Acura CL
Encyclopedia
The Acura CL is a model of automobile
manufactured by Honda
's Acura
brand from 1996–1999, and from 2001–2003. The CL is often thought to have been a replacement for the Acura Legend
coupe, but with the advent of the TL in 1996, which directly replaced the Vigor, the CL is more precisely a TL coupe. All Acura CLs were built at Honda
's plant in Marysville, Ohio
alongside the TL
and the Honda Accord
upon which the Acura CLs were based. The CL was the first Acura to be built in the United States
.
Following the end of the 1995 model year, the Acura Legend
coupe
disappeared from Acura's lineup when the sedan version was renamed the Acura RL
. The CL was not a direct replacement for the Legend coupe as it no longer shared the same chassis as its sedan counterpart, and was not made in Japan, unlike the RL which still is. The first CL was a model year 1996. Because Acura no longer had a suitable Legend coupe replacement, they created the CL, which is based on the first generation Acura TL
, which was released one year before the CL. With the release of the TL and 3.5RL in 1996 Acura
transitioned to alphanumeric
and/or two letter names, naming of all of its vehicles (with the exception of the Integra, which kept its name until the 2001 model year
). Although the CL was considered to be a satisfactory vehicle, it never gained traction or popularity like the other Acura coupes.
engine
. The 1998 and 1999 models featured a 2.3 L (F23A1) with 150 hp.
Both the 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder CL offered a "Premium" trim level which offered leather upholstery (with heated front seats in the 3.0), and in the 3.0, an Acura/Bose stereo. For the 1999 model year, the "Premium" trim level was eliminated, and leather upholstery became standard on all models, as was a trunk cargo net. The alloy wheel design was different on the 3.0 for each year, moving from a five-spoke design (1997) to a seven-spoke design (1998), to a different multi-spoke alloy design for the 1999 model year. The 2.2/2.3 CL used a six-spoke design for 1997, then moved to a 5-spoke double-prong design for 1998 and 1999. Only the 4-cylinder model had an option for a manual transmission
.
J-series
V6. A navigation system was also available along with the Type-S model, denoting Acura's 'Sport' edition. While the regular CL featured a 225 hp V6, the Type-S boasted a 260 hp V6 with 17" wheels, a firmer suspension, slightly larger brakes, and firmer seats.
In 2002, the CL Type-S was offered, as a 2003 model, with a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission
with a helical limited-slip differential. The 6-speed CL deleted some minor interior features from the automatic, such as a center console light. Also, the heated seats only featured one heat setting (vs. high and low in the auto). VSA and TCS were also not found on the 6-speed car, and as such, a 3-channel ABS unit was used. One of the main criticisms of the CL was that a manual transmission had been dropped when the car was redesigned for the 2001 model year. Very few manual transmission models were built; there were 2,691 without navigation and 820 with navigation, for a total of 3,511. Despite such small numbers of manual transmissions, there was still a greater demand than Acura had expected. However, with the CL's sister car, the TL, coming up on a redesign for the 2004 model year, the CL was dropped from Acura's lineup due to declining sales, and to this day Acura has no mid-size luxury coupe replacement. Total Acura CL sales from 2000 until 2003, when the last new model was sold, was less than 31,000 units. The CL's manual transmission
survives in the 3rd generation TL
and 7th generation Honda Accord
.
2003 also saw cosmetic changes to the CL. The 55w road/fog lamps found on the 01-02 models were deleted, and non-functional air vents were installed in their place. The grille surround and door handles were now body color, as opposed to being chrome on the 01-02. The side mirrors were also redesigned (for both the 2002 and 2003 models) by having a more square shape, full body matched paint, and tinted glass since customers had complained about excessive wind noise coming from the mirror seam. The 2003 models also saw new headlights which now featured a blacked-out interior, and the taillight lenses had a cleared turn signal and reverse light. Type-S's now included updated 17x7" 12-spoke wheels. Revised thicker exhaust tips were also a new addition.
Canadian CLs offer daytime running lights and a windshield washer fluid level sensor as standard equipment (USDM CL's do not have these as an option).
The TL only includes the Automatic transmissions with manual controlled shifting. The problem which is most seen with owners is with the Automatic transmission. Reports say that after an average of around 40,000 miles, the transmission experiences gear failures, such as downshifts, slipping, flaring and not shifting, and leaking.
One main cause is excessive wear of the 3rd gear clutch pack, resulting in large amounts of debris blocking the flow of transmission fluid. Many owners reported problems with the replacement transmissions as well. Similar transmission-related issues exist in the Honda Accord
, Acura MDX
as well as the Honda Odyssey
.
Due to many failures, the manufacturer extended the warranty on the automatic transmission on some CLs and TLs for 7 years, 100000 miles (160,934 km). Many replacement rebuilt units had problems. A class action lawsuit later extended the warranty to 93 months or 109000 miles (175,418.1 km). Despite the conversion to kilometers, the class action settlement applies only for persons and entities residing in the United States.
