1991 Acura Integra: common problems

Owners of the 1991 Acura Integra filed 36 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 36
involving a crash: 3

What fails most often

1 Seat belts 39% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
3 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
4 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
5 Visibility 8% of all complaints
6 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
7 Equipment 6% of all complaints
8 Structure 6% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Seat belts: 14 complaints (39% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Service brakes: 5 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 4 complaints (11% of all).
Fuel system: 3 complaints (8% of all).
Visibility: 3 complaints (8% 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 36 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

seat belts14 · 39%
door locks, latches, handles2 · 6%
rust, corrosion2 · 6%
windows, sunroof2 · 6%
A/C or heater1 · 3%
hesitation when accelerating1 · 3%
won't start1 · 3%
knocking, grinding or other noise1 · 3%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 3%
stalls while driving1 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Seat belts	14	1
Service brakes	5	1
Powertrain	4	0
Fuel system	3	0
Visibility	3	0
Electrical system	2	0
Equipment	2	0
Structure	2	0
Suspension	2	0
Engine and cooling	1	0
Tires	1	1
Other	1	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

* bf the consumer lost control of the vehicle after the tire blew out and slid off the right side of the road and landed on its right side in a ditch. Ohio traffic report # 10-0309-89 updated 05/03/10
Tires · crash · 2010-03-22 · NHTSA complaint #10321969
They did not activate when applied due to the master cylinder did not work and the pedal went to the floor. Please describe. Tt
Service brakes · crash · 1995-08-21 · NHTSA complaint #970784
Driver side seat belt did not work when accident occured. Tt
Seat belts · crash · 1995-08-03 · NHTSA complaint #969779
When I open the driver's side door, the driver's seat belt retracts forward which is correct. But when I close the door, the driver's seat belt should retract back to me but it doesn't. The seat belt is stuck in the forward position, the red seat belt light is on and there is a constant beeping sounding.
Seat belts · 2017-03-30 · NHTSA complaint #10969446
The electric seatbelt on the drivers side no longer retracts. Its stuck in the downward position. Took it to the acura dealership in peoria, az and I was told its not their problem to fix.. Yet I have read all over the internet that acura will fix for the life of the car. This is a major issue!
Seat belts · 2014-01-13 · NHTSA complaint #10559740
Bought douglas tires at walmart, 195/60/14. Tires wobbled from time I bought them and wore out fast. 2 tires were bought on front of car. Walmart double weight balance but tires still bad.
Suspension · 2006-05-21 · NHTSA complaint #10157942
Problems with interior lights, cassette player and door locks. There were leaks from one of the windows, there was rust on the outside door (by the key hole) and on the bottom of the door. Occasionally when the vehicle was put into reverse, it made a harsh noise.
Powertrain · 2003-09-08 · NHTSA complaint #10038164
Ignition switch keeps burning out and has to be replaced. Please add further information.
Electrical system · 2002-05-24 · NHTSA complaint #8010456

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19955
19962
19976
19982
19996
20004
20012
20021
20033
20061
20101
20111
20141
20171

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 6,253 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Integra has 33 complaints (20 years in the data). This year has 36, about average.

What to check before buying

Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1991 Acura Integra?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, service brakes, powertrain. Total complaints: 36. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (39%), door locks, latches, handles (6%), rust, corrosion (6%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 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 1991 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 1991 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.