2003 Acura CL

Recalls

5 recalls name the 2003 Acura CL. Newest first.

• Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module

  Jun 27, 2019NHTSA 19V4990003,947 vehicles

  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 frontal air bag…

  Risk and remedy

  Risk

  An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  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 this recall are Q5A and Y58.

  Full recall details →

• Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module

  Mar 6, 2019NHTSA 19V1820001,101,534 vehicles

  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, 2003-2011 Element, 2007…

  Risk and remedy

  Risk

  An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  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. Honda's number for this recall is O41. Acura owners may contact customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Acura's number for this recall is U40.

  Full recall details →

• Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module

  May 28, 2015NHTSA 15V3200006,281,043 vehicles

  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 vehicles are equipped with…

  Risk and remedy

  Risk

  In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

  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 Acura customer service at 1-800-382-2238, select option 4. Note: Vehicles that have had their driver frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy prior to September 12, 2014 need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well. Vehicles that, on or after September 12, 2014, received a remedy for a prior driver frontal air bag inflator recall already received an inflator of a different design, and therefore are not included in this recall and do not require additional servicing. Note: This recall fully supersedes recalls 08V-593, 09V-259, 10V-041, 11V-260, 14V-351 and 15V-153. Honda's numbers for this recall are JQ9, JR0, JR1, JR2, JR3, JR4, JR5, JR6, JR7, and JR8.

  Full recall details →

• Power train › Automatic transmission

  Apr 15, 2004NHTSA 04V1760001,099,796 vehicles

  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.

  Risk and remedy

  Risk

  Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash.

  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, the dealer will inspect the transmission to identify gears that have already experienced discoloration due to overheating. if discoloration exists, the transmission will be replaced if discoloration IS not present, the dealer will perform the revision to the oil cooler return line. the recall began on april 21, 2004, for pilot, odyssey, and MDX owners. owners of the accord vehicles will start receiving letters on june 28, 2004, and on june 29, 2004, for owners of the TL and cl vehicles. owners should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.

  Full recall details →

• Engine and engine cooling › Engine

  Aug 28, 2002NHTSA 02V22600017,551 vehicles

  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.

  Risk and remedy

  Risk

  If the timing belt breaks, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

  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 dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact honda at 1-800-999-1009 or acura at 1-800-382-2238.

  Full recall details →

Owner complaints

What owners report most

1. Power train37
2. Air bags9
3. Exterior lighting5
4. Electrical system4
5. Service brakes, hydraulic4
6. Wheels3
7. Engine3
8. Steering3
9. Structure3
10. Suspension3

Latest complaints

• Oct 2, 2025CT
  Power train
  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…

  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.

• Sep 5, 2024WA
  Electrical system · Fuel/propulsion system · Steering
  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 security turns itself on and off as it pleases, often leaving driver/passengers stranded and…

  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 security turns itself on and off as it pleases, often leaving driver/passengers stranded and sometimes with the alarm not shutting off. This is after having keys re-programmed and most parts replaced for a hefty price tag. Due to this, the vehicle will only start at times. I've seen several similar complaints and taken it to many costly mechanics. I paid $7,000 for this vehicle a couple of years ago but only got to drive it a few times because there is always an issue that can't be fixed.

• Apr 1, 2024CA
  Air bags
  My 2003 3.2cls Acura had an airbag recall in in 2016. My vehicle was supposedly repaired at this time. However, recently my SRS light has been on requiring me to take my car to an Acura dealer. The dealer believes my steering wheel air bag has a faulty air inflator, which they claim is out of…

  My 2003 3.2cls Acura had an airbag recall in in 2016. My vehicle was supposedly repaired at this time. However, recently my SRS light has been on requiring me to take my car to an Acura dealer. The dealer believes my steering wheel air bag has a faulty air inflator, which they claim is out of warranty and may require me to pay $3000 to repair. I do not understand how the manufacturer of the airbag/inflator can avoid repairing this. Shouldn't an airbag last longer than 8 years? What if everyone had to replace their airbags every eight years?

