RoadVitals

2001 Acura Cl Visibility Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Visibility reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Oct 16, 2008
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 271 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Acura Cl submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Oct 16, 2008

2001 ACURA CL TYPE S REAR VIEW MIRROR LEAK. MIRROR BECAME CLOUDY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AFTER BLACK TAR LIKE SUBSTANCE LEAKED FROM REAR VIEW MIRROR. SUBSTANCE IS HIGHLY CORROSIVE AND DAMAGES WHATEVER IT COMES IN CONTACT WITH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10245690
Incident
Jul 15, 2008
Mileage
70,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 2, 2008

2001 ACURA CL TYPE-S REAR VIEW MIRROR (SELF DIMMING) IS LEAKING A BLACK TAR TYPE SUBSTANCE THAT IS EATING THROUGH THE CENTER CONSOLE OF THE CAR. THERE IS A GREY TYPE OF FILM IN THE MIRROR AND OBJECTS IN THE MIRROR APPEAR DOUBLED. THROUGH RESEARCH I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THE MANUFACTURER, MAGNA DONNELLY AND WEBSITES INDICATING THE FLUID IS TOXIC AND CAN LEAD TO HEALTH ISSUES. I THINK THAT ACURA SHOULD SUBMIT A RECALL AND MAGNA DONNELLY SHOULD PAY FOR REPLACEMENT MIRRORS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10240619
Incident
Jun 15, 2008
Mileage
110,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 28, 2008

REAR VIEW MIRROR (SELF DIMMING) ON MY 2001 ACURA CL SELF DESTRUCTED AND SPILT SOME TOXIC DARK THIS FLUID ON TO THE CONSOLE AND LEATHER SEATS THAT ATE AWAY THE MATERIAL. MANUFACTURER OF THESE SELF DIMMING MIRRORS IS MAGNA DONNELY AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ON ALL ACURA CL AND TL CARS FROM LATE 90'S TILL 2003. FROM SEEING THE NUMBER OF POSTS ON ACURAZINE BLOG THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM AND A SAFETY ISSUE. I AM HAVING TO DRIVE WITH A PLASTIC ZIPLOCK BAG AROUND MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND A TOWEL BELOW IT. ACURA USA HAS REFUSED TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE CAR. I THINK THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES IF THIS WAS HAPPENING SO OFTEN. PLEASE SEE POSTS AT: HTTP://CL.ACURAZINE.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=488763. *TR

NHTSA ID
10240125
Incident
Aug 25, 2008
Mileage
130,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jun 9, 2008

THE REAR VIEW MIRROR OF MY 2001 ACURA CLS STARTED LEAKING THE CHEMICAL THAT ALLOWS IT TO DIM. I BELIEVE IT WAS BECAUSE THE TEMPERATURE HERE IN NC HAS BEEN AROUND 100 DEGREES FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. I'VE READ SEVERAL ONLINE FORUMS DESCRIBING INCIDENTS WHERE THEIR MIRRORS EXPLODED, CAUSING THE CHEMICAL TO SPEW ALL OVER THEIR CARS. THE CHEMICAL EATS THROUGH LEATHER AND PLASTIC, AND IT CAN CAUSE ADVERSE EFFECTS TO ONE'S HEALTH IF INHALED. THE FORUMS HAVE DATED BACK TO 2004, ONE POST SITED A LAWSUIT UNDERWAY (IN 2006). I WAS WONDERING WHY THERE WAS NO RECALL OF THIS MIRROR. *TR

NHTSA ID
10230378
Incident
Jun 6, 2008
Mileage
84,500 mi
Body & structureEngineSteering+1 more
Filed Jan 10, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA 3.2 CL. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE ENGINE AND STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED, SHOOK, AND WOBBLED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THE REPAIR WOULD BE HIS RESPONSIBILITY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY ACCELERATE WHEN STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. ON JANUARY 9, 2008, THE CONTACT WENT TO TRADE IN THE VEHICLE AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS A SALVAGED VEHICLE. HE WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA BY HIS CREDIT UNION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,374 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ID
10214431
Incident
Jan 9, 2007
Mileage
50,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Jul 16, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 ACURA 3.2CL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN UNKNOWN FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM HIS REAR VIEW MIRROR. HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THE FLUID COULD BE AND IF IT WAS TOXIC. THE FLUID HAS ETCHED HIS VEHICLE CONSOLE AND THE MIRROR IS NOW DISCOLORED. HE STATED THAT THE FLUID IS VERY BLACK AND RESEMBLES TAR. THERE IS A GRAY FILM COVERING THE MIRROR AND HE CANNOT LOOK THROUGH IT TO SEE OTHER VEHICLES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 18,000. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB

NHTSA ID
10196498
Incident
Jul 14, 2007
Mileage
18,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Oct 27, 2006

1) APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS AGO, I BEGAN NOTICING AN OILY/GREASY SUBSTANCE ON MY WINDSHIELD WHEN I USED MY WINDOW WASHER CLEANER. I ASSUMED IT WAS FAULTY WIPERS AND REPLACED THESE REPEATEDLY OVER THE NEXT 18 MONTHS ONLY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RETURN. 2) ACURA TSB 01004 AND NHTSA ITEM NUMBER 623220 DETAILS THE PROBLEM...THE OIL/GREASY FILM BEING DEPOSITED ON THE WINDSHIELD IS SO SEVERE, THAT IT BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD; WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND A CAR CRASH. 3) ACURA WILL NOT MAKE THE NEEDED REPAIR SINCE THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY. *NM

NHTSA ID
10171994
Incident
Oct 26, 2006
Mileage
55,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Sep 4, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE POSITIONING OF THE 2 OUTSIDE MIRRORS IS TOO HIGH, BY AT LEAST 5-6 INCHES, WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN OR INTERSECTION, THERE ARE 2 BLIND SPOTS, ONCOMING TRAFFIC CAN NOT BE SEEN FROM THE LEFT AND RIGHT. *SLC

NHTSA ID
567313
Visibility
Filed Mar 19, 2002

WHILE DRIVING AND LOOKING THROUGH SIDE VIEW MIRROR ON PASSENGERS SIDE IT GIVES A BLIND SIDE, DRIVER CANNOT SEE. SPOKE WITH ACURA, WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS DESIGN OF VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
8005954
Visibility
Filed Dec 20, 2001

SIDE MIRRORS HAVE A BLIND SPOT ON THE LEFT. MIRRORS ARE POSITIONED ON THE POST SIDE OF DOOR. CONSUMER CAN'T SEE LEFT LANE IF TURNING NOR ANTHING THAT IS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
8000984
Incident
Mar 21, 2001
AirbagsVisibility
Filed Nov 2, 2001

IMPACT WITH DEER, ON LEFT SIDE FENDER, DOOR, AND REAR QUARTER PANEL, BROKEN WINDSHIELD, BROKEN MIRROR, WHICH CAUSED $5000 WORTH OF DAMGE, BUT THE LEFT SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WHY?*AK

NHTSA ID
754026
Incident
Oct 29, 2001
Visibility
Filed Jan 30, 2001

CONSUMER SITS IN DRIVER'S SEAT TO IT'S REAR MOST POSITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE POWER MIRROR CAN NOT BE ADJUSTED TO BE ANGLED OUTWARD ENOUGH TO ELIMINATE DANGEROUS BLIND SPOTS FOR VEHICLES THAT ARE CLOSE IN THE ADJACENT LEFT LANE, CONSUMER HAS COME CLOSE TO COLLISIONS DUE TO THIS BLIND SPOT AND HAS MOUNTED ANOTHER MIRROR TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL VIEW. *SLC

NHTSA ID
785243

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .