The 2001 Acura CL has 3 safety recalls and 271 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is power train (213 complaints).
Recalls3safety recalls
Complaints271filed by owners
Crashes · fires13 · 2reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths8 · 1reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
NHTSA recall 20V026000 · Jan 17, 2020 · 1,439,841 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999 Isuzu Oasis vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag inflator, and replace it if necessary, with an inflator of a different design, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138 or Isuzu customer service at 1-800-255-6727.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
NHTSA recall 20V027000 · Jan 17, 2020 · 875,966 vehicles · opened after NHTSA action (ODI)
Problem: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Coupe, and Civic Sedan vehicles. These vehicles may have received a replacement driver frontal air bag module as part of a vehicle repair. Due to a manufacturing issue, the replacement NADI inflator may absorb moisture, causing the inflator to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag cushion may not properly protect the occupant. These scenarios increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bags in the vehicles, replacing the driver frontal air bag inflator with an inflator of a different design, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020. Owners may contact American Honda's Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138.
Problem: ON SOME MINI VANS, SPORT UTILITY AND PASSENGER VEHICLES, CERTAIN OPERATING CONDITIONS CAN RESULT IN HEAT BUILD-UP BETWEEN THE COUNTERSHAFT AND SECONDARY SHAFT SECOND GEARS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EVENTUALLY LEADING TO GEAR TOOTH CHIPPING OR GEAR BREAKAGE.
Risk: GEAR FAILURE COULD RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
Fix: ON VEHICLES WITH 15,000 MILES OR LESS, THE DEALER WILL UPDATE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A SIMPLE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE TO INCREASE LUBRICATION TO THE SECOND GEAR. ON VEHICLES WITH MORE THAN 15,000 MILES, THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION TO IDENTIFY GEARS THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED DISCOLORATION DUE TO OVERHEATING. IF DISCOLORATION EXISTS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPLACED IF DISCOLORATION IS NOT PRESENT, THE DEALER WILL PERFORM THE REVISION TO THE OIL COOLER RETURN LINE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 21, 2004, FOR PILOT, ODYSSEY, AND MDX OWNERS. OWNERS OF THE ACCORD VEHICLES WILL START RECEIVING LETTERS ON JUNE 28, 2004, AND ON JUNE 29, 2004, FOR OWNERS OF THE TL AND CL VEHICLES. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Power train Automatic transmission; Manual transmission
Service brakes, hydraulic Foundation components › Disc › Rotor; Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
9
0
0
0
37,000 mi
Electrical system Ignition › Switch; Ignition
9
1
0
0
103,620 mi
Vehicle speed control
8
2
0
1
139,000 mi
Suspension Front › Control arm › Upper arm
5
0
0
0
93,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling Engine; Engine › Gasoline
4
0
0
0
87,000 mi
Seat belts
4
2
0
1
159,500 mi
Equipment Electrical › Anti-theft devices
3
0
0
0
91,400 mi
Engine
3
2
0
1
—
Latches/locks/linkages Trunk lid › Lock
2
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Oct 29, 2025Electrical system › Ignition The contact owns a 2001 Acura CL. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. On another occasion, while making a left turn on a city street, the vehicle stalled and experienced a loss of power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was shifted to neutral(N) and restarted. The failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with an ignition cylinder failure; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.
Jan 24, 2025Unknown or other I have a safety concern. When my vehicle was assembled, someone decided to have the workers not remove the protective film from the plastic screen on the navigation system that would typically be released. I assume this saved money and time during production. However, that film has deteriorated and crinkled over time, making it difficult to see the screen, especially at night. This does not seem acceptable, and I have been told that the remedy is costly, which upset me as removing the film should have been part of the assembly procedure.
Jul 10, 2024Power train In and around July 2024 my Acura cl started to have erratic shifting and locking up at highways speeds the vehicle is so unsafe to drive I cannot get the air bags fixed it shifts from 5th gear to 2nd gear in 2004 a remedy was applied to the transmission to aid and fix the downshifting issues and overheating issues the vehicle does have these problems and was not repaired correctly in 2004 by Acura I called Honda/acura and they are not willing to replace or fix the transmission
Jan 26, 2024 · 262,515 miles · crash · 1 injuryAir bags The contact owned a 2001 Acura CL. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, there was a vehicle driving toward the contact's driver's side that ran the red light and crashed into the front of the vehicle. The entire front of the vehicle was damaged. The air bags did not deploy and the seat belt restraint system did not operate. The contact was treated for a back muscle injury and it was unknown if the other driver sustained injuries. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence where the contact was informed the vehicle was a total loss. The vehicle was towed to the junkyard. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately…
Sep 24, 2023 · crashEngine I was stopped in heavy traffic. The traffic light turned green and the cars in front of me started to move. I tapped my accelerator with my right foot and the gasoline was delivered to my engine with maximum force. I could not stop the car with my foot on the brake. I steered the car to the right so that I would not rearend the car in front of me. The car sideswiped the car I front of me and I went into an embankment and stopped. A police officer thought I may have hit both the brake and the accelerator pedal with my right foot, but he did not understand that I was only going about 5 mph when the accelerator exploded, so that this was impossible. The Acura agency in Latham says that I could…
Dec 2, 2021Power train Frank let us Acura would not preform my transmission recall after it locked up âstating the recall has already been doneâ but they âdonât have any record of itâ they claim someone didnât file the paper work on it but my trans locked up going 70 miles and hour and threw me off of the road
Mar 1, 2020Air bags TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA CL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE LOCAL DEALER ACURA OF TROY (1828 MAPLELAWN DR, TROY, MI 48084, (877) 820-3015) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
Feb 1, 2020Air bags TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA CL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V027000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE DEFECT WAS UNAVAILABLE. AN UNKNOWN DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *BF*JB
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
PE02081 · opened Oct 28, 2002 · closed Mar 5, 2003AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUDDEN DOWNSHIFT SEE ATTACHED REPORT.