• Aug 15, 2023ID
  Air bags · Seat belts
  I have an SRS light illuminated on my dashboard. Upon researching this, it is apparently a sensor issue which, when the light is on, indicates that the sensor in the seat - belt is malfunctioning, and this will keep the air bags from deploying. This of course is a serious safety issue. Also, in…

  I have an SRS light illuminated on my dashboard. Upon researching this, it is apparently a sensor issue which, when the light is on, indicates that the sensor in the seat - belt is malfunctioning, and this will keep the air bags from deploying. This of course is a serious safety issue. Also, in reviewing the warranty information, it states that all seat-belt issues are under a lifetime warranty. I'm wondering if you could provide confirmation of this. Thank you, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) Randal Steadman

• Feb 4, 2022NJ
  Steering · Suspension · Unknown or other
  Subframe rusted through on the passenger side where the cause is a manufacturer defect of condensation from the air conditioning dripping directly above onto the subframe on the passenger side, which created a perforation of the passenger side subframe. Subframe holds the suspension and steering…

  Subframe rusted through on the passenger side where the cause is a manufacturer defect of condensation from the air conditioning dripping directly above onto the subframe on the passenger side, which created a perforation of the passenger side subframe. Subframe holds the suspension and steering components together and if the passenger side frame from the manufacter defect were to break traveling at highway speed, the car would loose control and cause accidents. The vehicle was inspected at an independent facility and is ready to be inspected again upon request.

• Nov 4, 2019SC1,054 mi
  Power train
  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…

  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.

• Oct 26, 2019GA214,450 mi
  Structure › Body
  I am unable to open drivers side door from inside or outside. Car still locks and unlocks like normal, so I don't believe that the actuator IS at fault. The control arms for both handles are intact & seem to function as normal. I am assuming that either the latch mechanism IS stuck, jammed, or…

  I am unable to open drivers side door from inside or outside. Car still locks and unlocks like normal, so I don't believe that the actuator IS at fault. The control arms for both handles are intact & seem to function as normal. I am assuming that either the latch mechanism IS stuck, jammed, or otherwise dysfunctional. The vehicle was stationary when it happened, and the door itself isn't damaged/impacted. I live in atlanta, ga, so the latch isn't frozen. I am aware that this IS an older model (2003), however in the past I have cleaned & lubricated the latch/lock mechanism. It IS extremely difficult to figure out how to fix this problem when the door IS unable to be opened, and in this model, it isn't possible to completely remove door panel without damage. It IS a safety hazard to be unable to open 1 of 2 doors, especially being that it's the drivers side. I have yet to be able to find anyone knowledgeable of this situation, and haven't come across any solution online.

• Oct 8, 2019WA
  Air bags · Electrical system · Seat belts
  Acura says they guarantee all parts of the safety belt for the use of a lifetime of the car. Car has 120000 miles on it. I have intermittent buckling issues and srs airbag switch IS bad inside a sealed safety belt. Could easily be remedied if it wasn't a sealed unit. They say they won't fix it…

  Acura says they guarantee all parts of the safety belt for the use of a lifetime of the car. Car has 120000 miles on it. I have intermittent buckling issues and srs airbag switch IS bad inside a sealed safety belt. Could easily be remedied if it wasn't a sealed unit. They say they won't fix it because it's a canadian car even though it's spent 100% of its owned life in the united states. They want an excessive amount of money, over $400 to fix it. I feel my safety IS being held hostage by this excessive amount and I can't even do it myself because my electric seats won't work if I try, only factory software can reset them so they work. I know this IS a known problem but I don't understand why I'm being discriminated against because I have a canadian made car. I know they have to pass all the same production regulations for safety to enter the united states whether they're made in canada or here. What I'm really hoping for IS that the government would try to put a stop to this corporate greed of engineering products poorly and not following through with a fix and trying to profit off of people that don't have that much money. I would be willing to pay for this fix if they would provide it at a fair price. The safety belt probably cost them no more than $20 but by the time everyone makes their profit and it comes to me and then add the labor together we're over $400 to have my safety back when they say that they guarantee their safety belts for life in the united states. It IS in my owner's manual, and you can find this information online. I was hoping that they would be issued a major fine to make it so they don't treat other customers this way as well. I know there are probably reasons to seal a safety belt so that it IS not tampered with but they used to make specialty tools so we could be accessed easily for cleaning and changing of these inexpensive switches.

