2003 Acura CL: problems, recalls and reliability
5 recalls and 73 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (50% of complaints); the 2002 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Jun 2019
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 73 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“There is a major issue with the relay under the steering wheel blocking the fuel from the pump going to the engine. This also affects the security system as well as the rack and pinion. The vehicle security turns itself on and off as it pleases, often leaving driver/passengers stranded and sometimes with the alarm not shutting off. This is after having keys re-programmed and most parts replaced for a hefty price tag. Due to this, the vehicle will only start at times. I've seen several similar complaints and taken it to many costly mechanics. I paid $7,000 for this vehicle a couple of years ago but only got to drive it a few times because there is always an issue that can't be fixed.”Owner report · Electrical System · Sep 2024
“My 2003 3.2cls Acura had an airbag recall in in 2016. My vehicle was supposedly repaired at this time. However, recently my SRS light has been on requiring me to take my car to an Acura dealer. The dealer believes my steering wheel air bag has a faulty air inflator, which they claim is out of warranty and may require me to pay $3000 to repair. I do not understand how the manufacturer of the airbag/inflator can avoid repairing this. Shouldn't an airbag last longer than 8 years? What if everyone had to replace their airbags every eight years?”Owner report · Air Bags · Mar 2024
“I have an SRS light illuminated on my dashboard. Upon researching this, it is apparently a sensor issue which, when the light is on, indicates that the sensor in the seat - belt is malfunctioning, and this will keep the air bags from deploying. This of course is a serious safety issue. Also, in reviewing the warranty information, it states that all seat-belt issues are under a lifetime warranty. I'm wondering if you could provide confirmation of this. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Randal Steadman”Owner report · Seat Belts · Aug 2023
Show 7 more owner reports
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 acura cl. The contact stated that the vehicle intermittently shut off without warning. The contact had to add starter fluid to the vehicle in order to get it to drive. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 02v120000 (electrical system). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 278,000.”Owner report · Electrical System · Apr 2019
“I bought a used acura and on the way home on the highway the car suddenly down shifted violently several times causing the car to skid sideways .I pulled over and the car would not shift out of 3rd gear.eventully I got it to reset and it drove fine for 35 minutes until once again it locked up doing 65mph.”Owner report · Power Train · Apr 2019
“Engine cradle is totally broken in half. The car is unsafe to drive & it is all I have. Only 120,000 miles on it, was this a defect on your part? I need help. This repair includes removing engine, transmission, from car to access engine cradle. The cost is over $1500.00 dollars. I truly thought I was buying a quality car! I have no idea how long I have been driving this highly unsafe vehicle of yours!! It also lurches forward at times when I press on the brake. I'm making payments on it & now must borrow again to repair this car. Please get back to me on this asap.”Owner report · Engine · Dec 2017
“I was riding on the highway when the engine went into high rpm's and the car was slowing down. The automatic transmission went out. I barely got to the side of the road without power. The car only has 77,248 miles on it. There was acura service bulletin 02-027 feb 5, 2008, about tranmission problems. Very scarey!”Owner report · Power Train · Nov 2017
“Check engine light eliminated, vsa light comes on and d5 light flashes while driving after transmission warms up., car wont shift into 4th or 5th gear rpms wind up real high have to pull over turn off engine then restart to drive only short distance before it starts doing the same thing. The vehicle was driving on the freeway at approx. 65 mph when car suddenly started downshifting on its own causing me to almost crashed when I was jerked to the side of the road. *tr”Owner report · Power Train · Oct 2016
“Going 5 mph in parking lot, coasting to a stop at end of aisle with foot off throttle pedal. Put foot on brake and the engine revved to high speed. Barely held car with brake. Shut off ignition. Car restarted fine. This was the second time in a week it had happened. Previous incident was on a residential street coming to a stop at a stop sign. Acura dealer and acura techline say the problem can't happen because the throttle control is a hard cable, no electronics involved.”Owner report · Engine · Apr 2016
“Subframe rusted through on the passenger side where the cause is a manufacturer defect of condensation from the air conditioning dripping directly above onto the subframe on the passenger side, which created a perforation of the passenger side subframe. Subframe holds the suspension and steering components together and if the passenger side frame from the manufacter defect were to break traveling at highway speed, the car would loose control and cause accidents. The vehicle was inspected at an independent facility and is ready to be inspected again upon request.”Owner report · Suspension · Apr 2016
When filing, owners marked a crash in 5 of these complaints and injuries in 5 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 5 campaigns
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: Vehicles that have had their driver frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy prior to September 12, 2014 need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Vehicles that, on or after September 12, 2014, received a remedy for a prior driver frontal air bag inflator recall already received an inflator of a different design, and therefore are not included in this recall and do not require additional servicing. Note: This recall fully supersedes recalls 08V-593, 09V-259, 10V-041, 11V-260, 14V-351 and 15V-153. Honda's numbers for this recall are JQ9, JR0, JR1, JR2, JR3, JR4, JR5, JR6, JR7, and JR8.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007 Fit, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, and 2006-2014 Ridgeline vehicles. The affected vehicles received a replacement driver air bag inflator as part of a previous Takata inflator recall remedy or a replacement driver air bag module containing the same inflator type as a service part. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver frontal air bag, these inflators may explode.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service part, that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are Q5A and Y58.
ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, SEDANS, COUPES, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH V6 ENGINES, A TIMING BELT TENSIONER PULLEY ON THE WATER PUMP IS MISALIGNED AND COULD CAUSE THE TIMING BELT TO CONTACT A BOLT ON THE CYLINDER HEAD. EVENTUALLY THE BELT COULD BE DAMAGED AND FAIL.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WATER PUMP AND IF IT IS ONE OF THE DEFECTIVE PUMPS, THE WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELT WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 30, 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.
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.
Remedy: 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.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2003 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact CL by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Acura CL reliable?
NHTSA has 73 owner complaints and 5 recall campaigns on record for the 2003 Acura CL. The most complained-about area is power train (50% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2003 Acura CL problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 75,000 miles or less.
Does the 2003 Acura CL have open recalls?
5 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.