Most common 1997 Acura CL problems
Share of the 82 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Acura CL complaints by model year
Best CL years: 2000, 1999. Years to avoid: 2001, 1997. Compare all years →
1997 Acura CL recalls (2)
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
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.
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…
Suspension › Front › Control arm › Lower ball joint
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints.
What 1997 Acura CL owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 20 →
Car stalled on freeway - full electrical shutdown - gauges dropped. Put car into neutral, restarted ignition, slight grind at starter, and car started. Pulled over when safe & when put car in reverse, heard whining/grinding noise and it wouldn't engage. Drive worked fine so drove to dealer. Dealer found ignition to be defective and covered under recall - it caused the stall. Dealer said transmission needed replacement for $4800 - won;t cover it and say the transmission failure and stall have noting to do with each other. The stall was very unsafe and shifting into neutral was best safest manuever (agreed to by dealer and Acura USA), but they argue no causality. Seeking remedy through bureau of auto repair, lawsuit if necessary.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Acura 3.0cl. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the contact heard a loud noise and felt excessive vibration from the vehicle. She experienced difficulty controlling the steering wheel. There were no warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. Prior to the failures, the power steering was not working properly. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road and the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer. The failures caused damages to the tire and bumper. The dealer stated that the lower ball joints and drive shaft caused the failures. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 122,000.
Electrical system
Car stalled on freeway - full electrical shutdown - gauges dropped. Put car into neutral, restarted ignition, slight grind at starter, and car started. Pulled over when safe & when put car in reverse, heard whining/grinding noise and it wouldn't engage. Drive worked fine so drove to dealer. Dealer found ignition to be defective and covered under recall - it caused the stall. Dealer said transmission needed replacement for $4800 - won;t cover it and say the transmission failure and stall have noting to do with each other. The stall was very unsafe and shifting into neutral was best safest manuever (agreed to by dealer and Acura USA), but they argue no causality. Seeking remedy through bureau of auto repair, lawsuit if necessary.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Acura CL. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle stopped in the middle of the road. The contact attempted to move to the side of the road and the vehicle restarted. When this occurred, she had to hold the key in the ignition in the on position to drive to his residence. She also had to hold the keys in the on position to take the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the ignition switch was not working. The vehicle stalled without warning. The weather and road conditions were not a factor. Once at the dealer, they stated that there was a recall; however, her VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Air bags
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 was damaged. No air bags deployed in the vehicle. The contact sustained bruised ribs and separated collar bone, and other injuries that required medical attention as she was transported to the hospital by ambulance. A police report was made. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and then to the contact's residence. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The contact stated that the dealer was not contacted as the vehicle was deemed a total loss and he was an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
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; [phone]) where it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer had not been made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
1997 Acura CL engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 22 / 28 / 24 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Acura CL a good car?
Based on 82 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 CL rates use caution: 1.6× as many complaints as a typical year of the CL at the same age. It is one of the CL years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Acura CL?
The transmission & drivetrain — 20 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the electrical system (15) and air bags (14).
How many recalls does the 1997 Acura CL have?
There are 2 recalls for the 1997 Acura CL, the most recent from May 16, 2002 (switch). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Acura CL?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2000 and 1999. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001 and 1997. See the full Acura CL years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Acura CL problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 112,000 miles; 8% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.