• Aug 21, 2019IL236,700 mi
  Suspension
  Upon removing my front right (passenger side) wheel to check my brake pads, I noticed the rear portion of the sub-frame (which holds up the engine and transmission as well as the steering rack and sway bar) had rusted away allowing the sway bar to come completely loose on the right side. I…

  Upon removing my front right (passenger side) wheel to check my brake pads, I noticed the rear portion of the sub-frame (which holds up the engine and transmission as well as the steering rack and sway bar) had rusted away allowing the sway bar to come completely loose on the right side. I researched this problem and found that many late 1990s and early 2000 honda/acura models (primarily honda accords, acura TL and cl models) had this issue due to the poorly designed air-conditioning condenser drain that drained right on top of this part, causing an extreme rust condition. (The left (driver's) side of this part still looks like new and IS sound) if I had not found this extremely dangerous situation, it may have caused a loss of steering control resulting in a potentially serious accident. I feel that these cars should be subject to a recall. I am in the process of having this part replaced (a repair of this part IS not possible, it must be a full replacement), I will retain the removed part for inspection after removal should you desire to see it. I have attached some photos showing the deterioration as best I could. (I'm sorry the photos are not better, it's a difficult area to reach with a camera)

• Apr 23, 2019PA278,000 mi
  Electrical system

  TL* the contact owns a 2003 acura cl. The contact stated that the vehicle intermittently shut off without warning. The contact had to add starter fluid to the vehicle in order to get it to drive. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified. The vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 02v120000 (electrical system). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 278,000.

• Apr 3, 2019CA148,000 mi
  Power train

  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.

• Dec 7, 2017PA120,000 mi
  Engine
  Engine cradle IS totally broken in half. the car IS unsafe to drive & it IS all I have. only 120,000 miles on it, was this a defect on your part? I need help. this repair includes removing engine, transmission, from car to access engine cradle. the cost IS over $1500.00 dollars. I truly…

  Engine cradle IS totally broken in half. the car IS unsafe to drive & it IS all I have. only 120,000 miles on it, was this a defect on your part? I need help. this repair includes removing engine, transmission, from car to access engine cradle. the cost IS over $1500.00 dollars. I truly thought I was buying a quality car! I have no idea how long I have been driving this highly unsafe vehicle of yours!! it also lurches forward at times when I press on the brake. I'm making payments on it & now must borrow again to repair this car. please get back to me on this asap.

• Nov 30, 2017PA
  Exterior lighting
  The driver's side hid light went out. I paid to get the ballast and inverter replaced. Less than 3 weeks later, the passenger side went out; same issue. Since then, I have personally talked to 4 people with the exact same story. They also fixed the driver's light but not the passenger due to the…

  The driver's side hid light went out. I paid to get the ballast and inverter replaced. Less than 3 weeks later, the passenger side went out; same issue. Since then, I have personally talked to 4 people with the exact same story. They also fixed the driver's light but not the passenger due to the cost. A service man at the acura store told me he has a friend with the same car as mine, same issue. Also, he has had "quite a few customers" go thru the same thing. In, addition, I have seen 3 cars with the passenger headlight out in my area. It seems to me that if I have come across 12-17 people with the same hid headlight issues within a 15 mile radius, and this was the first year these lights were installed, there IS obviously a problem with them and there should be a recall. A

• Nov 16, 2017TX77,248 mi
  Power train

  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!

• Apr 25, 2017AZ10,000 mi
  Service brakes · Steering
  TL* the contact owns a 2003 acura cl. While driving 45 mph and attempting to brake, the contact felt a vibration in the steering wheel and brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to four dealers. One dealer diagnosed that the brakes needed to be replaced; however, the contact stated that nothing failed…

  TL* the contact owns a 2003 acura cl. While driving 45 mph and attempting to brake, the contact felt a vibration in the steering wheel and brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to four dealers. One dealer diagnosed that the brakes needed to be replaced; however, the contact stated that nothing failed and she did not know what the cause of the failure. Another dealer diagnosed that the rear rotors could be warped and needed to be replaced. The other two dealers also diagnosed that there was an issue with the brakes. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and stated that they could not assist. The approximate failure mileage was 10,000. ..updated 06/21/17 *bf *as

