2001 Acura CL Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 206 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2001 Acura CL, 76% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 53,041 miles. The words owners use most often: “transmission failed” (13% of reports).
- 206power train complaints
- 53,041median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $6,850typical repair cost reported by owners
- 57%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Transmission failed: mentioned in 27 of 206 complaints (13%)
- Second gear: mentioned in 14 of 206 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2001 Acura CL at $6,850, and half of them between $6,150 and $7,550.
Based on 9 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2014), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 134 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 206 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 4 an injury.
Acura CL power train complaints by model year
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: On some mini vans, sport utility and passenger vehicles, certain operating conditions can result in heat build-up between the countershaft and secondary shaft second gears in the automatic transmission, eventually leading to gear tooth chipping or gear breakage.
Risk: Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash.
Fix: On vehicles with 15,000 miles or less, the dealer will update the transmission with a simple revision to the oil cooler return line to increase lubrication to the second gear. On vehicles with more than 15,000 miles, the dealer will inspect the transmission to identify gears that have already experienced discoloration due to overheating. If discoloration exists, the transmission will be replaced if discoloration is not present, the dealer will perform the revision to the oil cooler return line. The recall began on april 21, 2004, for pilot, odyssey, and mdx owners. Owners of the accord vehicles will start receiving letters on june 28, 2004, and on june 29, 2004, for owners of the tl and cl vehicles. Owners should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
In and around July 2024 my Acura cl started to have erratic shifting and locking up at highways speeds the vehicle is so unsafe to drive I cannot get the air bags fixed it shifts from 5th gear to 2nd gear in 2004 a remedy was applied to the transmission to aid and fix the downshifting issues and…
Frank let us Acura would not preform my transmission recall after it locked up âstating the recall has already been doneâ but they âdonât have any record of itâ they claim someone didnât file the paper work on it but my trans locked up going 70 miles and hour and threw me off of the road
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2001 Acura CLs have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 206 owner complaints about power train for the 2001 Acura CL (76% of the 271 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Acura CL power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 53,041 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2001 Acura CL?
Owners report a typical cost of $6,850 (half paid between $6,150 and $7,550), from 9 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2001 Acura CL?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission failed”, in 27 of 206 complaints, followed by “second gear” (14).
See all 2001 Acura CL problems or power train problems across all CL years.