AI Damage1990 Acura Legend: common problems
Owners of the 1990 Acura Legend filed 36 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 36
- involving a crash
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 31% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 14% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 11% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 8% of all complaints
- 6 Equipment 8% of all complaints
- 7 Seat belts 6% of all complaints
- 8 Seats 6% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 11 complaints (31% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Structure: 5 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 4 complaints (11% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (11% of all).
- Electrical system: 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.
- 2.7 L · petrol · 6 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).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 11 | 3 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
I was involved in a hit and run which caused my driver side air bag to deploy causeing swelling to my face and the fumes from the air bag itself was very strong.
Late airbag deployment during a collision, causing traumatic injury to driver's eye. 3 other passengers were not harmed (no airbags). Airbag caused all damage, including loss of vision in right eye of driver.
Vehicle was involved in a crash and air bag deployed. Once the air bag deployed, there was severe damage done to the driver's face.
Brake system failure, total loss of braking. Tt consumer states as she puleed into a parking lot, she depressed the brakes and nothing happened, consumer pressed brakes and they went to the floor, consumer then hit the rear bumper of another vehicle, the master cylinder had to be replaced.
While driving about 25 mph and attemped to stop- abs brakes failed causing consumer to have accident. Tt
While attempting to backup, vehicle sped and crashed into bank window. Tt
I have had the front lower ball joints replaced in 2001, 2002 and 2003 with less than 10,000 miles and around a year of wear. The first time they were replaced, the dealer did them and put in defective parts.
Seat belts in the rear just popped out and consumer cannot use them. What can she do?
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 6,253 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 17% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Legend has 35 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 36, about average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Acura Legend?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, structure, air bags. Total complaints: 36. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (17%), seat belts (6%), smoke, burning smell, fire (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 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 1990 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 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.