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1997 Acura Cl

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Acura Cl do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 52.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

25 reports with mileage · 57 unknown

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.

  • Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

4 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 2020
Air BagsEngineUnknown Or Other

I NOTICED AN SRS LIGHT ON EVERY TIME AFTER I START THE ENGINE AND THE ENGINE MOUNTING ARE BROKEN AND LOSE..

NHTSA ODI #11319178

Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 2018
Unknown Or Other

I AM ON MY 3RD TRANSMISSION SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2012

NHTSA ODI #11076546

1,560,000 miles · Sep 1, 2016
Unknown Or Other

SOMETIMES THE KEY WILL NOT TURN OR IT SEEMS AS IF THE CAR IS LOCKED. THE KEY WILL GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND WILL NOT TURN. SOMETIMES THE KEY WILL TURN BUT WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO TAKE IT OUT VERY EASILY. LASTLY THE KEY SOMETIMES WILL NOT ENTER THE HOLE. TRIED SWITCHING THE SIDES OVER AND SOMETIMES IT WORKS AFTER 2 OR 3 TRIES.

NHTSA ODI #10902989

Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

ABS LIGHT COMES ON, AND WITH THAT A NOISE IS HEARD IN THE SYSTEM, ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY GO TO THE FLOOR WHICH EVENTUALLY STOPS VEHICLE, ABS LIGHT STAYS ON, CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT ABS IS LEAKING. *AK DEALER HAS REPAIRED AND REPLACES OTHER MAJOR PARTS OF THE VEHICLES, SUCH AS THE A…

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ABS LIGHT COMES ON, AND WITH THAT A NOISE IS HEARD IN THE SYSTEM, ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY GO TO THE FLOOR WHICH EVENTUALLY STOPS VEHICLE, ABS LIGHT STAYS ON, CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT ABS IS LEAKING. *AK DEALER HAS REPAIRED AND REPLACES OTHER MAJOR PARTS OF THE VEHICLES, SUCH AS THE ALTERNATOR AND STARTER, EGR VALVE WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, BRAKE LIGHT, TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED, THE WINDOW REGULATOR WAS REPLACED*ET1.LEFT FRONT WINDOW DOES NOT GO UP,2.LEFT FRONT DOOR REGULATOR,3.HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT,4.EGR VALVE 5.STARTER

NHTSA ODI #898468

Official recalls

2

02V120000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

May 16, 2002

ON CERTAIN SEDANS, COUPES, HATCHBACKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN DEGRADE DUE TO THE HIGH ELECTRICAL CURRENT PASSING THROUGH THE SWITCH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: WORN CONTACTS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 14, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.

99V069000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

May 10, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH BALL JOINTS THAT CAN PREMATURELY WEAR OUT AND, IN THE WORSE CASE, THE BALL JOINT WOULD SEPARATE CAUSING THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ALSO STEERING CONTROLLABILITY WOULD BE REDUCED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.