IllustrationWHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED IN REVERSE ON THE SELECTED GEAR SHIFT POSITION VEHICLE CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD. ALSO, THERE IS A DELAY IN RESPONDS WHEN SHIFTING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER STATED TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
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.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cl 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
10–25K
125–50K
350–75K
675–100K
4100–150K
10150K+
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
What owners actually said
82 reportsVEHICLE SMOKES EXCESSIVELY, AND TEMPERTURE GAUGE IS OVER THE RED MARK. ALSO, THERE IS RATTLING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD.*AK
WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH A 18 WHEELER, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. VEHICLE WAS HIT IN THE REAR FIRST, WHICH MADE REAR END SPIN AROUND. VEHICLE WAS HIT AGAIN ON DRIVER'S SIDE. MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE DRIVER'S FRONT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATI…
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WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH A 18 WHEELER, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. VEHICLE WAS HIT IN THE REAR FIRST, WHICH MADE REAR END SPIN AROUND. VEHICLE WAS HIT AGAIN ON DRIVER'S SIDE. MOST OF THE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE DRIVER'S FRONT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
HORN BUTTON IS TOO SMALL, MAKING IT DIFFCULT TO LOCATE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY SITUATION , WHICH HAS ALREADY RESULTED IN 2 ACCIDENTS. *AK *ML
BRAKE ROTORS RESURFACED 3/98 @ 4,276 MI.; REPLACED 10/08 @ 11,160 MI.; RESURFACED(R) AND REPLACED(F) 5/99 @ 18,511 MI.; RESURFACED(F) AND REPLACED(R) 9/99 @ 23,500 MI. HAVE ANOTHER 1997 ACURA 3.0 CL ACQUIRED AT SAME TIME WITH SIMILAR MILEAGE; BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED TWICE AND REPLACED ONCE. ARE BRAKES ADEQUATELY SIZ…
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BRAKE ROTORS RESURFACED 3/98 @ 4,276 MI.; REPLACED 10/08 @ 11,160 MI.; RESURFACED(R) AND REPLACED(F) 5/99 @ 18,511 MI.; RESURFACED(F) AND REPLACED(R) 9/99 @ 23,500 MI. HAVE ANOTHER 1997 ACURA 3.0 CL ACQUIRED AT SAME TIME WITH SIMILAR MILEAGE; BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED TWICE AND REPLACED ONCE. ARE BRAKES ADEQUATELY SIZED FOR WEIGHT OF VEHICLE?
WHILE DRIVING AIRBAG EXPLODED AT 35 MPH . THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. DEALER AND MANUFACTUER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
FOR NO REASON, THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEATBELT LOCKS UP. ONCE LOCKED UP, IT DOES NOT RETRACT, PASSENGER MUST UNBUCKLE SEAT BELT AND RETRACT IT COMPLETELY AND THEN RE-BUCKLE. THIS HAS EVEN HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN THE CAR WAS AT A SINGLE STAND STILL. DEALER SAYS THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT, AND ACURA KNOWS OF IT, BUT DOES…
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FOR NO REASON, THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEATBELT LOCKS UP. ONCE LOCKED UP, IT DOES NOT RETRACT, PASSENGER MUST UNBUCKLE SEAT BELT AND RETRACT IT COMPLETELY AND THEN RE-BUCKLE. THIS HAS EVEN HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES WHEN THE CAR WAS AT A SINGLE STAND STILL. DEALER SAYS THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT, AND ACURA KNOWS OF IT, BUT DOESN'T HAVE A FIX FOR IT. HAVING TO UNBUCKLE THE SEATBELT WHILE THE CAR IS ON THE ROAD IS VERY DANGEROUS - PLEASE HELP WITH THIS. *AK
ENGINE IS OUT OF BALANCE. VEHICLE VIBRATES WHEN FOOT IS ON ACCELERATION PEDAL & NANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL. HAD ALL 4 TIRES CHANGED. THERE IS A RATTLING NOISE IN VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER SAYS NO DISTRICT MANAGER IN AREA. *AK
CD PLAYER FAILED. YH
TIRE FAILED (MICHELIN). YH
Official recalls
202V120000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.