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Acura Legend

145791016

Comments

  • ytdkwktytdkwkt Member Posts: 1
    I have purchased new and have taken very good care of an 87 Legend. Very littlt maintenence required until this year. The car started to run hotter than usual this year. On three seperate trips speeds at 60 to 65 mph and the temp gauge was in the lower 1/4 of it's range. At 75 mph, the temp creeps up to the top 1/3 of the gauge range and I can tell that the engine is warmer than it was in past years. I have tried changing the thermostat and the coolant. I have seen the comments about the air pockets and will also try to bleed that again. I remember several years back that the Acura dealer recommended an engine purge product that was supposed to clear oil flow screens in the engine. I did that once at an oil change but have not done it again. The dealer now says that it is a head gasket problem to the tune of $2900.
    I hate to tear into the engine of a car that has only 86k miles on it.
    Any advice on engine overheating or how to verify that it is a blown head gasket????
  • donlinodonlino Member Posts: 39
    I now believe that there is a small leak from the water pump. I thought maybe it was a blown head gasket but I did find a leak. This will need to be verified by a pressure test.
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    Can somebody help me? I don't know how to get to the bulb to replace it on the front left turn signal on the bumper of our '91 Legend Sedan. Is there some trick or something hidden? I have looked for screws, up under the bumper etc and am baffled. There must be something I am overlooking. Maybe only the dealer knows and will tell me for a fee? LOL.

    Thanks
  • hoolickhoolick Member Posts: 16
    I'M SELLING MY WIFE'S 1990 LEGEND L,29,075 MILES,WHITE,CLOTHSEATS,LOWERED, PERFECT CONDITION JAG WOOD INSTALLED BY DEALERSHIP WHEN PURCHASED,IT WAS ALSO LOWERED BY THE DEALERSHIP,I'M THINKING OF ASKING 10K OR BEST OFFER,THE CAR STILL SMELLS NEW.WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE ASKING PRICE?
  • sharkwalksharkwalk Member Posts: 16
    Did you mean to say that you have a 1990 Legend L sedan with only 29,000 miles on it? $10,000 is more than fair, I would say. You could probably ask for more. Has it been garaged the whole time?
    You would be selling an unbelievable deal at $10,000.
  • alngolalngol Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone seen this. The temperature guage rises to the red mark and then it goes back to its
    normal position. It does not do this often and seems to do this in groups of two and when making a turn. The thermostat has been replaced twice, the fan control has been replaced, and so has the temperature guage sensor. Any suggestions?
  • donlinodonlino Member Posts: 39
    Does th engine speed change when the temp changes?
  • gs4amggs4amg Member Posts: 4
    I had to replace one of running lights on a '95 Legend, and I believe they are in the same cluster as the turn signal lights. The instructions for doing this were in my owner's manual. Do you have a copy of the manual? Does it provide any information?

    In the case of the '95, you open the hood, and remove a set of screws from a plastic housing. Then, allegedly, you can simply pull the housing for the light out. I did eventually do it, but I can tell you that I cursed more than once. It is in there quite snuggly and took a bit of work to get it out. Once you get to that point, getting at the bulbs is pretty simple.

    For what it's worth, I would suggest replacing all the bulbs, and doing it on both sides of the car at the same time. From my perspective, the pain of getting the housing out, and "learning" how hard you have to force it in order to get it to budge is high enough that you might as well replace all the bulbs and get it over with for the next few years.

    Good luck.
  • webby1webby1 Member Posts: 209
    Wow!!! I am glad I have found this forum.
    Trying to read as many posting as I can, I have noticed the price difference from Canada.
    Just an example I am looking to replace my daughters '89 Legend with a '92 at 120,000Km which is equivalent to approx 75K miles, excellent condition asking price 11,950 Canadian or approx 7500 US.
    I also had an '87 ( my sons, 340,000 km or 212,000Kmiles ) sold it to a guy 6 months ago who is using it to deliver pizza ( still on the road ).
    I also have a '90 Legend ( absolutely no rust ) 305,000 km or 190,000 Kmiles and every time I am looking at new cars I have a hard time justifying a purchase of the new one.
    Regards,
    Webby
  • jkr1jkr1 Member Posts: 5
    I just purchased a '92 Legend. The guy I bought it from mentioned that it occasionally has the same problems as Donlino described with the temperature gage rising. Said it needed a new head gasket. I talked to the repair man(used to work for Acura - now on his own) and he said it would be $1200-$1300 to replace.

