U.S. public vehicle records

2001 Acura CL problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

271 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

63,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2001 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 176 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 169 of 271 complaints (62.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	184	67.9%
Braking behavior	22	8.1%
Steering behavior	16	5.9%
Engine operation	11	4.1%
Electrical and battery issues	3	1.1%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

169

Power Train

Air Bags

Vehicle Speed Control

Electrical System

Power Train:Manual Transmission

Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm)

Seat Belts

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	169
Power Train	30
Air Bags	27
Vehicle Speed Control	8
Electrical System	7
Power Train:Manual Transmission	6
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm)	5
Seat Belts	4

Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 169; Power Train: 30; Air Bags: 27; Vehicle Speed Control: 8; Electrical System: 7; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm): 5; Seat Belts: 4

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 21; 25,000 to 49,999: 46; 50,000 to 74,999: 33; 75,000 to 99,999: 23; 100,000 to 149,999: 30; 150,000 and above: 23

25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (46). 95 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2024

2025

2026

2000: 1; 2001: 9; 2002: 42; 2003: 58; 2004: 36; 2005: 14; 2006: 7; 2007: 5; 2008: 14; 2009: 12; 2010: 10; 2011: 10; 2012: 2; 2013: 3; 2014: 7; 2015: 5; 2016: 2; 2017: 3; 2018: 6; 2019: 7; 2020: 12; 2021: 1; 2024: 3; 2025: 1; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 184 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 22 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10000027 · 2002-12-13 (December 13, 2002)

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS

Owner-reported narrative. 7,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000027 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10000616 · 2002-12-27 (December 27, 2002)

TRANSMISSION SHIFTED DOWN AUTOMATICALLY AT FREEWAY SPEED

Owner-reported narrative. 39,785 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000616 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10008503 · 2003-03-06 (March 6, 2003)

I WAS DRIVING MY 5-YEAR-OLD SON HOME FROM SCHOOL. AFTER MORE THAN HALF OF THE STOPS, UPON ACCELERATION, THE CAR'S ENGINE WOULD RACE UP TO AS HIGH AS 7,000 RPMS. WHILE MAINTAINING 45 MPH ON SURFACE STREETS, THE CAR WOULD DOWN SHIFT ERRATICALLY, AS IF I HAD SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES SUDDENLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. LUCKILY, WE LIVE IN ARIZONA, WHERE THE LANDSCAPE IS FLAT AND THE WEATHER IS WARM YEAR-ROUND. ACCORDING TO ACURA CLIENT SERVICES, COLD WEATHER AND UPHILL/DOWNHILL DRIVING COULD INSTIGATE THE TROUBLE WE'VE HAD. THEY'LL NEED TO COME UP WITH S…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10008503 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10019535 · 2003-01-09 (January 9, 2003)

THERE WAS A PULSATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL, WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED, DUE TO A FAULTY BRAKE/ROTOR SYSTEM. THE PARTS HAD BEEN CUT AND REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *JB *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 25,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10019535 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10000828 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)

2001 ACURA CL TYPE S TRANSMISSION FAILURE.THIS IS THE 2ND TIME I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS.TODAY THE TRANS SHIFTED FROM 5TH GEAR DOWN TO 2ND.IF I DID NOT HAVE MY SEAT BELT ON,I WOULD HAVE BEEN PUT INTO THE STEERING WHEEL.THIS HAPPENED ON ROUTE 1 GOING NORTH IN EDISON.

Owner-reported narrative. 39,105 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000828 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10013588 · 2003-03-28 (March 28, 2003)

2001 ACURA CL, 32000 MILES,5 SPEED AUTO TRANS. WHILE DRIVING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AT 45 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION VIOLENTLY AND ERRATICALLY SHIFTED FROM 5TH SPEED INTO 1ST OR 2ND AND BACK INTO 5TH. THIS UNEXPECTED SHIFTING CAUSED THE CAR TO RAPIDLY SLOW DOWN, THEN ACCELERATE. I TURNED OFF THE HIGHWAY ONTO A LESS CROWDED STREET AND CONTINUED DRIVING TOWARDS MY DESTINATION. THE PROBLEM RECURRED 5 OR 6 TIMES IN THE NEXT 3 MILES. PREVIOUSLY, THE ONLY INDICATION OF TRANSMISSION TROUBLE WAS EARLIER THAT DAY. THERE WAS SOME SLIPPAGE WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN …

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10013588 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007922 · 2003-02-21 (February 21, 2003)

AFTER SEVERAL ABNORMAL GEAR-SHIFTING PATTERNS (AS WAS DESCRIBED IN A LETTER FROM ACURA THAT EXTENDED POWERTRAIN WARRANTY DUE TO SUCH POTENTIAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, AFFECTING ONLY CERTAIN CAR MODELS) BEING NOTICED, THE CAR'S ENGINE ABRUPTLY DIED WHILE THE CAR WAS TRAVELING ON I5 AT ABOUT 65 MPH WITH ALL WARNING LIGHTS SUDDENLY LIT ON DASH PANEL. LUCKILY, THERE WAS MINIMAL SURROUNDING TRAFFIC AT THE TIME AND WE WERE ABLE TO COAST MANEUVER THE CAR TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER BEFORE IT STALLED OUT COMPLETELY. WE FEEL THAT ACURA BY EXTENDING THE W…

Owner-reported narrative. 42,047 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007922 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10041133 · 2003-10-02 (October 2, 2003)

MY 2001 ACURA CL S TYPE HAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. IT WOULD SUDDENLY JERK WHEN GOING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. WHEN IT GOES INTO 3RD GEAR THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER. THE ENGINE D5 LIGHT BLINKS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041133 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10121207 · 2005-05-17 (May 17, 2005)

DT: SRS INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON AND ACCORDING TO THE DEALER IT WAS AN ERROR COD15-3. THEY TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY CELL PHONE OR ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE. THERE WAS A TSB WHICH APPLIED TO ERROR CODE 15-3. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY RESET THE SENSOR SWITCH, THIS HAPPENED AGAIN THE NEXT MORNING. DO NOT KNOW STATUS OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEMS IS NOT. THE CONSUMER DID NOT FEEL THAT A CELL PHONE COULD CAUSE THIS TYPE OF INTERFERENCE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 50,781 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121207 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10179561 · 2007-01-17 (January 17, 2007)

2001 ACURA CL WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS (SLIPPING)**NAR**CC THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS NOT HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION AT THE TIME WHEN A LETTER WAS RECEIVED REGARDING POSSIBLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH CERTAIN 2001-2001 ACURA'S, HOWEVER HE WAS EXPERIENCING SRS WIRING PROBLEMS IN DEC 2002. THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS DIDN'T BEGAN UNTIL DECEMBER 2003, WHICH RESULTED IN HAVING A RE-MANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION INSTALLED. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NEVER A MENTION OF ENGINE MOUNT PROBLEMS OR REPLACEMENT IN THE NOTICE THAT WAS …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10179561 at NHTSA ↗