Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA about the 1989 Acura Legend, and it carries 2 recalls. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 11 | 29% |
| Air bags | 7 | 18% |
| Seat belts | 4 | 11% |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 8% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 5% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Steering | 1 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 1 | 3% |
| Fuel system | 1 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
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
NHTSA complaint: Seat belts
OVERHEATING PROBLEMS, IGNITION PROBLEMS, AIRBAG DOES NOT WORK, DOOR OPEN LIGHT STAYS ON, LEAK IN SUNROOF WHEN IT RAINS,
NHTSA complaint: Engine and engine cooling
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 S
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
WHILE PULLING INTO A SERVICE STATION, BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Air bags
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. *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE STARTED RIGHT UP AND STA
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
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 HAV
NHTSA complaint: Steering
MY FRIEND AND I WERE TRAVELING ON A FOUR LANE ROAD IN THE RAIN GOING 5 MILES UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT. TWO CARS IN FRONT OF US SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES AND I PROCEEDED TO DO THE SAME THING. FIRST, MY BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
REPEATED DIFFICULTY IN STARTING THE CAR. STARTER HAS BEEN REPLACES TWICE/ SECURITY SYSTEM HAS BEEN DEACTIVATED. PROBLEM PERSISTS.*AK
NHTSA complaint: Steering
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 1989 Acura Legend. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.
Risk: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Fix: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES. CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. CHECK THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PRO
THREADED INFLATOR COMPONENTS MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY WHICH MAY ALLOW COMPONENTS TO SEPARATE WHEN INFLATOR RECEIVES A SIGNAL TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAG.
Risk: INFLATOR COMPONENT SEPARATION ALLOWS HOT COMBUSTION GASES TO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURIES TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.
Fix: REPLACE AIR BAG MODULES CONTAINING POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE INFLATORS.
| Reliability raw | 87 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 84 | excellent |
| Maintenance | 79 | good |
| Depreciation | 62 | average |
| Performance | 51 | average |
| Efficiency | 35 | below average |
Percentile ranks against other compact cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 38 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and service brakes is the most reported area with 11 of them (29%). There are 2 recalls on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 87/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 84/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 1989 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 72/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.