2003 Acura Cl Recalls, Complaints & Specs
5 safety recalls list the 2003 Acura Cl, and owners have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
5 safety recalls for the 2003 Acura Cl
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Inflator module (air bags)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2003-2006 MDX, 2001-2007 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot and 2006 Ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for…
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Inflator module (air bags)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling specific 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2013-2016 ILX, 2013-2014 ILX Hybrid, 2003-2006 MDX, 2007-2016 RDX, 2002-2003 3.2TL, 2004-2006, and 2009-2014 TL, 2010-2013 ZDX and 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2003-2005 Civic Hybrid, 2001-2005 Civic GX NGV, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 CR-V,…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's air bag inflator with an alternate inflator, free of charge. The recall began April 10, 2019. Honda owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138.…
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Inflator module (air bags)
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 Accord, 2001-2005 Civic, 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX, 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2002-2006 CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2002-2004 Odyssey, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2CL, 2003-2006 Acura MDX, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL vehicles. The affected…
Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Owners may contact…
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Automatic transmission (power train)
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.
Remedy: 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,…
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Engine (engine and engine cooling)
On certain minivans, sedans, coupes, and sport utility vehicles equipped with v6 engines, a timing belt tensioner pulley on the water pump is misaligned and could cause the timing belt to contact a bolt on the cylinder head. Eventually the belt could be damaged and fail.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the water pump and if it is one of the defective pumps, the water pump and timing belt will be replaced. Owner notification began august 30, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized…
73 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2003 Acura Cl have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA; 5 describe a crash. Reports cite 5 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 83,893 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 8 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“I purchased this vehicle in March 2021 and noticed the issue with the transmission the first time I operated the vehicle. There is a grinding sound whenever the transmission is placed in third gear. I”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 2, 2025 · Power train
“There is a major issue with the relay under the steering wheel blocking the fuel from the pump going to the engine. This also affects the security system as well as the rack and pinion. The vehicle se”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 5, 2024 · Electrical system
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2003 Acura CL (3.2CL). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 20–21 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 17 / 26–27 |
| Fuel | Premium |
| EPA class | Compact Cars |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 3.2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S5); Manual 6-spd |
Compare Acura Cl model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Acura Cl model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 Acura Cl | 2 | 82 |
| 1998 Acura Cl | 5 | 55 |
| 1999 Acura Cl | 3 | 49 |
| 2000 Acura Cl | 0 | 11 |
| 2001 Acura Cl | 3 | 271 |
| 2002 Acura Cl | 2 | 44 |
| 2003 Acura Cl | 5 | 73 |
| 2004 Acura Cl | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 2003 Acura Cl
How do I know if my 2003 Acura Cl has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 2003 Acura Cl; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Acura dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 02V226000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Acura models
- MDX3,296 complaints
- TL3,118 complaints
- RDX2,164 complaints
- TLX891 complaints
- TSX671 complaints
- Integra657 complaints
- RL423 complaints
- Legend382 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.