    Also, the left rear window does not work. Has anyone had this problem and tried to replace the motor? I assume the dealer would want well over $200 to fix...
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    GS4amg,

    Thanks for the help. Actually when I crawled under the left front bumper, I found that the turn signal bulb was just out of it's plastic socket, and was actually lighting. I thought I had been under there before. Anyway, I just screwed the thing in and presto, turn signal works, and I remember to always check things twice, thrice etc.

    The kids have taken the Legend back to college, oil and filter changed by their dad.

    Later,

    Ed Smith
  • lorna1lorna1 Member Posts: 1
    A recent change (for the worse) in my financial situation has made it necessary for me to find and purchase a car within my cash payment capabilities. My boss drives a 1993 Acura Legend which has 170,000 miles on it and he is recommending that I buy a 1994 Legend. This particular Legend is a 1994 LS with 155,000 miles on it. The owner has recently replaced the timing belt, radiator, tires and brakes. The body is in excellent condition and he is only selling it because he needs a larger vehicle to transport his son and his hockey equipment.
    My daily commute consists of a mostly interstate 70-mile roundtrip. After reading many of the entries on this board, I am learning that it is not uncommon to drive Legends beyond 200,000 miles. I need a car that is reliable and with manageable maintenance costs. Could someone please let me know what other big ticket maintenance or repair issues I should expect if I do buy this Legend? I would also welcome any advise and opinions as to whether this would be a relatively safe choice (in terms of upcoming expenditures). In other words, will I end up spending lots of money every month just to keep it running?
    The current owner is asking $8,000 for the 1994 Legend LS. The interior is in very good condition.
    Sorry for the length of the message. Thank you for any advice, opinions and suggestions.
  • jkr1jkr1 Member Posts: 5
    Has anyone had their Trunk Release button on the drivers side door go out? If so, any ideas on how to fix?
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    Buying a used car is always a gamble, but yes these Legends do tend to go on and on if properly maintained. I would research CarFax.com on the car, you need the VIN number. Also have a trusted mechanic look at it and drive it. A compression test wouldn't be a bad idea. Metal does wear, even Acura metal.
  • mblanken3mblanken3 Member Posts: 1
    I have a '92 that is overheating also. I have experienced the rise and fall of the needle just as "jkr1" has mentioned when turning corners. It will also spike when sitting still too long. It appears as though a lot of Legend owners have had the same or very similar experience. It sounds like a design flaw. I had a service guy tell me recently that they this alot and do a number of head gasket replacements (~$1500.00 - $2000.00) I have a friend who owns an 1989 Legend with over 200k miles on it, that has never had a similar problem. I've read stories on-line of folks that have had all the repairs suggested here done and are still having problems.

    Has anyone had success resolving this?
  • brentm2929brentm2929 Member Posts: 2
    A '94 with 155,000mi is still just a baby. I have a '92 with 190,000mi and I won't be planning on replacing it anytime soon (I expect it to hit 300,000mi before I invest in another vehicle).

    An Acura will bring more costly repairs then a domestic car would but the key is not to bring your vehicle into an Acura dealer and have them place all new parts into the repair.

    I had to replace the Transmission on mine at 110,000 miles and that was less then $1200 for a lifetime warranty on a used trans (They guys down at Acura said this repair would be around $3000 to rebuild with new parts of course!).

    To get to your question of should you budget a lot of money to keep a Legend running I would say NO! Besides my little transmission spoof I have spent nothing on the car other than Oil, Gas, Carwashes and a handful of air filters!
  • jkr1jkr1 Member Posts: 5
    I have not fixed my '92 Legend yet. I was told this is somewhat of a common problem with Legends. I don't plan to replace the head gasket unless the car temp continually rises about 1/2 on the gage. I would call around if you plan to do. I found a Honda-Acura repair shop (not a dealer repair shop) that would do it for $1200-$1300. Like you, I want to hear from someone that had this done and it actually fixed the problem permanantly! My only does it when I let the engine idle and sit for a few minutes. As soon as I start driving, it goes back to normal.
  • fasterthanufasterthanu Member Posts: 210
    Before checking anything else, try checking both radiator and condenser fans. Years ago, my 86 Legend overheated (needle at max), and when I noticed, I turned car off to let cool. I drove to my mechanic and he found a busted condenser fan (the blade had fallen off). At his recommendation, I bought a replacement fan at a junkyard for a small amount of $ (forgot how much), and he replaced it in less than an hour. Cheap repair, and the car has never again overheated.

    Hope this suggestion helps people in here ...

