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Acura CLModel year report

2002 Acura CL Problems

Complaints
44filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
45,000miles, 23 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 Acura CL (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 44 consumer complaints for the 2002 Acura CL. The part named most often is transmission and drivetrain, with 33 complaints (75% of the total), followed by air bags (5) and electrical system (4). 23 of the complaints include a mileage, and 57% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 45,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, 1 a death, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 53 technical service bulletins for this model year. Transmission and drivetrain complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign and 13 technical service bulletins filed under the same part. Air bags complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the inflator module and 4 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Fuel system (1), Other or unknown (1), Seats (1), Steering (1), Body and structure (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “The transmission in my Acura CL-s locked up for approximately 2 seconds while traveling on the freeway. It locked up again while trying to move to the shoulder. The transmission was subsequently replaced. The replacement transmission failed approximately 800 miles later. I am now on my third, which is beginning to show signs of inevitable failure.”

NHTSA complaint #10068317, filed 2004-05, 38,000 miles

Air bags: “Takata recall. The contact owns a 2002 Acura CL. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v027000 (air bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Acura of escondido located at (1502 auto park way, escondido ca) was contacted and confirmed that part was not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. Vin tool confirms parts not available.”

NHTSA complaint #11319134, filed 2020-03

Electrical system: “Since the second day of having my car, my car has been continuously plagued with problems. I have taken my car in for repair over 10 times for various and sometimes repeating problems. This all has occurred within a three year period. I have never had a vehicle that has had so many problems. Some of the problems have been so severe that I no longer feel safe driving my car. One of these problems was my transmission spontaneously downshifting from 5th gear to 2nd gear at highway speeds. This caused a tremendous decrease of speed. …”

NHTSA complaint #10120061, filed 2005-05, 41,000 miles

Engine cooling: “2002 Acura CL 3.2 experiencing problems with automatic transmission, seat belts, timing belt, electrical system, and the engine.***no answer required***. The consumer has experience numerous problems with the automatic transmission, electrical system, seat belts, suspension and engine. The consumer did stated there was a recall on the transmission and belt tensioner.”

NHTSA complaint #10119198, filed 2005-03

Mileage when problems were reported

57% of the 23 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 28,350 and 140,000 miles.

4%0–1022%10–2530%25–504%50–754%75–10013%100–15022%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (23 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 45,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’0213’05’08’12’17’23
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2002 Acura CL → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 53 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 53 bulletins →

Other model years of the Acura CL

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20037374,7285——Not compared (before 2008)Rising
20024445,0002——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200127163,0003——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20001121,0350———Not enough data
199949102,5873——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19985596,6125——Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199782107,6772——Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Acura CL model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 Acura CL have?

NHTSA recorded 44 consumer complaints for the 2002 Acura CL as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2002 Acura CL is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 33 complaints (75% of the total), followed by air bags with 5.

Has the 2002 Acura CL been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2002 Acura CL reported?

Among the 23 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 45,000 miles and the middle half falls between 28,350 and 140,000 miles; 57% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.