Most common 1998 Acura CL problems
Share of the 55 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 →
1998 Acura CL recalls (5)
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 1998 Acura 2.2CL, 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL, 1998-1999 Acura 3.0CL, 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX, 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL, 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL, 1996-2000 Civic Coupe, 1997-2000 CR-V, 1997-1998 EV Plus, and 1998-1999…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the driver frontal air bag inflator, and replace it if necessary, with an inflator of a different design, free of charge. The recall began October 1, 2020.
Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
On certain passenger vehicles and Mini vans, the ignition switch May wear excessively and prevent proper interlock operation, making it possible to turn the ignition key to the "off" position and remove the key without shifting the transmission to "park."
Remedy: Dealers will perform an inspection procedure that determines the amount of cylinder body wear. If significant wear is indicated, the dealer will replace the cylinder body, collar, and latch plate.
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.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Park/neutral start interlock switch
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles (Honda accord sedans manufactured from September 18, 1997 to January 10, 1998; coupes manufactured December 11, December 15, 1997, and January 5, 1998; Acura 2.3cl manufactured October 22, 1997 through January 7, 1998).
Remedy: Dealers will install a collar on the transmission parking pawl to ensure proper movement of the actuation lever.
What 1998 Acura CL owners say
Electrical system
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Acura CL. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled, while driving. The contact stated the vehicle could be restarted however, it took numerous attempts. The contact stated once the vehicle stalled, the immobilizer warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the electrical wiring harness for the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Prior to the failure, the vehicle had been repaired for NHTSA campaign number: 02V120000 (electrical system). The failure occurred daily. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 225,000.
It is my drivers side window the window part in door that cause window to go up and down breaks at any given time it just happened again I looked in Acura forum where it's everyone is having problems same thing and the company new about the problem did it anyway and hoped no recall would come about. Now this is shades practice I went to roll my window down a bee was in car I was driving and couldn't just pull over on free way. My window broke again I got stung I'm swollen from sting and all cause couldn't roll down a window that should always work! I have had it with Acura.
Transmission & drivetrain
There was not any event leading up to the failure. I own an Acura 1998 CL. Coming home from vacation yesterday on route 79 in west virginia, going 70 miles/hour, my right front axle bearing just broke in half, and my wheel fell off causing me to lose control of my vehicle. Luckily, I was able to get the vehicle off of the highway. I just had my car inspected in February. There was no wear of the tire to indicate a problem. No vibrations, no shaking, absolutely no indication there was a problem with that very important part of my vehicle. I want to know if this is happening with other acuras, because I am afraid to drive it again after it is fixed because I'm afraid it will happen again. The consequences could have been alot worse. The incident occurred 6/1/2004, so my vehicle has not been repaired yet.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Acura CL. On August 20, 2007, the check engine light illuminated and remained lit when the vehicle was started. She took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the transmission needed to be replaced, however, it was not an emergency. Two weeks later, the vehicle was unable to be driven because the gears would not shift smoothly and the vehicle would jump. The gears then began slipping and the vehicle failed to accelerate. The current mileage was 108,000 and failure mileage was 107,940.
Air bags
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Acura CL. The contact stated that the SRS warning indicator remained illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 138,594.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 1998 Acura CL. The contact received a recall notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V026000 (air bags) however the part to do the repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had scheduled an appointment at roper Honda dealer (902 n rangeline rd, joplin, mo 64801) and was informed the part was not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that part was not available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirmed part not available.
1998 Acura CL engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 21 / 29 / 24 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 27 / 22 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 26 / 20 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Acura CL a good car?
Based on 55 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 CL rates average: 14% fewer complaints than a typical year of the CL at the same age. 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 1998 Acura CL?
The electrical system — 18 complaints, 33% of all complaints for this model year, most often about ignition › switch. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (10) and air bags (8).
How many recalls does the 1998 Acura CL have?
There are 5 recalls for the 1998 Acura CL, the most recent from January 17, 2020 (inflator module). 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 1998 Acura CL problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 98,000 miles; 5% 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.