    CYA
  • brentm2929brentm2929 Member Posts: 2
    My legend has a Metallic Rattling Noise. I found a discussion on this dated from Aug of 2000. I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem? I use medium grade fuel in my 92' but mine only makes the noise when it's just started and I am going less than 20 MHP. I always figured it was a loose muffler shield or something. Anyone have any ideas? If not I guess I will give the "Techron" fuel cleaner a try!
  • tdamewoodtdamewood Member Posts: 1
    Response to : jkr1 Jan 17, 2002 12:25pm

    Has the trunk release control located in glovebox been disabled?
  • jkr1jkr1 Member Posts: 5
    First thing I checked was the glovebox valet switch. That is not the problem... Nor is it a fuse...
  • mrdosguymrdosguy Member Posts: 3
    I have recently come into possession of a 1995 Acura Legend GS, with all the works, but it also has 130,000 miles on it. I've never owned Honda/Acura cars before, and would like to know if anyone knows of problems occurring with this model at this stage. It appears to be in excellent condition, and I have not had any trouble in the last couple of weeks I've driven it, but as I said, I'd like to know of any problems (if there are any) that happen to these cars. So far, I've been very impressed by it; it handles very well and is a lot more responsive, agile, and faster than my previous vehicle ('89 Isuzu PU). Any comments would be appreciated.
  • th83th83 Member Posts: 164
    Brent-The metallic rattling noise that you hear is more than likely the catalytic converter heat shield. There was a TSB on it and it can be easily fixed

    mrdosguy-A '95 Legend GS with 130k miles has plenty left in it thanks to the great Honda/Acura reliability record. Has all of the required maintenance has been done(timing belt and water pump are the two most important)? If so, you shouldn't have too much to worry about. The most common problems for the Legend occur in the cooling system. The stock radiator has a plastic tank that has a bad habit of cracking. Other than the cooling system, not many things usually go wrong. Enjoy your car!
  • jkr1jkr1 Member Posts: 5
    Anyone had problems with engine surging while in park? Occasionally, the engine will surge and rpms go from 1000 - 2000 and back/forth. I own a '92 Legend? Any help is appreciated.
  • mrdosguymrdosguy Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the info, th83. I haven't had it looked at, but I made an appointment for next weekend, so I'll find out if anything is wrong with it. I hope not, cause I have to say I've fallen in love with this car. Very nice ride...
  • th83th83 Member Posts: 164
    jkr-I have that problem, too. I also have the aforementioned overheating problem which leaves me to believe that my car has a blown headgasket. As much as I hate to admit it, it makes sense. My car is also losing coolant and I think it may be going into the oil. Check your oil and coolant levels often for any changes in the levels. If your coolant levels drop but your oil level raises, chances are you have a blown headgasket. If the levels do not change, you may just have a vacuum leak. I hope this helps...

    mrdosguy-Glad that I could help!
  • rdominiquerdominique Member Posts: 3
    I am experiencing a problem with my 1988 acura legend L after taking a short trip. I am having trouble restarting my acura, I let it sit for a couple of minutes or hours and then it will restart with not problem. I wonder if anyone has had the similar problem, if so has it been fix and how much did it cost. Thanks alot
    Richard
  • rdominiquerdominique Member Posts: 3
    I forgot to add that also while driving the anti lock brake light would come on also. I wonder if the problems are related
    Thanks
    Richard
  • txarchitxarchi Member Posts: 1
    i have a 1990 acura legend L and have experienced starting problems as well as the anti-lock brake light going on while driving (interupting the radio and messing with lights). while waiting for the car to decide to start again a man approached me and said his car- same year and model did the same thing. i am getting really fed up with it- is this a common problem? help!
  • lraclrac Member Posts: 4
    Any response yet to the trunk release problem?
    - same issue with my 1993 Legend L
    - glove box switch and fuses are OK
  • smithedsmithed Member Posts: 444
    1991 Legend LS Sedan. The light(s) for the speedometer and tach don't work. All the idiot type lights and turn signal indicators do work, but they are lit from behind. I can find no fuse in either box for the dash lights. Is there a light in the dash for the instruments, how do I get to it, or is that the likely problem? Thanks
  • mrdosguymrdosguy Member Posts: 3
    Hey everybody. Got the car checked, its in good shape. One thing I've noticed is that one of the fog lights is burned out. Any ideas where I can find a replacement, and how much it would cost? Is the light specially tailored to the car (1995 Legend GS Sedan), or can I use others? Thanks for any answers.
  • rdominiquerdominique Member Posts: 3
    what's up guys it's me again,1989 Acura Legend L. I am still experiencing problems starting the car after taking a short trip. The only way the car will start is if i let it cool. I took it to get repaired, they replace the distributor and it had no effect on the car. Somone PLEASE. If you have experience this very same problem and had it fix. I would be greatful if you would share some info on to was done and how was this problem fixed.
    Thank you so much in advance.
    Richard
  • tcpip1tcpip1 Member Posts: 121
    You may want to try asking your questions in these two sites:


    http://forums.prod.legend.org/html/


    http://www.acura-legend.com/vbulletin/

  • fivofivo Member Posts: 5
    I just picked up my 95 GS this week. I have loved these cars for a long time. Not sure what I enjoy the most driving it, or just looking at it. It's amazing how good these cars look.

