VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE
Acura CL1997–2003
Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.
Best Years to Buy a Acura CL
Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.
Acura CL Years to Avoid
2 recalls · 140 complaints
6 reported injuries
Top issue: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2 recalls · 43 complaints
2 reported injuries
Top issue: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1 recall · 28 complaints
Top issue: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Federal Defect Investigations
NHTSA investigations are the stage that precedes a recall. 1 past investigation into the CL became recall.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Data current as of October 25, 2026.
Acura CL — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2 | 43 | 2 | 1 | 57 | 39 | 51 | Caution |
| 2002 | 1 | 28 | — | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Good |
| 2001 | 2 | 140 | 6 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Avoid |
| 2000 | 0 | 7 | 1 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Excellent |
| 1999 | 2 | 23 | — | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Good |
| 1998 | 3 | 40 | 3 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Good |
| 1997 | 2 | 45 | 1 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Good |
Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.
Known Acura CL Problems
Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.
Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.
Shopping by Era
How each generation of the CL compares — best year within each era shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year CL to buy?+
The 2000 Acura CL scores highest on our Buyer Score (51/100) — combining a reliability score of 57/100 with a value score of 39/100. It has 0 recalls and 7 NHTSA complaints on record.
Which CL years have the most problems?+
The 2001, 2003, 2002 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2001 CL leads with 2 recalls and 140 owner complaints.
What is the Buyer Score?+
The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.
What are the most common CL problems?+
The most frequently reported Acura CL issues involve: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, AIR BAGS, POWER TRAIN, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.
Deep-Dive Research
A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.