FaultScore

Worst years for a Acura CL

Owners have filed 731 complaints about the Acura CL with NHTSA across model years 1997 to 2004. More of them are about the transmission & drivetrain than anything else.

Avoid

2001 Acura CL

317 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly transmission & drivetrain.

Cleanest on record

1998 Acura CL

69 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Acura CL year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2004 2 0 0 Airbags
2003 C 89 5 0 74,455 Transmission & Drivetrain
2002 B 71 3 0 41,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2001 D 317 23 2 65,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
2000 B 11 1 0 Transmission & Drivetrain
1999 C 66 10 0 104,000 Transmission & Drivetrain
1998 B 69 2 2 95,000 Electrical System
1997 C 106 5 0 122,000 Transmission & Drivetrain

What breaks on a Acura CL

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Worst in 2001

Airbags 77 10.5%

Worst in 2001

Worst in 1998

Worst in 1999

Brakes 30 4.1%

Worst in 2001

Suspension 27 3.7%

Worst in 1997

Worst in 2001

Worst in 2001

Steering 17 2.3%

Worst in 1999

Tires 15 2.1%

Worst in 1999

Body & Structure 13 1.8%

Worst in 1997

Fuel & Propulsion 11 1.5%

Worst in 1998

Seat Belts 11 1.5%

Worst in 2001

Equipment & Accessories 10 1.4%

Worst in 1999

Exactly what failed on a Acura CL

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Automatic Transmission 251 77.0%
Switch 14 4.3%
Manual Transmission 14 4.3%
Frontal 10 3.1%
Power Window Devices AND Controls 8 2.5%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 7 2.1%
Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) 6 1.8%
Engine 6 1.8%
Exterior 5 1.5%
Rotor 5 1.5%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Acura CL, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Sep 1996 peak 25 Apr 2026

Acura CL problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Acura CL

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.