    Enjoy.

    fivo
  • siriusgirlsiriusgirl Member Posts: 23
    This is basically an update to any interested party. I have a 94 LS Coupe, 6-speed. After having the timing belt and water pump changed at 90,000 miles at the end of the year 2000, the car had a loud rattle at idle. After much discussion and after having it investigated by a mechanic, I have left it alone, and it has not gotten worse. The consensus is that it is probably something to do with the clutch, since the noise goes away when the clutch is put under a load. The car now has almost 100K miles on it, and I've never replaced the clutch, although I suspect it will be done this year. However, I did just have all, repeat all, radiator/coolant hoses replaced. The car had a slow leak that we could not isolate, so the mechanic recommended replacing all hoses. You can see I believe in preventive maintenance. Since I bought the car in 1998, it has had the following major maintenance, in no particular order: radiator replaced, front brakes, radio antenna motor thingy replaced, timing belt and water pump, all coolant hoses, alarm actuater (?) in doors fixed, four new tires (michelin--rides like a dream), and transmission mount replaced. The ongoing rattle and transmission mount both were not apparent until AFTER the water pump and timing belt were replaced. That was a nightmare mechanic experience -- after getting the car back, the door would not open and the trunk release wouldn't work. Coincidence, maybe. The dealer fixed those easily and at no charge, still..... I am now using an independent mechanic.

    Some of these things were under warranty, but no longer. I keep telling myself the cost to maintain it is still better than paying for a new car that cannot equal the quality of this one. I hope I'm right.
  • siriusgirlsiriusgirl Member Posts: 23
    I forgot to add -- Master cylinder replaced too.
  • jdnshl2jdnshl2 Member Posts: 1
    I currently am leasing at 99 Infiniti I30. The lease ends in June. Although the car is nice and has only 30K miles, I have always loved the Legend. Any advice on things to consider when evaluating a 95 Legend GS vs my 99 Infiniti I30?(miles, maintenance, reliability, luxury)

    Thanks
  • njlegendnjlegend Member Posts: 1
    Hi all:
    I am having starting problem with my 93 legend and would like to seek some opinions from you legend savvy.

    It only happens once a while. When that happens, the dashboard is dead with no lights, I don't hear the ignitor clicking sound. I found some corrisons (accumulations) on the the + cathod of the battery. Once I clean up the corrison and reconnect the battery, I can start the car without any problems. The only thing bothers me is that the corrison comes back again in a couple of months. Then I have to clean it again. I checked all the fuses and fuses are fine, plus my battery is a brand new one. What could cause this problem?

    My legend runs great except this problem.

    Thanks in advance for your comments!

    Paul
  • danspadanspa Member Posts: 3
    I've got a 93 Legend 4-Dr with 139k miles. The original owner said the radiator had been replaced earlier. I've had the same problems as siriusgirl such as a master cylinder replaced, driver's side door actuator replaced, broken transmission mount, and the timing belt and water pump at the usual 90k miles. I've replaced the power antenna myself. The power windows do not go up quite as fast as they go down.

    Regardless, I still like the car. I, too, go to independent repair shops as the dealer is charging $90/hr and local shops charge $60-65/hr. Some shops will let you buy the parts and they will put the parts in for you. Just be sure you order the correct parts and know the part you're ordering. One company has great deals on parts on the internet and it's called www.rockauto.com. Enter the code 7551 in the "Please tell us how you heard of us" line of the shopping cart and you'll get a 5% discount on your order. Their prices are much better than carparts.com even with any possible discounts carparts offers.

    Oh, one more thing. Another issue I have is the catalytic converter heat shield. It used to rattle all the time especially shortly after the car was started. You could only hear it when the windows were open. The local shop fixed it by bending the shield a little bit.
  • danspadanspa Member Posts: 3
    In addition, the transmission sometimes takes longer to shift than I like and it's a sloppy shift. I get the transmission fluid changed every 20k miles since I noticed the problem. The fluid should be changed every 30k miles, but it seems to need changing before that. Is this true for other Legend owners in general? I've heard that the original transmission in general goes on the Legends and other import cars around 150k miles and it's usually the overdrive that goes out first.