In addition, there was an unrelated transmission recall for safety reasons. One gear tended to overheat, break and cause the transmission to lock up. Since this failure would cause the car to come to a sudden stop, this might cause accidents. Further information on the transmission issue is available here and at the official Acura Service Bulletin: http://www.acuraworld.com/tsb/2gRL/b90-009.pdf
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
manufactured by Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
's Acura
Acura
Acura is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. The brand has been available in the United States and Canada since March 1986, marketing luxury, performance, and near-performance vehicles. It was introduced to Hong Kong in 1991, Mexico in 2004, and China in 2006...
brand from 1996–1999, and from 2001–2003. The CL is often thought to have been a replacement for the Acura Legend
Acura Legend
The Acura Legend, sold as the Honda Legend outside the U.S., Canada, and parts of China, was a luxury vehicle sold from 1986 to 1995 as both a sedan and coupe. It was the first flagship sedan sold under the Acura nameplate, until being renamed in 1996 as the Acura 3.5RL. The 3.5RL was North...
coupe, but with the advent of the TL in 1996, which directly replaced the Vigor, the CL is more precisely a TL coupe. All Acura CLs were built at Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
's plant in Marysville, Ohio
Marysville, Ohio
Marysville is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Ohio, United States. The population was 15,942 at the 2000 census, and the Census Bureau estimated that it had risen to 17,621 by 2006.Marysville's longtime slogan is "Where the Grass is Greener"...
alongside the TL
Acura TL
The TL "Touring Luxury" debuted as 1996 model, first with the 1996 2.5 TL available with the 2.5 L 176 hp SOHC 20-valve 5-cylinder engine from the Vigor. The 3.2 TL used the 3.2 L 200 hp SOHC 24v V6 from the second generation Acura Legend. The 2.5 TL was positioned as the...
and the Honda Accord
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a series of compact, mid-size and full-size automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in a majority of automotive markets throughout the world....
upon which the Acura CLs were based. The CL was the first Acura to be built in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Following the end of the 1995 model year, the Acura Legend
Acura Legend
The Acura Legend, sold as the Honda Legend outside the U.S., Canada, and parts of China, was a luxury vehicle sold from 1986 to 1995 as both a sedan and coupe. It was the first flagship sedan sold under the Acura nameplate, until being renamed in 1996 as the Acura 3.5RL. The 3.5RL was North...
coupe
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
disappeared from Acura's lineup when the sedan version was renamed the Acura RL
Acura RL
The Acura RL is the flagship car for North American luxury brand Acura — marketed in Japan as the Honda Legend and manufactured in Saitama, Japan...
. The CL was not a direct replacement for the Legend coupe as it no longer shared the same chassis as its sedan counterpart, and was not made in Japan, unlike the RL which still is. The first CL was a model year 1996. Because Acura no longer had a suitable Legend coupe replacement, they created the CL, which is based on the first generation Acura TL
Acura TL
The TL "Touring Luxury" debuted as 1996 model, first with the 1996 2.5 TL available with the 2.5 L 176 hp SOHC 20-valve 5-cylinder engine from the Vigor. The 3.2 TL used the 3.2 L 200 hp SOHC 24v V6 from the second generation Acura Legend. The 2.5 TL was positioned as the...
, which was released one year before the CL. With the release of the TL and 3.5RL in 1996 Acura
Acura
Acura is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. The brand has been available in the United States and Canada since March 1986, marketing luxury, performance, and near-performance vehicles. It was introduced to Hong Kong in 1991, Mexico in 2004, and China in 2006...
transitioned to alphanumeric
Alphanumeric
Alphanumeric is a combination of alphabetic and numeric characters, and is used to describe the collection of Latin letters and Arabic digits or a text constructed from this collection. There are either 36 or 62 alphanumeric characters. The alphanumeric character set consists of the numbers 0 to...
and/or two letter names, naming of all of its vehicles (with the exception of the Integra, which kept its name until the 2001 model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
). Although the CL was considered to be a satisfactory vehicle, it never gained traction or popularity like the other Acura coupes.
First generation (1996–1999)
For the 1997 model year, early models having been licensed as 1996 models, the CL was offered with either a 3.0 L J30 V6 producing 200 hp, or a 145 hp 2.2 L (F22B1) I4Straight-4
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
. The 1998 and 1999 models featured a 2.3 L (F23A1) with 150 hp.
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
.
- 1997 Acura CL 3.0 L V6 - 200 hp
- 1997 Acura CL 2.2 L I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
- 145 hp - 1998–1999 Acura CL 2.3 L I4Straight-4The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
- 150 hp.
Driver side window concerns
The 1997 CL suffered from repeated failures of the driver side window mechanism. The manufacturer replaced the motor both under warranty and after warranty expirations, however no mass recall was ever issued.Second generation (2001–2003)
For the 2000 model year, the Acura CL's sibling, the TL, was redesigned. The CL, however, was never produced as a 2000 model and instead in March 2000 the completely redesigned Acura CL was released as a 2001 model featuring a 3.2 L SOHC VTECVTEC
VTEC is a valvetrain system developed by Honda to improve the volumetric efficiency of a four-stroke internal combustion engine. The VTEC system uses two camshaft profiles and electronically selects between the profiles. It was invented by Honda R&D engineer Ikuo Kajitani, and was the first system...
