2002 Acura CL: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
44 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
45,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 model year. Data snapshot: . 23 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train:Automatic Transmission is the most frequently named component, appearing in 28 of 44 complaints (63.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 33 | 75.0% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 6.8% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 4.5% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 4.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 2.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 2.3% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 28 |
| Air Bags | 5 |
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 3 |
| Power Train:Manual Transmission | 3 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Power Train | 2 |
Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 28; Air Bags: 5; Electrical System: 3; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 3; Power Train:Manual Transmission: 3; Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Power Train: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 6 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 7 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 5 |
Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 7; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 5
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 21 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 9 |
| 2003 | 13 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 3 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
2001: 2; 2002: 9; 2003: 13; 2004: 2; 2005: 3; 2006: 1; 2007: 2; 2008: 1; 2010: 2; 2011: 1; 2012: 1; 2014: 1; 2016: 1; 2017: 1; 2019: 1; 2020: 2; 2023: 1
Pattern summary
Power Train:Automatic Transmission leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 33 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10000722 · 2003-01-04 (January 4, 2003)
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED WITHOUT WARNING, ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENTS
Owner-reported narrative. 20,415 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000722 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10002916 · 2003-01-18 (January 18, 2003)
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CARS TRANSMISSIONS FOR 6 MONTHS HAS BEEN SHIFTING ERRATIC, HARD, SURGING, DOWNSHIFTING WITHOUT NOTICE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND SLIPPING. CAR ONLY HAS 13K OF MILES AND NOW IS IN AT THE DEALER FOR A NEW TRANNY. THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF THIS FAILURE AND A FEW FATALITIES IT SEEMS. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED FAST. I PLAN TO DITCH THIS CAR IN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL SAFE ANYMORE TO DRIVE. EVEN THE REPLACEMENT TRANNYS ARE DIEING.
Owner-reported narrative. 13,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002916 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10003293 · 2003-01-23 (January 23, 2003)
DRIVING ON THE DAN RYAN EXPRESSWAY INTO THE CITY OF CHICAGO, I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AND NON-PROVOKED DOWNSHIFT IN MY 2002 ACURA CL TYPE S TRANSMISSION. I WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 65 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTED FROM 5TH TO 2ND GEAR. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE PLOWED INTO THE BACK OF ME, AND THE CAR WAS STILL DRIVABLE AFTER THIS OCCURRED. THE CAR IS NOW AT THE DEALER, WAITING FOR IT'S TRANSMISSION TO BE REPLACED. I PURCHASED THE CAR IN DECEMBER 2001 AND AT DROP-OFF AT THE DEALER, THE CAR ONLY HAS 7998 MILES ON IT. I DON'T …
Owner-reported narrative. 7,960 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003293 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10004943 · 2003-01-30 (January 30, 2003)
CAR SPONTANEOUSLY DOWNSHIFTS WHEN NOT NEEDED TO AND DOESN'T RESPOND TO THE UPSHIFT.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004943 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005159 · 2003-02-03 (February 3, 2003)
I HAVE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 02 CL FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS NOW. I HAVE GONE TO MY DEALER, METRO ACURA, SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING. I HAVE EVEN BEEN PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAUSING THE CAR TO IMMEDIATELY SLOW DOWN. FINALLY MY DEALER HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A "REBUILT" ONE. SINCE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, I BELIEVE THAT ACURA SHOULD TAKE THIS MUCH MORE SERIOUSLY.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10005159 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006094 · 2003-01-31 (January 31, 2003)
THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR DETERMINE THE CAUSE. (CL TYPE-S) TS SCC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006094 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10006096 · 2003-01-31 (January 31, 2003)
THE MOTOR MOUNTS HAD BECOME LOOSE AND TRANSMISSION HAD BLOWN UP. TS SCC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006096 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10007318 · 2003-02-13 (February 13, 2003)
THE VEHICLE DOWN SHIFTED, WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO SLIP.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10007318 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
04V176000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission
Reported: 2004-04-15 (April 15, 2004)
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.
Consequence: GEAR FAILURE COULD RESULT IN TRANSMISSION LOCKUP, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗20V027000 · Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module
Reported: 2020-01-17 (January 17, 2020)
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.
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