AI Damage1989 Acura Legend: common problems
Owners of the 1989 Acura Legend filed 34 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 34
- involving a crash
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 29% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 24% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 15% of all complaints
- 4 Seat belts 12% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 9% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
- 7 Equipment 6% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 10 complaints (29% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 8 complaints (24% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (15% of all).
- Seat belts: 4 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 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.
- 2.7 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- manual, 5-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 34 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 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.
My mother was involved in an accident in my 1989 acura legend, which the driver's seat belt released upon the impact of the incident. She was then citated for not wearing a safety belt. I have recently found that they were recalled in may of 1995. I purchased the vehicle on a year ago.
First, my brakes locked up on me, having abs I should have not had this problem, second as we hit the vehicle in front of use two things happended, one my passanger's seatbelt did not take hold and he ended up in the hospital with minor injuries.
While driving consumer drove vehicle into a 2 inch pothole, causing the driver's airbag to deploy which resulted in an accident. Cause unknown. Please provide further information.
Upon impact, air bag deployed but bag exploded resulting in chest injury to sturnam (breast bone). Please describe details. Tt
Overheating problems, ignition problems, airbag does not work, door open light stays on, leak in sunroof when it rains,
While making a turn and without any indication, vehicle started accelerating and took off going up hill. Consumer pumped brakes and pulled hand brake and vehicle continued to travel consumer then turned engine off to stop. Jlg
Vehicle shut down while traveling at hwy speed of 60 mph. Vehicle taken to an independent repair shop and informed that ignition switch had failed and was replaced. Consumer states vehicle started right up and stalled twice more.
Since l998 my car has failed to start and after repeated efforts, when the engine has cooled off, it will start unexpectedly. I have even called the aaa and by the time they arrive, the car will start on its own. I have replaced (at my expense) one starter; and the dealership replaced (at their cost) another).
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 6,426 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 18% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Legend has 35 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 34, about average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1989 Acura Legend?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, air bags, electrical system. Total complaints: 34. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (9%), seat belts (9%), won't start (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1989 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 1989 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 1989 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.