1992 Acura Vigor problems
The Honda Vigor (Japanese: ホンダ・ビガー, Honda Bigā) is a premium sedan that was derived from the Honda Accord. It was sold in Japan through the Honda Verno dealer network from 1981 until 1995, and sold in North America from June 1991 (model year 1992) until 1994 as the Acura Vigor. Early Vigors were more upmarket versions of the Accord, and served as Honda's flagship until the arrival of the Honda Legend. In 1989, the Vigor would differentiate itself further from the Accord with unique styling and an available longitudinal five-cylinder engine, and a twin to the Vigor was introduced with the Honda Inspire, available at Honda Clio dealerships.
It was replaced in North America with the Acura TL and in Japan with the Honda Saber/Inspire, which were the same vehicle sold through different networks.
The third generation, five-cylinder Vigor was developed during what was known in Japan as the Japanese asset price bubble or "bubble economy".
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Common 1992 Acura Vigor problems
The Acura Vigor, produced between 1992 and 1994, is known for its unique powerplant, the all-aluminum 2.5L G-series Honda 5-cylinder engine, which was longitudinally mounted to ensure a more balanced weight over the front and rear wheels. However, this car has faced several common problems, primarily related to its engine and transmission.
- White Smoke from the Exhaust: The most frequently reported problem with the 1992 Acura Vigor is white smoke coming out of the exhaust. This issue is often associated with the engine's head gasket, which can fail and cause coolant to leak into the combustion chamber, resulting in white smoke. In some cases, this problem may also be due to a cracked engine block or cylinder head.
- Transmission Issues: The 5-cylinder engine in the Acura Vigor has been associated with automatic transmission failures, which can be expensive to repair.
- Leaking Spark Plug Tube Seals: Another common issue with the Acura Vigor is leaking spark plug tube seals, which can cause oil to enter the spark plug wells, leading to misfires and reduced engine performance . This problem is common in cars with spark plug tubes, such as the Acura Vigor, and can be resolved by replacing the valve cover gasket set, which includes the spark plug tube seals and cover gasket.
- Distributor Oil Leaks: The distributor in the Acura Vigor is known to leak oil, which can cause smoke to come out from under the hood when the car is turned off . This problem is due to bad distributor o-rings and a seal on the shaft in the distributor, which may require replacing the entire distributor to fix the leak.
- Power Steering Rack Boots: The power steering rack boots on the Acura Vigor can leak, causing power steering fluid leaks . If the hoses are in good condition and the power steering is working properly, it is essential to check the little boots under the car to ensure they are not leaking. Replacing the boots may not solve the problem, as they are not designed to hold back fluid in the first place.
In summary, the Acura Vigor has faced several common problems, primarily related to its engine and transmission. These issues include white smoke from the exhaust, transmission failures, leaking spark plug tube seals, distributor oil leaks, and power steering rack boots. While some of these problems can be resolved with relatively simple repairs, others may require more extensive work, such as a manual transmission swap.
What happened to the Acura Vigor?
Poor sales and no improvement in market response led Honda to drop the model, and production ended on May 13, 1994. The Vigor was replaced by the 1996 Acura TL/Honda Saber.
How much is a 1992 Acura Vigor worth?
The value of a used 1992 Acura Vigor ranges from $1,380 to $9,248, based on vehicle condition, mileage, and options.
What engine came in Acura Vigor?
As before, the Vigor was an uplevel Accord. The 1.8 L B18A engine was now offered with dual carburetors and a larger 2.0 L B20A engine was offered Honda's PGM-FI, with the 1.8 L A18A engine as the basic offering.
What is the engine code for a 1992 Acura Vigor?
