2003 Acura Cl Powertrain (other) Problems

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 brought the car to Acura by Executive in Wallingford, CT at some point in 2021 to enquire about the issue. I was informed by the service advisor that the problem is a known issue but because there is no recall on the issue and the vehicle is out of warranty Acura is not required to resolve it. Recently I came across service bulletin 08-018 and noticed where it stated that after warranty expiration a repair may be eligible for goodwill consideration. I called Acura Customer Service, was given case #15843108, and told to acquire a formal diagnosis from an Acura dealership. The diagnosis from Acura of Berlin in Berlin, CT verified that the symptoms were the result of the faulty transmission as described in the TSB. I submitted this information to Acura Customer Service and was informed on September 29, 2025, that due to the age of the vehicle Acura will not compensate me fully or partially for the repair. In my view, although this is an older vehicle, it has low mileage at 102.000 miles and is therefore expected to be on the road for many years. The transmission only grinds at this point, but it may start to pop out of third gear in the future as described in the TSB. I consider this a safety issue in that the transmission popping out of gear unexpectedly would result in some loss of control of the vehicle. I don't expect Acura to fully compensate me for this repair but in light of this problem being a known and documented issue with this vehicle and all the parts for repair are still available I would expect that Acura would stand by its product and offer to contribute to the total cost of this repair.

NHTSA ID

11690951

Incident

Mar 7, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA CL. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. ALSO, WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER, TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND ON, AND IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE SENSOR FOR THE DRIVESHAFT THREE AND FOUR GEAR CABLE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 10011555. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,054.

NHTSA ID

11278019

Incident

Sep 26, 2019

Mileage

1,054 mi

I BOUGHT A USED ACURA AND ON THE WAY HOME ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR SUDDENLY DOWN SHIFTED VIOLENTLY SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING THE CAR TO SKID SIDEWAYS .I PULLED OVER AND THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 3RD GEAR.EVENTULLY I GOT IT TO RESET AND IT DROVE FINE FOR 35 MINUTES UNTIL ONCE AGAIN IT LOCKED UP DOING 65MPH.

NHTSA ID

11193565

Incident

Apr 2, 2019

Mileage

148,000 mi

I WAS RIDING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE ENGINE WENT INTO HIGH RPM'S AND THE CAR WAS SLOWING DOWN. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. I BARELY GOT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT POWER. THE CAR ONLY HAS 77,248 MILES ON IT. THERE WAS ACURA SERVICE BULLETIN 02-027 FEB 5, 2008, ABOUT TRANMISSION PROBLEMS. VERY SCAREY!

NHTSA ID

11046666

Incident

Nov 16, 2017

Mileage

77,248 mi

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ELIMINATED, VSA LIGHT COMES ON AND D5 LIGHT FLASHES WHILE DRIVING AFTER TRANSMISSION WARMS UP., CAR WONT SHIFT INTO 4TH OR 5TH GEAR RPMS WIND UP REAL HIGH HAVE TO PULL OVER TURN OFF ENGINE THEN RESTART TO DRIVE ONLY SHORT DISTANCE BEFORE IT STARTS DOING THE SAME THING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROX. 65 MPH WHEN CAR SUDDENLY STARTED DOWNSHIFTING ON ITS OWN CAUSING ME TO ALMOST CRASHED WHEN I WAS JERKED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10918814

Incident

Oct 10, 2016

Mileage

207,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA CL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ID

10778219

Incident

Aug 1, 2013

Mileage

120,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILED DESPITE THE CAR HAVING THE FACTORY RECOMMENDED SERVICE FOR THE TRANSMISSION BEING PERFORMED AT 60K AND 89K. THE TRANSMISSION DROPPED INTO 2ND WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65MPH. UPON INVESTIGATING IT WAS FOUND THE CAR WAS PART OF A CLASS ACTION DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE, BUT I WAS NOT ELIGIBLE SINCE THE CAR WAS OUT OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PERIOD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10640542

Incident

Sep 11, 2013

Mileage

92,728 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA CL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING A REDUCTION IN ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 107,000.

