2003 Acura CL problems
NHTSA has received 89 complaints about the 2003 Acura CL, and 25% of them involve transmission. Next are drivetrain & axles (17%) and air bags (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 89 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Transmission 25% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 5 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 6 and 1
- Typical mileage
- 74,000 miles 59 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 10 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 6 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 5 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 14 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 3 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 9 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 5 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 2 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 4 |
What the data shows
Of the 59 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 74,000 miles. For transmission specifically, the median reported mileage is about 60,000 miles (20 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 5 complaints mention a crash; 6 injuries reported; 1 death reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2003 ranks 4th most-complained-about out of 6 model years of the Acura CL with enough data (38 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 5 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
[link removed] airbags failed to deploy. Above is the link showing the car and the airbags intact......updated 12/15/15
Dt: while driving 60 MPH was cut off on interstate. To keep from hitting another vehicle ran off the road. When consumer's vehicle went off road struck some trees with front impact with extensive damage. The vehicle was totaled and damaged was sustained on the right side as well as the front. The vehicle is equipped with 4 air bags. However only one on the passenger side deployed. The consumer who was in driver's seat did sustained a fractured sternum.
I was sideswiped by an 18-wheeler on I-40 in arkansas and it caused me to lose control and barrel roll into a wooded area. The car is completely totaled- thank god my seatbelt was on. My acura cl's airbags did not deploy. I have pictures of the car and the airbags without question should have deployed. I need this investigated... I cannot believe acura airbags failed on me.
Automatic transmission started missing shifts into 3rd gear, especially when under load, like going up hill. Two weeks later it won't shift into 3rd at all. Dealer says I need to have transmission replaced. Only 62,000 miles on a very well taken care of car. Honda agreed to replace some of these model year transmissions, but not all of them. Anecdotal information, but in speaking with a non acura related transmission shop, he knew exactly how my problem manifested itself, and what it was, with only the model year.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 acura cl. While driving 45 MPH and attempting to brake, the contact felt a vibration in the steering wheel and brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to four dealers. One dealer diagnosed that the brakes needed to be replaced; however, the contact stated that nothing failed and she did not know what the cause of the failure. Another dealer diagnosed that the rear rotors could be warped and needed to be replaced. The other two dealers also diagnosed that there was an issue with the brakes.