slow turns and when accelerating out of a turn. The noise often starts within the first few thousand miles. One report describes grease leaking from the boot at 400 miles. Replacement axles have failed again, in one case about 2,500 miles after the repair. Several dealers say Honda has no fix, that redesigned parts are not available, or that the problem is not a safety concern. Separate reports describe traction control cutting power during gentle turns on dry pavement, nearly stopping the car in traffic.

Reverse lights are too dim to light the area behind the car, so the backup camera image is nearly black at night. Where there are no streetlights, drivers say they can barely see past the rear bumper. Tapping the brake pedal adds a little light, but drivers cannot hold the brake while backing up. Owners describe this as a design weakness, not a part failure, and no fix is reported. One report places it at about 7,700 miles. Others say it has been present since the car was new.

This category mixes several problems. The most common is front axle clicking or grinding in turns. Repairs are stalled by backordered parts or dealer instructions not to replace axles. One lease car developed loud front suspension creaking at 3k miles, worst when accelerating and turning, and the dealer said Honda is investigating. Other reports describe "Service High Voltage System" warnings that cut power, stop the heat, and limit charging to about 25%. The main control screen can also go black and stay off.

Rear automatic braking can slam on while the car is barely moving in reverse with nothing behind it, and passengers think the car hit something. Some drivers turn the system off. The other reports describe a rear camera image so dark at night that objects are hard to see, starting at 10 and 600 miles. One dealer said the camera was working as designed. Another dealer did not diagnose the car.

One crash report describes the car surging forward at low speed while pulling into a parking spot and striking three parked vehicles. Collision mitigation braking did not activate, and the dealer could not explain the event. A second report describes a sudden total loss of power in highway traffic with no warning messages. The car could not go faster than 8 mph and would not restart for about 10 minutes. Both are rare in the filings but carry serious crash risk.

The car brakes hard with nothing ahead, at a stop sign or while driving through a green light, and nearly causes rear-end collisions. One owner says the false stops continued after a dealer software update. Another reports driver-assist systems shutting themselves off while one-pedal driving applies the brakes. The same owner describes traction control activating with cruise control set on dry roads, infotainment screens going black, and dealers unable to reproduce the problems.