Acura Legend Years to Avoid — Worst & Best Years to Buy

Q: What year Legend should I avoid?

Based on NHTSA recall and complaint data, the 1991 Acura Legend has the most documented problems with a problem score of 125 — driven by 5 recalls, 92 complaints.

Q: What is the best year Legend to buy?

The 1987 Acura Legend is the best-scoring year in our analysis with a problem score of only 7, meaning 1 recall and 4 complaints on record.

Q: Which Legend has the fewest problems?

The 1987, 1995, 1993 model years have the fewest reported problems in the NHTSA database. Always verify a specific vehicle's history with a VIN report before purchasing.

Every Acura Legend model year (1987–1995) ranked by recall count, complaint volume, deaths, and injuries. Data sourced directly from NHTSA.

Years Tracked

Total Recalls

278

Total Complaints

Reported Injuries

Reported Deaths

Acura Legend Years to Avoid

#1 WORST

1991

5 recalls · 92 complaints

9 reported injuries

Top issue: EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

Problem score: 125

#2 WORST

1992

4 recalls · 63 complaints

4 reported injuries

Top issue: EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

Problem score: 83

#3 WORST

1988

2 recalls · 23 complaints

9 reported injuries

Top issue: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Problem score: 47

Best Acura Legend Years to Buy

#1 BEST

1987

1 recall · 4 complaints

Main area: FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP

Problem score: 7

#2 BEST

1995

2 recalls · 4 complaints

Main area: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM

Problem score: 10

#3 BEST

1993

2 recalls · 17 complaints

Main area: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

Problem score: 25

Found the right year? Verify that specific Legend with a free VIN report.

Acura Legend — Year-by-Year Problem Report

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Injuries	Deaths	Problem Score	Verdict
1995	2	4	—	—	10	Excellent
1994	2	17	2	—	27	Good
1993	2	17	1	—	25	Good
1992	4	63	4	—	83	Avoid
1991	5	92	9	—	125	Avoid
1990	2	27	1	—	35	Good
1989	2	31	2	—	41	Good
1988	2	23	9	—	47	Caution
1987	1	4	—	—	7	Excellent

All 9 model years shown. Deaths and injuries from NHTSA complaint filings. Higher problem scores indicate more reported safety issues.

Acura Legend Shopping Guide by Era

Pre-2013

Proceed with Caution

Older Legend models have more accumulated wear and a larger recall history. These are higher-risk purchases without documented maintenance records and a clean VIN history report.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year Legend should I avoid?+

Avoid the 1991 Acura Legend if possible. It has 5 recalls, 92 owner complaints. The overall problem score is 125 — the highest in our dataset.

What is the best year Legend to buy?+

The 1987 Acura Legend is the lowest-risk year in our analysis, with a problem score of 7. It has only 1 recall and 4 complaints on record with NHTSA.

Which Legend has the fewest problems?+

The 1987, 1995, 1993 model years have the fewest documented problems. Even for low-problem years, verifying a specific vehicle's history via its VIN is always recommended before purchase.

More Acura Legend Research

Reliability Score

Overall reliability rating and score breakdown for the Acura Legend.

Common Problems

Full breakdown of every reported defect for the Acura Legend.

Check a Specific Acura Legend VIN

Model-year rankings show statistical risk. A VIN-specific report reveals the individual vehicle's full history — accidents, odometer rollbacks, auction records, and open recall status.

Run a Free VIN Report →