AI Damage1990 Acura Integra: common problems
Owners of the 1990 Acura Integra filed 32 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 32
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 31% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 19% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 16% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
- 5 Suspension 9% of all complaints
- 6 Tires 9% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 6% of all complaints
- 8 Visibility 6% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 10 complaints (31% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (19% of all).
- Service brakes: 5 complaints (16% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (9% of all).
- Suspension: 3 complaints (9% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.8 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 32 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Upon impact, the driver was killed because the automatic seat belt retracted when the door became slightly ajar. Dealer has not been notified.
Vehicle was broadside by drunk driver; vehicle hit curb & utility pole; pole ended in driver's seat; floor of vehicle cave upwards; driver's feet/legs trapped between floor & pedals; ankle was broken
1991 acura......automatic seatbelt does not work. Consumer took vehicle to a mechanic and the employee said that the seatbelt should be replaced for free.
At 8:15pm thursday, march 26, 2009 I was traveling south bound on route 124 also known as woodfield rd. When I hit a hole in the ground that was at least a foot deep. It has bent my wheel, damaged my tire, and broken my tie rod. I would like to know who will be paying for this.
Bolt holding a/c belt tension pully sheared off causing entire assembly to fall off car and go bouncing across interstate. Dislodged p/s belt causing failure of power steering. This is the second failure of this component since 1996.
While driving about 65 mph tried to open sunroof, and it almost flew out of vehicle without prior warning. Had to be replaced.
Consumer purchased two new firestone firehawk tires which were mounted on the front, consumer drove vehicle 24 miles when the right front tire separated causing temporary loss of control, no collision.
Automatic seat belt suddenly releases in multiple situations: upon sudden stops, while driving at verious speeds, going over "small" bumps in road. Someimes automatic seatbelt won't engage upon shutting door.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 6,635 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Integra has 33 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 32, about average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
- Integra 19865 sources
- Integra 198711 sources
- Integra 19889 sources
- Integra 198916 sources
- Integra 199136 sources
- Integra 199228 sources
- Integra 199321 sources
- Integra 199455 sources
- Integra 199552 sources
- Integra 199636 sources
- Integra 199722 sources
- Integra 199821 sources
- Integra 19998 sources
- Integra 200017 sources
- Integra 20016 sources
- Integra 2023260 sources
- Integra 2024122 sources
- Integra 202563 sources
- Integra 202619 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Acura Integra?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, powertrain, service brakes. Total complaints: 32. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (16%), knocking, grinding or other noise (6%), stalls while driving (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 Acura Integra?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1990 Acura Integra from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1990 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.