NHTSA ID

10588506

Incident

May 12, 2014

Mileage

107,000 mi

WAS DRIVING ON A 3 LANE ROAD. I NOTICED THAT WHEN I ACCELERATE FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR THE RPM'S WERE REVVING UP AND THEN FELT THE TUG WHEN IT WOULD GRAB THE GEAR. KEPT DOING THAT AND THEN STARTED TO 3RD GEAR AS WELL. DOWNSHIFTING SAME THING. THEN IT DID A STRONG LOCK UP OF VEHICLE WHERE IT STOPPED AND ALL THE CHECK ENGINE, AND 2 OR 3 LIGHTS CAME ON. D5 STARTED TO BLINK. I PUT HAZARDS AND PULLED OVER. SHUT VEHICLE OFF THEN BACK ON AND 1 OF THE 3 LIGHTS TURNED OFF. TOOK IT TO SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS TRANSMISSION ISSUES AND WAS PART OF A HONDA RECALL BUT I WAS OVER THE MILEAGE. STILL WAITING ON WHAT TO DO NEXT. THIS IS FOR THE 2003 ACURA CL TYPE S. *TR

NHTSA ID

10565384

Incident

Feb 14, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi

I OWN A 2003 ACURA 3.2 CL. I READ UP ON THE CAR AND I SEE ACURA HAD A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION FOR THIS YEAR. I PUT THE VIN NUMBER IN AND I ALSO CALLED THE ACURA DEALERSHIP IN COLUMBUS GEORGIA AND IT SHOW THAT MY ACURA HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACE IN IT FROM THE FIRST RECALL, AT 104,000 MILEAGE MY TRANSMISSION HAVE WENT OUT AGAIN. I KNOW THIS CAN NOT BE NATURAL FOR THIS PROBLEM TO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED AND STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE CAR IS AN 2003 WITH THE MILEAGE 104,000 WHICH IS A GREAT FOR AN 2003. THIS IS MY FIRST ACURA AND IT HAVE MADE ME LOVE THE ACURA FAMILY. CAN YOU PLEASE REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10515903

Incident

Jun 9, 2013

Mileage

104,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE 19, WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO FAIL, THERE WAS HEAVY TRAFFIC AND MY CAR GOING UP AND DOWN ON SPEED LIMIT, 65-35 MILES PER HOUR. ALMOST HAD CARS BEHIND ME REAR END MY ACURA CL, SO I PULLED OVER TO AVOID A SUDDEN ACCIDENT, THE VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN IN THE ACURA DEALERSHIP FOR A MINOR INSPECTION OF A SUDDEN NOISE IN THE TRANSMISSION AREA. THEY ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS STARTING TO MISS AND DID NOT MENTION NOT TO DRIVE IT. A NEW TRANSMISSION COSTS $4700. *TR

NHTSA ID

10482047

Incident

Oct 23, 2012

Mileage

172,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA CL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE ENGINE RPMS, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) AND WAS REPAIRED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD NOT BE COVERED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10465275

Incident

Jul 11, 2011

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 ACURA CL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH , THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATED AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE FIFTH GEAR AND THE TRANSMISSION WARNING LIGHT WERE BLINKING AS THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY UNDER THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V176000 (POWER TRAIN: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

NHTSA ID

10453437

Incident

Jan 18, 2012

Mileage

95,000 mi

THE CAR HAD A TRANSMISSION RECALL ABOUT 6 YEARS AGO. SINCE I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, I DID SOME RESEARCH TO DETERMINE IF THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REPLACED IN MY VEHICLE. I CALLED ACURA AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION IN MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN FIXED. ABOUT A YEAR LATER, MY CAR WAS STARTING TO EXPERIENCE SHIFTING PROBLEMS FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. SINCE THE CAR HAS FAIRLY LOW MILEAGE (79,201) I THOUGHT THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT ODD. NOW THAT I THINK OF IT, IT STILL APPEARS THAT THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION HAD NOT BEEN CORRECTED (AS THESE THINGS SHOULD LAST 100K+ MILES). I'M LOGGING THIS COMPLAINT TO SEE IF ANY OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10415988

Incident

Jul 26, 2011

Mileage

79,201 mi

WHEN ENTERING HIGHWAY VEHICLE FAILED TO CHANGE GEARS AND NEARLY CAUSING A REAR END CRASH. TRANSMISSION FAILED.

NHTSA ID

10401752

Incident

May 12, 2011

Mileage

50,100 mi