IllustrationUNINTENDED ACCELERATION FROM BANK ATM LINE. MOTOR IDLING. TOOK OFF AT HIGH SPEED WHEN SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE. COULDN'T CONTROL. CRASHED INTO TREE OPPOSITE SIDE OF PARKING LOT.
1988 Acura Legend
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1988 Acura Legend do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 29.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Legend years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 33 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
10 crash reports0 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
33 reportsVEHICLE EXPERIENCED RANDOM SUDDEN ACCELERATION.
HAVING BATTERY RECHARGED WITH THE HOOD UP, A FEW MINUTES LATER, HOOD FELL ON BATTERY CABLES. MECHANIC CHECKED & FOUND THE GAS CYLINDERS WERE DEFECTIVE & NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PART #74145-SG0-A00. *AK
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR INTO REVERSE AT VERY HIGH SPEED, HIT SOMEONE AND STUCK TWO HOUSES BEFORE STOPPING. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
DRIVER ENTERED VEHICLE, RELEASED PARKING BRAKE AND PUT TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN A COLLISION/INJURIES. ALSO VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION.
THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE AND THEN IT ACCELERATED, AND THE CAR WENT UP IN THE AIR AND OVER A STONE WALL. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOTALED. *AK *NLM
UPON PUTTING TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE AND LIGHTLY TOUGHING GAS PEDAL, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN A CRASH/INJURIES. *AK
MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH THAT CONTROLS DIRECTIONAL BLINKER AND HEALDIGHTS FAILED. *AK
WITH 45,684 MILES THE ABS MODULATOR BEGAN TO LOSE FLUID AND FAIL. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE LEAK, BUT FLUID LEVAL WOULD DECREASE AND RENDERER THE SYSTEM INOPERABLE. THE MODULATOR WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AND THUS REPLACED. AFTER ANOTHER 45,000 MILES THE MODULATOR IS LOSING FLUID AGAIN. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN PROBLEM AND A R…
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WITH 45,684 MILES THE ABS MODULATOR BEGAN TO LOSE FLUID AND FAIL. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE LEAK, BUT FLUID LEVAL WOULD DECREASE AND RENDERER THE SYSTEM INOPERABLE. THE MODULATOR WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE AND THUS REPLACED. AFTER ANOTHER 45,000 MILES THE MODULATOR IS LOSING FLUID AGAIN. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN PROBLEM AND A RECALL MAY BE NEEDED.
Official recalls
295V103001 · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
May 24, 1995
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: 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 PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUG ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, THEN PRESS THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS ANY SIGN OF BREAKAGE OR CRACKING, OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, PROMPTLY CONTACT YOUR AUTHORIZED HONDA/ACURA DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.
87V171000 · Equipment:other:owners/service/other Manual
Oct 29, 1987
OWNERS MANUAL INFORMATION REQUIRED BY FMVSS 210, SECTIONS 6A AND 6B WAS OMITTED FROM THE MANUAL.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES MANUAL INFORMATION DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS210.
Remedy: UPGRADE EXISTING MANUALS BY INSERTING ADHESIVE BACKED CORRECTION PAGES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
3EA94035 · Seat Belt Buckle Failure
Opened Oct 27, 1994 · Closed Jul 31, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:buckle Assembly
There is no summary currently available
EA88026 · Sudden Acceleration
Opened Mar 8, 1988 · Closed Jan 10, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM MANUFACTURER:UNDER DP88-005 AMERICAN HONDAPROVIDED THE STATISTICS GIVEN ABOVE.HONDA ALSO VERIFIED THAT THE POWER-TRAIN INSTALLED IN THE ACCURA LEGEND IS ALSO SOLD TO AUSTIN ROVER AND USEDIN THE STERLING VEHICLE.A NUMBER OF THE COMPLAINTS REPORTED DIRECTLY TOHONDA HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED BY FIELD PERSONNEL, WHO CONSISTENTLY HAVE NOTFOUND ANY APPARENT COMPONENT OR SUBSYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS TO WHICH THEINCIDENTS COULD BE ATTRIBUTED.ANALYSIS:THE RATES OF COMPLAINTS AND ACCIDENTS INVOLVING THE SUBJECTVEHICLES ARE SIGNIFICANT.FURTHER DETAILED REVIEW OF THIS MATTER ISAPPROPRIATE AND SHOULD INCLUDE THE ACQUISITION AND ANALYSIS OF INFORMATIONFROM AUSTIN ROVER REGARDING THE STERLING VEHICLE.STATUS:DETAILED ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION ARE BEING CONDUCTED.INVESTIGA-TION IS CONCENTRATED ON ACURA LEGEND.MEETINGS HAVE BEEN HELD WITH THEMANUFACTURER TO REVIEW AND ANALYZE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS FOR CLUES AS TOORIGIN OF THE PROBLEM.NO COMPONENT FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS HAVE BEENIDENTIFIED AS CAUSAL TO DATE.===
DP88005 · Sudden Acceleration
Opened Nov 10, 1987 · Closed Mar 8, 1988
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available