1992 Acura VIGOR (2.5L 5 -cyl Engine Code G25A1 6) Motor Oil, Filters and Lubricants - AMSOIL.
1992 Acura Vigor car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Acura Vigor problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Air bags problems
- Visibility problems
- Service brakes problems
- Hydraulic problems
- Equipment problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 1992 Acura Vigor vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
1992 Acura Vigor complaints
The NHTSA has received 17 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 1992 Acura Vigor.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2009-10-12
- Crash: 1
- VIN: JH4CC2659NC
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
- Summary: 1992 ACURA VIGOR GS WE ARE FILING THIS COMPLAINT WITH YOU, SO THAT YOU MAY ADD IT TO ANY OTHERS THAT MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILED. OUR DAUGHTER HAS BEEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE SINCE WE BOUGHT IT FOR HER IN THE FALL OF 2002. SHE HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH HER BRAKES FOR ALL THOSE YEARS. THIS PROBLEM MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO AN ACCIDENT SHE HAD LAST FALL, TWO 'NEAR MISSES' AND SOME UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO STOP AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS. SHE HAS MADE MANY COMPLAINTS TO ME AND OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THE BRAKE PEDALS FEELING SOFT WHICH MEANS SHE HAS TO PUSH THE BRAKE CLOSER TO THE FLOOR TO MAKE THE VEHICLE STOP. SHE NOTICES THE PROBLEM HAS WORSENED OVER THE YEARS (WITH TIME) AND DOES AFFECT HER VEHICLE. FOR QUITE SOME TIME, WE REASONED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS HER DRIVING HABITS. I ASKED HER TO TRY TO SLOW DOWN OR TO KEEP A GOOD DISTANCE BETWEEN ALL VEHICLES, AND EVEN THOUGH SHE DID SO, THE PROBLEMS PERSISTED. THE BRAKES SEEM TO BE SO UNDER POWERED FOR THE WEIGHT OF HER CAR. THIS HAS CAUSED HER MUCH AGGRAVATION AND FINANCIAL BURDEN OVER THE YEARS. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AROUND OCT, 2009 AT A SPEED OF ABOUT 15 MILES AN HOUR, SHE COULD NOT STOP. THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER JUST STOPPED. HER CAR WOULD NOT STOP SO SHE TRIED TO MOVE OUT OF THE LANE AND CLIPPED THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER. THERE WERE TWO VERY CLOSE CALLS WITH IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS WHERE SHE COULD NOT STOP OR EVEN SLOW DOWN QUICKLY ENOUGH TO PREVENT FROM GETTING HIT. (THANKFULLY, THE OTHER VEHICLES WERE ABLE TO GET OUT OF HER WAY IN TIME.) SHE MUST EXERT EXTRA PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND MAKE SURE IT IS COMPLETELY PRESSED TO THE FLOOR TO BRING HER CAR TO A STOP. THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN CHANGED AT LEAST TWICE DURING OUR OWNERSHIP WITH NO REAL IMPROVEMENT. NO INJURIES HAVE BEEN SUSTAINED, THANK GOD. *TR
POWER TRAIN PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2004-09-29
- VIN: JH4CC2551NC
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN ACCELERATION. FIRST TIME WHILE SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR FROM A STOP POSITION, AND THE SECOND TIME WHILE DRIVING 15-20 MPH AND SHIFTING INTO SECOND GEAR. BOTH TIMES VEHICLE ACCELERATED UP TO 6000 RPMS. DEALER WAS CONTACTED.*AK
STEERING,EQUIPMENT PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2003-07-12
- Components: STEERING,EQUIPMENT
- Summary: RADIO PROBLEMS SINCE INCEPTION OF CAR IN 1994. RADIO CONSTANTLY HAS HAD ISSUES SHORTING OUT ANTENNA, CASSETTE PLAYER ISSUES, RECENTLY HAD NEW BATTERY AND RADIO WOULD NOT EXCEPT CODE AND ON OCCASION WOULD KILL CAR WHILE DRIVING BECAUSE IT IS COMBINED WITH SECURITY SYSYTEM. THIS IS THE MOST RECENT OCCURANCE HOWEVER AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE RADIO HAS BEEN REMOVED AND SENT BACK REPEATEDLY.*AK
UNKNOWN OR OTHER PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2002-12-19
- VIN: JH4CC2654NC
- Components: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
- Summary: 1992 ACURA VIGOR. DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS--------------770773. *AK *NLM
EQUIPMENT PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2001-04-06
- VIN: JH4KA7679NC
- Components: EQUIPMENT
- Summary: AMPLIFIER WAS REPLACED PRIOR TO RECALL BECAUSE OF CRACKLING NOISE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2001.*AK
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1999-04-05
- Number Of Injuries: 1
- Crash: 1
- VIN: JH4KA7665NC
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,AIR BAGS
- Summary: ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION, NO DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS DURING VEHICLE COLLISION. MJS
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1999-02-11
- Number Of Injuries: 1
- Crash: 1
- VIN: JH4CC264XNC
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: ACCIDENT OCCURRED, NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG. *AK
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1997-12-30
- VIN: JH4CC264XNC
- Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Summary: OIL INTAKE OPENING WAS TOO SMALL AND THE ENGINE SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STANDSTILL.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1997-12-30
- VIN: JH4CC264XNC
- Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Summary: ENGINE SEIZED AND VEHICLE CAME TO A STANDSTILL WHILE DRIVING ON TURNPIKE.
AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-05-28
- VIN: JH4CC2645NC
- Components: AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: VEHICLE AIR BAG WORKING; 1 MONTH LATER, AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON; CRUISE CONTROL & HORN DON'T WORK, ELEC. SHORT; DEALER WON'T REPAIR PROBLEMS AFTER 30 DAYS. MECHANIC INFORMED CABLE RAIL/FRAME BROKEN FROM PREVIOUS ACCIDENT & NO AIR BAG. *AK
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-01-24
- Number Of Injuries: 1
- Crash: 1
- VIN: JH4CC2550NC
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DURING A HEAD-ON COLLISION, RESULTING INJURY. *AK
STRUCTURE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-09-03
- Number Of Injuries: 1
- Fire: 1
- VIN: JH4CCZS48NC
- Components: STRUCTURE
- Summary: DURING VEHICLE OPERATION THE ARM REST ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE POWER WINDOWS WERE UP AT THE TIME.*AK ELECTRICAL SHORT IN DRIVER'S DOOR, CONSUMER RECEIVED SECOND DEGREE BURNS ON THREE FINGERS. *SLC
VISIBILITY PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-01-21
- Fire: 1
- VIN: JH4CC2559NC
- Components: VISIBILITY
- Summary: ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE DRIVERS DOOR CAUSED FIRE. *DSH
VISIBILITY PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-01-21
- Fire: 1
- VIN: JH4CC2559NC
- Components: VISIBILITY
- Summary: ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE DRIVERS DOOR CAUSED FIRE. *DSH
VISIBILITY PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-01-29
- Fire: 1
- VIN: JH4CC2559NC
- Components: VISIBILITY
- Summary: DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW CONTROL SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE. *DSH
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1995-04-13
- Crash: 1
- VIN: JH4CC2650NC
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: CONSUMER CAR WAS STOLEN FROM UNDER HER WINDOW THE CAR ALARM DID NOT GO OFF CAR WAS BEING CHASE BY POLICE AND HIT WALL THE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. TT
BACK OVER PREVENTION PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1995-04-13
- Crash: 1
- VIN: JH4CC2650NC
- Components: BACK OVER PREVENTION
- Summary: CONSUMER CAR WAS STOLEN FROM UNDER HER WINDOW THE CAR ALARM DID NOT GO OFF CAR WAS BEING CHASE BY POLICE AND HIT WALL THE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. TT
Negative 1992 Acura Vigor car reviews
Positive 1992 Acura Vigor car reviews
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I bought this car from a friend after my Honda Civic got totaled at 236,000 miles. Right now, it has 155+ miles on it and I just purchased a 2002 Honda Accord. I'm already feeling a bit sad about selling this car.
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The Vigor is a beautifully designed car from Honda, with a style reminiscent of BMW. Check out the list of pros and cons in this review for an objective assessment. I must admit that I am biased since I own the car, so my own review would tend to favor the pros.
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Just recently purchased this car for our 16 yr old daughter with 134K. It looks good and rides great. We couldn't ask for a better new car. We even changed out the radio for a more recent model to accommodate a CD changer. We had some mechanics look it over and they told us there was nothing to worry about, especially for the price we bought it for (less than $3000). Now my husband and older daughter want one just like it!
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Vigors are rare and I really like that about them. They have a stylish and luxurious look, and everything you need in one car. Plus, the 5-speed manual is a great feature. I've always admired these cars when I saw them on the road, but I never thought I would actually own one. I was pleasantly surprised by how perfect the Vigors are.
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We drove our Vigor for nearly 10 years, then kept it for another 2 years as our extra car. It was almost never in the shop, and I don't recall it ever leaving me stranded. It was peppy, handled well, and got great gas mileage. It was a great car to drive and was very reliable. Based on our experience with this one, I would definitely recommend any Acura!
Additional sources
More sources of information about 1992 Acura Vigor problems:
Acura Vigor common problems - YouTube
Aug 11, 2010 ... Just me blabbing for nearly 7 minutes about Vigor common issues. Also the spark plug tube seals leaking are common on Infinity G series and ...
Official Common Legend Problems... | Page 2 | Acura Legend Forum
I think items such as Warped Rotors, Bad Leather, Steering Wheel Shimmy, are for all cars, and not really a "Legend" problem, a lot of those problems are due to ...
So what was wrong with the Acura Vigor?| Grassroots Motorsports ...
So what was wrong with the Acura Vigor ... engine? For 1992 they had about 175hp which ... problems, or something else? Just curious ...
Acura Legend Reliability? | Acura Legend Forum
May 11, 2005 ... Acura Legend Reliability? Jump to Latest ... Aging is unpredictable. 1992 Acura Legend LS sedan ... The rest of the common problems are already ...
1992 Acura Vigor Auto to 5 speed swap | Acura World
Feb 22, 2006 ... I've been reading around, and would not like to have to replace the auto tranny w/ another faulty auto because it seems to be a common problem ...
Other years of Acura Vigor
Are you having problems with your 1992 Acura Vigor?
Roscoe Bartoletti 2024-09-02
The car's engine and drivetrain are solid, but unfortunately, the electrical issues have been quite problematic. Within just two weeks of owning it, the heater blower motor failed, the alarm has gone off intermittently when using the key to unlock it, and the stereo display only works occasionally. The repair quotes for these issues have been quite expensive. While the car is certainly attractive and fun to drive, it is important to note that the cost of repairs may end up being as much as a newer, more reliable car would have been from the start.