IllustrationCAR SKIDDED OUT OF CONTROL. NO ONE GOT HURT. ABS INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. LEAKAGE OCCURS ON THE ABS MODULATOR WHICH PROBABLY GOT ON LEFT TIRE TO CAUSE SKID. *NM
1997 Acura Cl
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1997 Acura Cl do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 52.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cl years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
10–25K
125–50K
350–75K
675–100K
4100–150K
10150K+
25 reports with mileage · 57 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints
7 reportsCONSUMER STATES THAT THE KEY CAN ONLY BE REMOVED WHEN IN NEUTRAL GEAR, CONSUMER HAD THE ENTIRE IGNITION REPLACED, LATER RECEIVED RECALL 02V12 AND STATES MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO REIMBURSE. *SLC
ABS LIGHT COMES ON, AND WITH THAT A NOISE IS HEARD IN THE SYSTEM, ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY GO TO THE FLOOR WHICH EVENTUALLY STOPS VEHICLE, ABS LIGHT STAYS ON, CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT ABS IS LEAKING. *AK DEALER HAS REPAIRED AND REPLACES OTHER MAJOR PARTS OF THE VEHICLES, SUCH AS THE A…
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ABS LIGHT COMES ON, AND WITH THAT A NOISE IS HEARD IN THE SYSTEM, ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY GO TO THE FLOOR WHICH EVENTUALLY STOPS VEHICLE, ABS LIGHT STAYS ON, CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT ABS IS LEAKING. *AK DEALER HAS REPAIRED AND REPLACES OTHER MAJOR PARTS OF THE VEHICLES, SUCH AS THE ALTERNATOR AND STARTER, EGR VALVE WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, BRAKE LIGHT, TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED, THE WINDOW REGULATOR WAS REPLACED*ET1.LEFT FRONT WINDOW DOES NOT GO UP,2.LEFT FRONT DOOR REGULATOR,3.HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT,4.EGR VALVE 5.STARTER
CONSUMER HAS NOTICED ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATING ON DASHBOARD. CONTACTED DEALER. UPON RECALL 99V069/ LOWER BALL JOINT REPAIRS, MECHANIC NOTICED ABS BRAKE MODULE AND ACTUATOR HAVE MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED A SLIGHT CHANGE IN BRAKING ABILITY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ABS LIGHT STAYED ON. AFTER TAKING MY VEHICLE TO THE RADLEY ACURA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS MODULATOR AND ACCUMULATOR HAS FAILED. IT WAS RECOMMENDED BY THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT THIS EQUIPMENT BE REPLACED FOR PROPER OPERATION. *AK
BRAKE ROTORS RESURFACED 3/98 @ 4,276 MI.; REPLACED 10/08 @ 11,160 MI.; RESURFACED(R) AND REPLACED(F) 5/99 @ 18,511 MI.; RESURFACED(F) AND REPLACED(R) 9/99 @ 23,500 MI. HAVE ANOTHER 1997 ACURA 3.0 CL ACQUIRED AT SAME TIME WITH SIMILAR MILEAGE; BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED TWICE AND REPLACED ONCE. ARE BRAKES ADEQUATELY SIZ…
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BRAKE ROTORS RESURFACED 3/98 @ 4,276 MI.; REPLACED 10/08 @ 11,160 MI.; RESURFACED(R) AND REPLACED(F) 5/99 @ 18,511 MI.; RESURFACED(F) AND REPLACED(R) 9/99 @ 23,500 MI. HAVE ANOTHER 1997 ACURA 3.0 CL ACQUIRED AT SAME TIME WITH SIMILAR MILEAGE; BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN RESURFACED TWICE AND REPLACED ONCE. ARE BRAKES ADEQUATELY SIZED FOR WEIGHT OF VEHICLE?
AFTER (2) SEMI FAILURES THE BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY ON 9/2/96 IN THE DRIVEWAY LEADING TO THE GARAGE AND VEHICLE RAN INTO A WALL.*AK
Official recalls
202V120000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch
May 16, 2002
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: WORN CONTACTS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: 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.
99V069000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint
May 10, 1999
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ALSO STEERING CONTROLLABILITY WOULD BE REDUCED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.