• Oct 25, 2016CA207,000 mi
  Power train
  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…

  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

• Apr 25, 2016CA74,200 mi
  Engine · Service brakes
  Going 5 mph in parking lot, coasting to a stop at end of aisle with foot off throttle pedal. put foot on brake and the engine revved to high speed. barely held car with brake. shut off ignition. Car restarted fine. this was the second time in a week it had happened. Previous incident was on a…

  Going 5 mph in parking lot, coasting to a stop at end of aisle with foot off throttle pedal. put foot on brake and the engine revved to high speed. barely held car with brake. shut off ignition. Car restarted fine. this was the second time in a week it had happened. Previous incident was on a residential street coming to a stop at a stop sign. acura dealer and acura techline say the problem can't happen because the throttle control IS a hard cable, no electronics involved.

• Oct 1, 2015CO125,000 mi
  Engine
  Erratic/raised engine idle caused by worn idle air control valve creates a condition where engine idle IS suddenly higher than 2000rpm in gear which results/resulted in unintended acceleration (vehicle speeds up with no accelerator pedal input) and the engine IS more powerful than the braking…

  Erratic/raised engine idle caused by worn idle air control valve creates a condition where engine idle IS suddenly higher than 2000rpm in gear which results/resulted in unintended acceleration (vehicle speeds up with no accelerator pedal input) and the engine IS more powerful than the braking system (with vehicle in drive gear, brake pedal to the floor, vehicle will still move forward.) condition happens to my vehicle when engine IS normal operating temperature, with warm to hot ambient temperatures, on any road condition.

• Sep 28, 2015PA120,000 mi1 injury
  Power train
  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…

  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.

• Aug 26, 2015NY
  Air bags

  TL* the contact owns a 2003 acura cl. The contact stated that nhtsa campaign number: 15v320000 (air bags) exceeded a reasonable amount of time for repair. The dealer stated that the parts were not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the delay. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had not experienced a failure.

• Mar 17, 2015FL
  Air bags
  TL* the contact owns a 2003 acura cl. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v351000 (air bags) and stated that the parts were not available. The dealer did not provide a specific date for when the parts would become available. The manufacturer was contacted and could not…

  TL* the contact owns a 2003 acura cl. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v351000 (air bags) and stated that the parts were not available. The dealer did not provide a specific date for when the parts would become available. The manufacturer was contacted and could not provide an estimated date for when the vehicle would receive the recall repairs. The contact had not experienced a failure. updated 4/15/15*cn the consumer stated the air bag issue was resolved. updated 04/16/15*jb

• Mar 12, 2015NJ111,000 miCrash
  Air bags

  Air bags failed to deploy after vehicle skid on black ice crashing into a series of trees causing major front end damage. *tr

• Feb 13, 2015MN74,000 mi
  Structure › Frame and members

  TL* the contact owns a 2003 acura cl. The contact stated that when the vehicle was being serviced, the technician discovered that the subframe was rusted. The technician stated that the subframe needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,000.

• Jan 31, 2015AR100,000 miCrash1 injury1 death
  Air bags

  Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lietynxgjjc airbags failed to deploy. above IS the link showing the car and the airbags intact......updated 12/15/15 *bf

• Oct 1, 2014RI92,728 mi
  Power train

  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

Defect investigations

NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.

• Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  EA21002Opened Sep 17, 2021Open
  From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant…

  From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=EA21002 -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.

• Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  EA15001Opened Feb 24, 2015OpenRecall 22V945
  The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and…

