2001 Acura CL Problems

What owners report

This model year is dominated by automatic transmission complaints, which make up the large majority of the sample and range from early failures under 40,000 miles to repeat replacements after recall work. Owners describe slipping, harsh or unexpected downshifts, loss of drive power at highway speed, and, in several cases, recurrence of the same symptom after the transmission was serviced. A second, smaller cluster involves the airbag/SRS warning light and a leaking self-dimming rearview mirror.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic transmission slips, downshifts or fails

   • 171 complaints (63%)
   • median 53,541 mi at 3.9 yrs old (118 state mileage)
   • 8 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $4,655 (median of 10 quotes)
   • filed 2001–2024

   Owners describe the transmission slipping under acceleration, revving without delivering power, refusing to engage second or third gear, and occasionally downshifting abruptly at highway speed so the vehicle loses speed without warning. Many say the dealer replaced the transmission or replaced the automatic transmission fluid and components under earlier service programs, and some report the same symptom returning afterward. Several complaints mention dealers declining further repairs once the vehicle was out of warranty or past extended-coverage mileage. Reported from roughly 18,000 to over 220,000 miles, with many complaints between about 30,000 and 70,000 miles.

   Recall 04V17600011 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for the full service history and whether transmission work under recall 04V176000 was completed, and when. On a test drive, watch for delayed or flared shifts between second and third gear, unusual noise, and discolored or burnt-smelling transmission fluid.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving 75mph on tollway, while tranny was in auto mode, not ss mode. The car shift out of 5th & into 2nd or 3rd, going from 75mph to 30mph within less than a second. Engine RPM revs to redline, the car swerve & almost out of control. Cars behind me had to swerve & braked hard to avoid rear ending my car. Acura dealer will replace transmission.”

   NHTSA complaint #10007804, filed 2003-02, 29,560 miles

   “While driving on the highway at 65mph, my car suddenly slipped out of gear, engine revving and smoke pouring from under the hood. I had gotten no warning at all.the check engine light never came on and the car had no prior instances of gear problems. Had to get it towed home where it sits in my driveway because I can't afford a new transmission.”

   NHTSA complaint #11309666, filed 2020-02, 100,000 miles
2. 2
   Air bags

   SRS/airbag warning light stays on

   • 25 complaints (9%)
   • median 118,000 mi at 15.0 yrs old (15 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2002–2024

   Owners report the SRS or airbag warning light coming on and staying on while driving, sometimes intermittently and sometimes after hitting a bump. According to complaints, dealers have attributed it to the occupant position detection sensor or control unit failing, and in some cases resetting the system did not keep the light off. Several owners were told that while the light is on the airbags may not deploy. Mostly reported between about 33,000 and 200,000 miles, often on older vehicles.

   Recall 20V026000Recall 20V0270003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check that the SRS light goes off after the bulb-check at startup and stays off, including over bumps. Ask whether the driver airbag inflator recall work was completed and whether the occupant detection sensor has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The air bag light keeps coming on for no reason. Go to the dealer to get it checked and there is no code for the airbag. The light will stay off until I hit any bump in road. I was on the interstate when it comes on and in town when it has come on for no reason.”

   NHTSA complaint #11094067, filed 2018-05, 133,454 miles

   “The passenger side airbag in my 2001!Acura CL was recalled and the company never contacted me about it! I bought the car on 5/28/20 with no title but I do have a bill of sale on a notebook piece of paper but anyways I saw where there was recalls for some parts on my vehicle and was researching up on this stuff and came across the information that my airbags have been recalled...what possibly is there to do about this situation? Please and thank you have a blessed day!!! Here is my campaign id '04v176000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11330745, filed 2020-06, 33,600 miles

Buying note. Transmission condition is the main thing to establish on this model year: get the service and recall history in writing and have a pre-purchase inspection check shift quality and fluid condition. Budget for potential transmission work, and verify the airbag recall status and SRS light behavior before buying.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.