    Is this true in general? Does anyone know of a way to make a transmission showing signs of trouble last much longer? I just started using Prolong Transmission Treatment to try to help it.

    Thanks,
    Dan
  • fivofivo Member Posts: 5
    Danspa,

    Did you order your power antenna kit from rockauto.com ? How long did it take to replace ? Did you run into any snags ?

    Thanks,

    fivo

    95 GS
  • abenoitabenoit Member Posts: 1
    currently have a 1990 Legend "STD" model with approximately 177000 kms (110,000 miles) have had starting problems with this one as well in the past told dealer about the problem and he advised that it was common on this car the correction was to " remove and resolder relay " this has cured the problem this was done in June of 2001 and the problem has not returned hope this helps someone out there currently having a problem with the oil light coming on all I have to do is shut the car off and start it again the light goes off and stays off sometimes I can go months without it happening again and other days it can happen 2 or 3 times dealer has checked it out and can't find a problem the sending unit has been changed with no difference currently looking for a different car there is only a 1997 RL for sale at the dealer no legends currently advertised the RL recommends premium fuel what octane rating would this be my legend recommends 91 octane but runs fine on regular unleaded I would appreciate any help you could give thanks
  • bretts4bretts4 Member Posts: 1
    We have a 1993 Acura Legend with 110K miles (it's for sale now if anyone is interested) that has been a wonderful car. It did experience some starting problems about a year ago similar to those discribed here. The problem was the electrical switch that is attached to the ignition keyswitch. It took about 10 minutes to replace, and it only cost $60 from Autozone for a lifetime guarantee part. Also, this new switch solved the "ghost door lock" problem that we had been experiencing now and then where our power locks would mysteriously start clicking when the car was sitting in the garage.
  • danspadanspa Member Posts: 3
    Fivo,

    I only replaced the power antenna, not the motor. I bought the antenna from the dealer for about $75 as finding a good aftermarket antenna is not worth the time. The process took me 30 min. start to finish.

    The most important part is to use extreme caution (I used an old thick bath towel around the lip) when trying to unscrew the lip where the antenna goes in. If you do it wrong without a towel or other protection, you'll have scratched paint. I think it has 2 notches and needle nose pliers will work. You need two people to install the antenna, one to operate the radio power and one to try to perfectly get the plastic notches of the antenna to catch perfectly inside the antenna hole. It may take several attempts before you're successful.

    The Acura dealer was going to charge me $125 for labor to install it. Ha!
  • hoolickhoolick Member Posts: 16
    my wife's 1990 legend l coupe has 29,545 miles and were putting it up for sale next week and i'm trying to decide on an asking price.it's white and it still smells new,the only added options was real wood that still looks great and we had our acura dealer lower it,it really looks great but we need 4 doors and we've just about decided on the 03 tls. any price ideas would be appreciated.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I had to remove a couple of posts - your Membership Agreement explicitly forbids using the Town Hall to sell or buy anything at all.

    Some of you might want to check out Edmunds.com's Used Power Shopper either to list a used vehicle or to look for one available in your area.

    I hope everything works out for you.

    Pat
    Host
    Sedans Message Board
  • jeffmust2jeffmust2 Member Posts: 811
    Hoolick -

    Boy, I wish I had never given up my '90 Legend! Was offered a company car at the time and made the rational, economic choice then - just dumb in hindsight.

    Anyway, '90s go for $3-6k depending on the mileage and condition. One with only 30k miles would probably command more but it's still 12 years old and a lot of folks are turned off by vehicles that old.

    I have a friend who's a sales rep at my local Acura dealer - if you want, I'll ask him what these vehicles go for at dealer auctions and what he gets for ones on their used car lot. Let me know any questions you may have.

    The Wiz
  • hawks1hawks1 Member Posts: 57
    Just discovered this forum on Legends and am very appreciative of the good info I've been able to obtain from it. I've got a '90 Legend (L Series with cloth interior) that my wife drives daily to her work - approximately 60 miles daily. It's got 165,000 miles on it with never a wrench to the engine (tune-ups, etc excluded). After reading some of these posts, I checked with a good local mechanic who was dumbfounded that I hadn't replaced the timing belt. I guess ignorance is bliss as I had never even considered it. He said he would replace the water pump and timing belt for $550. Does this sound reasonable? I'm one of these "don't fix it 'til it's broke" kind of guys so parting with this kind of cash hurts! Incidentally, could there be any serious damage to the engine if the timing belt broke?
  • th83th83 Member Posts: 164
    Spending $550 to replace the timing belt and the water pump could save you a lot later. If that timing belt breaks, it will cost a few grand just to repair the damage done to the engine. I hope this helps...
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