  The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.Nonetheless, at ODI's insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation.The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with high absolute humidity and climatic conditions believed to be a significant factor in the inflator ruptures.As part of the recall actions, inflators removed from remedied vehicles are to be returned to Takata for testing.Takata's initial test results on passenger inflators from remedied vehicles indicated a much higher than anticipated rupture frequency for inflators returned from Florida.Accordingly ODI requested all 10 manufacturers expand the regional recalls for passenger inflators to include other geographic areas where high absolute humidity conditions exist, including the Gulf States and other coastal areas.Takata's testing of the passenger inflators to date continues to indicate this geographic area as having the highest risk, with no ruptures occurring from inflators returned from outside the expanded recall regions.During PE14-016 four additional passenger inflator field events occurred, all in vehicles from the same expanded geographic region.Also during PE14-016 four additional driver inflator field events occurred including two in vehicles from regions not known for high absolute humidity, specifically California and North Carolina.Accordingly, ODI requested all five of the affected vehicle manufacturers currently using the subject Takata driver inflators expand to nationwide recalls.Significantly, neither of the affected vehicle manufacturers or Takata provided any explanation to account for these two driver air bag inflator ruptures outside the area of high absolute humidity.Takata testing of returned driver inflators indicates a lower rupture frequency as compared to passenger inflator testing.All test ruptures reported by Takata to date have occurred on inflators returned from high absolute humidity areas.The investigation now includes all manufacturers and vehicles known to be affected at this time.ODI's investigation will focus on, among other things, root cause analysis, other potential defect consequences, identification of affected vehicles scope, and adequacy of the remedy.The five ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10537899, 10568848, 10585224, 10605877, 10651492

• Air Bag Inflator Rupture

  PE14016Opened Jun 11, 2014Closed Mar 2, 2015Recall 15V226000
  The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and…

  The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE14-016 in June 2014 based on six inflator rupture incidents involving consumer owned vehicles produced by five vehicle manufacturers.All six vehicles were operated in Florida or Puerto Rico at the time of the rupture and for the majority of their service life, and were equipped with inflators produced by Takata, a tier-one supplier of automotive air bag systems.During the course of PE14-016, ODI determined that five additional vehicle manufacturers used inflators of a similar design and vintage also supplied by Takata. No evidence of field failures was found in vehicles produced by these five additional manufacturers.Nonetheless, at ODI's insistence, all 10 vehicle manufacturers initiated a regional recall within approximately two weeks of the opening of the investigation.The regions recalled initially included Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, areas with consistently high absolute humidity and climatic conditions believed to be a significant factor in the inflator ruptures.As part of the recall actions, inflators removed from remedied vehicles are to be returned to Takata for testing.Takata's initial test results on passenger inflators from remedied vehicles indicated a much higher than anticipated rupture frequency for inflators returned from Florida.Accordingly, ODI requested all 10 manufacturers expand the regional recalls for passenger inflators to include other geographic areas where high absolute humidity conditions exist, including the Gulf States and other coastal areas.Takata's testing of the passenger inflators to date continues to indicate this geographic area as having the highest risk, with no ruptures occurring from inflators returned from outside the expanded recall regions.During PE14-016, four additional passenger inflator field events occurred, all in vehicles from the same expanded geographic region.Also during PE14-016, four additional driver inflator field events occurred including two in vehicles from regions not known for high absolute humidity, specifically California and North Carolina.Accordingly, ODI requested all five of the affected vehicle manufacturers currently using the subject Takata driver inflators expand to nationwide recalls.Significantly, neither of the affected vehicle manufacturers or Takata provided any explanation to account for these two driver air bag inflator ruptures outside the area of high absolute humidity.Takata testing of returned driver inflators indicates a lower rupture frequency as compared to passenger inflator testing.All test ruptures reported by Takata to date have occurred on inflators returned from high absolute humidity areas.The PE is now closed/upgraded to an Engineering Evaluation (EA15-001) to include all manufacturersand vehicles known to be affected at this time.ODI's EA investigation will focus on, among other things, root cause analysis, other potential defect consequences, identification of affected vehicles scope, and adequacy of the remedy.The recalls related to this PE are: 14V343, 14V344, 14V348, 14V351, 14V353, 14V655, 14V700, 14V701, 14V752, 14V763, 14V770, 14V773, 14V787, 14V802 and 14V817.The number of vehicles affected are an estimate since some vehicles may have both the driver and passenger side inflators recalled. The five ODI reports cited above can be reviewed online at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification numbers: 10537899, 10568848, 10585224, 10605877, 10651492

• Automatic transmission sudden downshift

  PE02081Opened Oct 28, 2002Closed Mar 5, 2003

  See attached report.

Service bulletins

Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.

