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#BS-1997-ACUCL-2333

1997 Acura Cl

Based on reports from 106 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
106
Crashes
5
Fires
0
Recalls
2
TSBs
60
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 106 complaints, 5 crashes, 0 fires, and 2 recalls. Complaint rate is 1.6x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

speedometer shows slower than actual speed

2 complaints • Severity 3/10

$X,XXX
2

harmonic balancer issue

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

power window motor stopped working

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Power Train:automatic TransmissionHIGH

13 owners reported power train:automatic transmission issues — failures commonly reported around 122K miles.

!Inspect the AirbagsMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

2
0–30K
1
30–60K
8
60–90K
3
90–120K
4
120–150K
13
150K+

Peak failure range: 150K+ miles (13 reports) • Median: 122K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Power Train:automatic Transmission (13 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Power Train:automatic Transmission13 (12%)
Airbags7 (7%)
Air Bags:frontal5 (5%)
Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls5 (5%)
Electrical5 (5%)
Speed Control4 (4%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip4 (4%)
Suspension4 (4%)

1997 Acura Cl: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 1997 Acura Cl, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 122,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 122K-mile mark.

Airbags Issues

Airbags complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1997 Acura Cl, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to airbags-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Air Bags:frontal Issues

Air Bags:frontal complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1997 Acura Cl, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to air bags:frontal-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls Issues

Visibility:power Window Devices And Controls complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1997 Acura Cl, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to visibility:power window devices and controls-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

12
00
11
01
11
02
8
03
6
04
1
05
8
06
6
08
2
09
3
10
2
11
2
14
2
16
3
17
1
18
7
20

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1997 Acura Cl. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (2 recalls)

02V120000Jun 2002

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.

99V069000May 1999

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Acura Cl is the 2003 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

1997 Acura Cl vs. Class Average (Subcompact Cars)

This vehicle

106

Class avg

67

1.6x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical subcompact cars vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 106 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Acura Cl Model Years

200420032002200120001999199819971996199519941993199219911990
View all Acura Cl years →

1997 Acura Cl: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1997 Acura Cl?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1997 Acura Cl is related to the power train:automatic transmission, with 13 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1997 Acura Cl reliable?
The 1997 Acura Cl has 106 complaints, 5 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 1.6x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 1997 Acura Cl problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1997 Acura Cl have any recalls?
Yes, the 1997 Acura Cl has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Acura Cl problems start?
Based on 31 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 122,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 150K+ mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 106 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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