CarComplaints.com Notes: The automatic transmission on the 2nd generation CL (2001-2003) is a downshifting mess. According to reports it slips, flares, and eventually fails --- sometimes around 40,000 miles.

The troubled transmission got an extended warranty for some CL owners that was later extended even further thanks to a class-action lawsuit in the United States. But even with the extended warranty, the transmission in this car is well known for overheating and locking up suddenly and without warning.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
100,667 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2001 Acura CL engine problems

engine problem

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2001 Acura CL Owner Comments

problem #3

Sep 242023

CL

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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 have switched off the ignition, but with both hands gripping the steering wheel and my right foot pressing the brake pedal with maximum force, I could not have turned off the ignition at the same time. Therefore the advice was not practical.

- Argyle, TX, USA

problem #2

May 202019

CL

  • 163,000 miles
Takata recall. My transmission is acting up."?"

- Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

problem #1

Feb 162015

CL

  • 139,000 miles
Acura 2001 was parked on the 3rd floor of a parking structure. Owner(driver) backed car out of its parking spot at 5:00 P, M, when the temp. Was 13 degrees above zero. At first owner was unable to get any acceleration when stepping on the gas pedal to go forward in drive, gear 5. tapped on gas pedal for accelerating and the car lurched forward with engine racing at a high rate of speed. Driver was trying to decelerate the car while steering car through the descending levels of the ramp. Slammed on the brakes and they did not hold the car tried throwing it into reverse and nothing changed. On the first floor driver with foot on the brakes sheared off the front of a pick-up truck before smashing in to the wall, which stopped the car. Driver suffered a broken sternum, collar bone and L-3 vertebrae fracture in the back. Spent two days in the hospital and 4 weeks in brace off work.

- Monroe, MI, USA

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