• 10211608Special Tool Loan Program: Under TOOLS AVAILABLE FOR LOAN, the list has been updated.
• 10195036Service Bulletin - Case v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. BC 424169 (Third Clutch Transmission Settlement - $25 Credit Vouchers).
• 10172575Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects in the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
• 10144045Dealer message - Today, Acura is notifying dealers of a voluntary noncompliance recall for a small number of Acura vehicles due to an error on the replacement (service part) underhood emissions labels. American Honda previously notified CARB and the EPA for this action.
• 10144042Service bulletin - Emission certification labels that were replaced on a small number of vehicles may have been replaced with a label listing incorrect information. The affected emission labels are replacement service parts, and were not installed at the factory; they were installed during postmanufacturing repairs that required replacement of the underlying part. This will cause the vehicle to be non-compliant with emissions regulations.
• 10139573Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating to airbag inflators. American Honda is offering a Customer Support Program (Warranty Extension) to cover any manufacturing defects to the replacement driver's airbag inflator only.
• 10130044Servicenews article - Is the navigation screen clock reading 00:00? We?re aware of this issue and have it under investigation.
• 10128876Dealer message - Certain vehicles within the above model/model years are subject to one or more of three recalls that were announced today. Do not sell any of these vehicles until Acura has provided you with an appropriate disclosure and acknowledgment form, which we anticipate will be provided by close of business on Wednesday, June 25, 2014
• 10128875Dealer message - Certain vehicles within the above model/model years are subject to one or more of three recalls that were announced today. Do not sell any of these vehicles until Acura has provided you with an appropriate disclosure and acknowledgment form, which we anticipate will be provided by close of business on Wednesday, June 25, 2014
• 10128874Dealer message - Certain vehicles within the above model/model years are subject to one or more of three recalls that were announced today. Do not sell any of these vehicles until Acura has provided you with an appropriate disclosure and acknowledgment form, which we anticipate will be provided by close of business on Wednesday, June 25, 2014
• 10128576Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, Acura announced three recalls for various 2002-06 Acura models. At this time, affected VINs have not been determined.
• 10128575Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, Acura announced three recalls for various 2002-06 Acura models. At this time, affected VINs have not been determined.
• 10128567Service bulletin - Certain Acura vehicles operated in areas known for high absolute humidity and high heat may contain a driver?s airbag that over time may be affected by exposure to the humidity, which could produce excessive internal pressure. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture upon deployment. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10128558Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, Acura announced three recalls for various 2002-06 Acura models. As of July 23, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and service bulletins 14-023, Safety Recall: Front Passenger?s Airbag Inflator Can Be Over-Pressurized, 14-029, Recall: Front Driver?s Airbag Inflator May Produce Excessive Pressure After Long-Term Exposure to High Absolute Humidity Recall, and 14-030, Recall: Front Passenger?s Airbag Inflator May Produce Excessive Pressure After Long-Term Exposure to High Absolute Humidity have been posted to ISIS. However, due to the large number of affected units, Acura is still in the process of populating the VIN status inquiry function on iN, which is expected to take several days. When this process is complete, Acura will notify all dealers again via iN message. Until that time, the existing acknowledgement procedure must be used for all potentially affected vehicles.
• 10128529Dealer message - On Monday, June 23, 2014, Acura announced three recalls for various 2002-06 Acura models. As of August 4, 2014, affected VINs have been identified, and VIN status inquiry has been updated.
• 10127358Servicenews article - Is the navigation screen clock reading 00:00? We?re aware of this issue and have it under investigation.
• 10124987Service bulletin - Certain Acura vehicles operated in areas known for high absolute humidity and high heat may contain a driver?s airbag that, over time, may be affected by exposure to the humidity, which could produce excessive internal pressure. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture upon deployment. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10124986Service bulletin - A small number of airbag modules with defective inflators were sold as replacement parts to replace deployed or damaged airbags.
• 10124985Service bulletin - A manufacturing error can produce over-pressurization of the driver?s (front) airbag inflator during airbag deployment. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10124262Service bulletin - A small number of airbag modules with defective inflators were sold as replacement parts to replace deployed or damaged airbags. A manufacturing error can produce over-pressurization of some replacement driver?s (front) airbag inflators during airbag deployment. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10124261Service bulletin - Certain Acura vehicles operated in areas known for high absolute humidity and high heat may contain a driver?s airbag that, over time, may be affected by exposure to the humidity, which could produce excessive internal pressure. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture upon deployment. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10124260Service bulletin - A manufacturing error can produce over-pressurization of some replacement driver?s (front) airbag inflators during airbag deployment. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10118544Tech line summary article - Is the navigation screen clock reading 00:00? We?re aware of this issue and have it under investigation.
