1997 Acura CL Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other CL years
- More complaints than other years 2nd of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 82 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Acura CL. That ranks 2nd out of 8 CL model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (20 complaints, 24%), typically at around 95,500 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 5 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 82owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 Acura CL problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 20 | 24% | 95,500 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 15 | 18% | 170,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 14 | 17% | 125,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 11% | 122,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 9% | 89 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 5% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 5% | 149,750 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 2% | 186,243 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 2% | 154,122 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Acura CL recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: On certain sedans, coupes, hatchbacks, and sport utility vehicles, electrical contacts in the ignition switch can degrade due to the high electrical current passing through the switch when the vehicle is started.
Risk: Worn contacts could cause the engine to stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the ignition switch. Owner notification began june 14, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.
Suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain vehicles were manufactured with ball joints that can prematurely wear out and, in the worse case, the ball joint would separate causing the front suspension to collapse.
Risk: This condition would result in vehicle deceleration and a sudden loss of power. Also steering controllability would be reduced.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Airbag recall was issued in march 2020. Honda advises that no replacement parts are available as of 8/14/2020.could be up to a year (from march 2020) before parts are available.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 ACURA CL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V026000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT REACHED OUT TO NORRIS ACURA (8559 BALTIMORE NATIONAL PIKE, ELLICOTT CITY, MD 21043; [redacted]) WHERE IT WAS…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 acura cl. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 20v026000 (air bags) however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. Pikes peak acura (655 automotive dr, colorado springs, co 80905) was contacted and confirmed that parts were not available for…
Tl* takata recall. The contact called on behalf of his mother-in-law the owner and driver of a 1997 acura cl. Contact stated that while his mother-in-law was stopped and waiting to make a left turn a semi- truck turned running over her vehicle. The front passenger to the driver side of the vehicle…
I noticed an srs light on every time after i start the engine and the engine mounting are broken and lose..
Other Acura CL years
See all Acura CL problems by year, every Acura model, or the Acura VIN decoder.
Similar Acura models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Acura CL?
Owners most often report power train, electrical system, air bags problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 20 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Acura CL?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 Acura CL a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other CL model years, the 1997 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.