AI Damage1986 Acura Legend: common problems
Owners of the 1986 Acura Legend filed 17 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel system and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 17
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel system 41% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 18% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 12% of all complaints
- 4 Visibility 12% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
- 6 Tires 6% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
- Fuel system: 7 complaints (41% of all).
- Seat belts: 3 complaints (18% of all).
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (12% of all).
- Visibility: 2 complaints (12% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (6% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 17 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 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.
Vehicle suddenly accelerated upon shifting gears from park to reverse crashing into mailbox and ramp. Please describe details. Tt
All three tires experienced a failure (a blowout) involving the sidewalls of the tires. We believe the high rate of failure in the sidewall area indicates a manufacturing defect.
Consumer states while driving in heavy rain, the windshield wipers suddenly stopped working, consumer states he was instantly blinded while rounding a turn, and drove off the side of the road, consumer states the wiper motor continued to run, but the linkage between the motor and the wipers apparently failed, causing…
I was instantly blinded in heavy rain when windshield wipers stopped working and ran off the roadrking.
Driver's side retractor does not retract, leaving seatbelt loose around the driver. Dealer has not seen vehicle. Consumer contacted another acura dealership that informed him that seat belts came with a lifetime warranty and promptly fixed them.
There is fuel escaping through muffler/tail pipe. Consumerr stated that it is a health hazard.
Fuel filler pipe to the gas tank was improperly protected from rust, causing leakage.
Had smelled gas while driving, fuel leaking into trunk of vehicle which is for personal use.
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 8,820 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 24% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Legend has 35 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 17, below average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Visibility. Wipers, mirrors, defrosters, cracked glass.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1986 Acura Legend?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel system, seat belts, powertrain. Total complaints: 17. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: fuel system, fuel smell (24%), rust, corrosion (18%), seat belts (18%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1986 Acura Legend?
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 1986 Acura Legend 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 1986 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.