J-series
Honda J engine
The J-series was Honda's second V6 engine family, introduced in 1996. It is a 60° V6 – Honda's existing C-series was a 90° engine. The J-series was designed for transverse mounting. It has a shorter bore spacing , shorter connecting rods, and a special smaller crankshaft than the C-series for...
V6. A navigation system was also available along with the Type-S model, denoting Acura's 'Sport' edition. While the regular CL featured a 225 hp V6, the Type-S boasted a 260 hp V6 with 17" wheels, a firmer suspension, slightly larger brakes, and firmer seats.
In 2002, the CL Type-S was offered, as a 2003 model, with a close-ratio 6-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
with a helical limited-slip differential. The 6-speed CL deleted some minor interior features from the automatic, such as a center console light. Also, the heated seats only featured one heat setting (vs. high and low in the auto). VSA and TCS were also not found on the 6-speed car, and as such, a 3-channel ABS unit was used. One of the main criticisms of the CL was that a manual transmission had been dropped when the car was redesigned for the 2001 model year. Very few manual transmission models were built; there were 2,691 without navigation and 820 with navigation, for a total of 3,511. Despite such small numbers of manual transmissions, there was still a greater demand than Acura had expected. However, with the CL's sister car, the TL, coming up on a redesign for the 2004 model year, the CL was dropped from Acura's lineup due to declining sales, and to this day Acura has no mid-size luxury coupe replacement. Total Acura CL sales from 2000 until 2003, when the last new model was sold, was less than 31,000 units. The CL's manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
survives in the 3rd generation TL
TL
TL or Tl may stand for:codes* Airnorth IATA airline designator* East Timor ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code** .tl, East Timor's Internet country code top-level domain* Tagalog language ISO 639 alpha-2 code...
and 7th generation Honda Accord
Honda Accord (North America seventh generation)
In the U.S., the seventh generation North American Honda Accord was a mid-size car available from 2002 to 2007 in both coupe and sedan styles. The sedan was also marketed as the Accord in parts of Latin America, Asia, Middle East, Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand markets. It was related to the...
.
2003 also saw cosmetic changes to the CL. The 55w road/fog lamps found on the 01-02 models were deleted, and non-functional air vents were installed in their place. The grille surround and door handles were now body color, as opposed to being chrome on the 01-02. The side mirrors were also redesigned (for both the 2002 and 2003 models) by having a more square shape, full body matched paint, and tinted glass since customers had complained about excessive wind noise coming from the mirror seam. The 2003 models also saw new headlights which now featured a blacked-out interior, and the taillight lenses had a cleared turn signal and reverse light. Type-S's now included updated 17x7" 12-spoke wheels. Revised thicker exhaust tips were also a new addition.
Canadian CLs offer daytime running lights and a windshield washer fluid level sensor as standard equipment (USDM CL's do not have these as an option).
- 2001–2003 Acura 3.2 CL - 225 hp, 217 lbft
- 2001–2003 Acura 3.2 CL Type S - 260 hp @ 6900 rpm, 232 lbft @ 3500-5500 rpm
Transmission concerns
The 2nd Generation Acura CL models include a 3.2L 5-speed Automatic, a 3.2L-Type S model 5-speed Automatic +40 hp, and a 3.2L-Type S 6-speed Manual transmission.The TL only includes the Automatic transmissions with manual controlled shifting. The problem which is most seen with owners is with the Automatic transmission. Reports say that after an average of around 40,000 miles, the transmission experiences gear failures, such as downshifts, slipping, flaring and not shifting, and leaking.
One main cause is excessive wear of the 3rd gear clutch pack, resulting in large amounts of debris blocking the flow of transmission fluid. Many owners reported problems with the replacement transmissions as well. Similar transmission-related issues exist in the Honda Accord
Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a series of compact, mid-size and full-size automobiles manufactured by Honda since 1976, and sold in a majority of automotive markets throughout the world....
, Acura MDX
Acura MDX
The Acura MDX, or Honda MDX as known in Japan and Australia , is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV produced by the Japanese automaker Acura since the 2001 model year. The MDX was the first crossover SUV to have third-row seating. It is related to the Honda Pilot. The alphanumeric moniker stands for...
as well as the Honda Odyssey
Honda Odyssey
Honda Odyssey can refer to three motor vehicles manufactured by Honda:* Honda Odyssey , a minivan sold in Japan and other parts of the world* Honda Odyssey , a minivan sold primarily in the United States and Canada...
.
Due to many failures, the manufacturer extended the warranty on the automatic transmission on some CLs and TLs for 7 years, 100000 miles (160,934 km). Many replacement rebuilt units had problems. A class action lawsuit later extended the warranty to 93 months or 109000 miles (175,418.1 km). Despite the conversion to kilometers, the class action settlement applies only for persons and entities residing in the United States.
In addition, there was an unrelated transmission recall for safety reasons. One gear tended to overheat, break and cause the transmission to lock up. Since this failure would cause the car to come to a sudden stop, this might cause accidents. Further information on the transmission issue is available here and at the official Acura Service Bulletin: http://www.acuraworld.com/tsb/2gRL/b90-009.pdf