• 10117869Tech line summary article - Is the navigation screen clock reading 00:00? We?re aware of this issue and are looking for a solution.
• 10117865Service bulletin - You are required to install a remanufactured A/T (automatic transmission) and torque converter on any vehicle with an internal failure that calls for A/T disassembly that is covered under any of the programs listed.
• 10115226Service bulletin - Certain Acura vehicles operated in areas known for high absolute humidity and high heat may contain a driver's airbag that, over time, may be affected by exposure to the humidity, which could produce excessive internal pressure. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture upon deployment. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10108864Service bulletin - A manufacturing error can produce over-pressurization of some replacement driver's (front) airbag inflators during airbag deployment. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10108846Dealer message - The original intent of service bulletin 10-026 safety recall was to identify a specific lot of suspect airbag inflators, and replace them with an improved part. The new direction for this recall population is to replace the airbag inflator in all affected units with a part that has been further improved and available since September 12, 2014.
• 10108845Dealer message - The original intent of service bulletin 10-026 safety recall was to identify a specific lot of suspect airbag inflators, and replace them with an improved part. The new direction for this recall population is to replace the airbag inflator in all affected units with a part that has been further improved and available since September 12, 2014.
• 10108584Service bulletin - Certain Acura vehicles operated in areas known for high absolute humidity and high heat may contain a driver?s airbag that, over time, may be affected by exposure to the humidity, which could produce excessive internal pressure. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture upon deployment. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10108583Service bulletin - The inspection procedure for Takata driver?s airbags was removed because all Takata driver?s airbag inflators installed in the recall vehicle population are being replaced. A manufacturing error can produce over-pressurization of some replacement driver?s (front) airbag inflators during airbag deployment. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10108582Service bulletin - A manufacturing error can produce over-pressurization of the driver's (front) airbag inflator during airbag deployment. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10108539Service bulletin - Certain Acura vehicles operated in areas known for high absolute humidity and high heat may contain a driver?s airbag that, over time, may be affected by exposure to the humidity, which could produce excessive internal pressure. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture upon deployment. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10108537Service bulletin - The inspection procedure for Takata driver's airbags was removed because all Takata driver's airbag inflators installed in the recall vehicle population are being replaced. A manufacturing error can produce over-pressurization of some replacement driver's (front) airbag inflators during airbag deployment. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10108536Service bulletin - A manufacturing error can produce over-pressurization of the driver's (front) airbag inflator during airbag deployment. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
• 10108461Customer letter - please be aware, we have a national safety improvement campaign and recall under way to repair airbag inflators, at no cost to you, in certain honda and acura vehicles (listed below). To see if your vehicle needs immediate attention, please check its recall status.
• 10108445Customer letter - please be aware, we have a national safety improvement campaign and recall under way to repair airbag inflators, at no cost to you, in certain honda and acura vehicles (listed below). To see if your vehicle needs immediate attention, please check its recall status.
• 10108236"Service bulletin - american honda consolidated the previous airbag inflator campaigns into this current bulletin based on decisions made by nhtsa. Do an in vin status inquiry and, if indicated, repair the vehicle even if the vehicle was repaired under a previous campaign. In certain vehicles, the drivers (front) airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants."
• 10108189"Service bulletin - american honda consolidated the previous airbag inflator campaigns into this current bulletin based on decisions made by nhtsa. Do an in vin status inquiry and, if indicated, repair the vehicle even if the vehicle was repaired under a previous campaign. In certain vehicles, the drivers (front) airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure during airbag deployment. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator casing to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material, possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants."
• 10108124"Service bulletin - this bulletin IS replaced by s/b 15-033, recall: drivers airbag inflator can be over-pressurized if you did service bulletin 14-029 on or before june 8, 2015. Make sure to use warranty claim information provided"

Every Acura CL model year

Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.