1998 Daewoo Leganza: common problems

Owners of the 1998 Daewoo Leganza filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 5

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 60% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 40% of all complaints

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

Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (60% of all).
Service brakes: 2 complaints (40% of all).

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
2.2 L · petrol · 4 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: FWD

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Engine and cooling	3	0	0
Service brakes	2	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.

Consumer received recall 02v257001 concerning brake hose. Dealer was not in operation.
Service brakes · 2004-10-26 · NHTSA complaint #10097813
Consumer received recall 0v4357000 concerning cam shaft position sensor. Dealer was not in operation.
Engine and cooling · 2004-10-22 · NHTSA complaint #10097539
The consumer received a recall notice(02v257001) for the brake hose, however there was no dealer available to perform the recall.
Service brakes · 2004-10-20 · NHTSA complaint #10097297
Consumer received recall 04v357000 concerning cam shaft position sensor. Dealer was not in operation.
Engine and cooling · 2004-10-06 · NHTSA complaint #10095306
Consumer received a recall notice(04v357000) for the cam shaft position sensor.
Engine and cooling · 2004-09-15 · NHTSA complaint #10092267

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Leganza has 98 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1998 Daewoo Leganza?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, service brakes. Total complaints: 5.

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Daewoo Leganza?

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 1998 Daewoo Leganza 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 1998 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.