AcuraCL2002Overview/acura/cl/2002/base/

2002 Acura CL

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2002 CL.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2002 Acura CL is a passenger car with a 4.6-quart 5W-20 API engine-oil service specification. Across the 1997-2004 CL generation, the 2002 model accumulated 61 owner complaints and two recalls, with power train issues ranking as the top complaint area. That complaint count sits below the 2001 high of 274 yet far above the 2004 low of one, positioning the 2002 CL as a middle-of-the-pack year for reported reliability rather than a problem child or a clean outlier.

Model year200320022001

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.6 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24 · 550 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24 · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP215-50VR17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-JJ inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length192.1 in
Overall width70.5 in
Overall height55.5 in
Wheelbase107.1 in
Curb weight3470 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the CL of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.9–6.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.90 sec — 2003 3.2CL Type-S Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
20013.2CL Type-S Coupe 3.2L V66.40 sec14.80 sec260 hpFWD
20013.2CL Type-S Coupe 3.2L V66.80 sec15.20 sec260 hpFWD
20033.2CL Type-S Coupe 3.2L V65.90 sec14.60 sec260 hpFWD
20033.2CL Type-S w/Nav Coupe 3.2L V65.90 sec14.50 sec260 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.6 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.6 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts181 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts23 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts23 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub181 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub134 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)AT: 780, MT: 800 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (Secondary Under Load)AT: 780, MT: 800 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (Secondary Under Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.34-.42 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance17,100-20,900 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.30-1.40 lbs
Oil TypePAG 46
Oil Capacity5.33 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature169-176 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)41.0-48.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)32.0-40.0 psi
Engine Compression142
Engine Oil Pressure10 psi @ idle, 50 psi @ 3000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.006-0.007 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket80 ft-lbs / 17 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle80 ft-lbs / 41 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.060 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.004 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.098 in / 0.35 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.106 in / 0.358 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.024 in / 0.295 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 3,750 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 3,750 miEngine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 7,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Steering System (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Door Stop (lubricate) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Final Drive (drain & refill) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 60,000 miFinal Drive (drain & refill) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 105,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (replace) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed) · Water Pump (inspect)
At 120,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2002 Acura CL sits between the unusually complaint‑heavy 2001 model (274 complaints, 3 recalls, 1 investigation) and the relatively trouble‑free 2000 model (11 complaints, 0 recalls). Compared with the preceding years, complaints fell sharply from the 2001 peak to 61 in 2002, though they remain above the lows seen in 1999‑2000. Recall activity in 2002 (2 recalls) mirrors the 1999 figure and is lower than the 2001 and 2003 peaks, while the single investigation matches the 2001 level and is far below the four investigations recorded for 2003. Technical service bulletins (143) are moderate, higher than the 2000‑2001 range but lower than the 2003 total. Overall, the 2002 year shows a moderate complaint and recall profile—better than the worst year in the generation but not as clean as the best—suggesting it is an average choice for a used purchase.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
143
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
61
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 61 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train32
Engine & Engine Cooling3
Power Train,Vehicle Speed Control3
Air Bags2
Power Train,Equipment2
Air Bags,Seat Belts1
Electrical System,Air Bags1
Fuel/Propulsion System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V027000Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator ModuleReported 17/01/2020

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL, 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL, 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, 2001-2002 Acura MDX and 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic… Remedy: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bags in the vehicles, replacing the driver frontal air bag inflator with an inflator of a different design, as…

04V176000Power Train:Automatic TransmissionReported 15/04/2004

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… 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 143 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
-2024-02-23Equipment Adaptive/MobilityTest
B18010I2018-01-10Electrical SystemServicenews article - Is the navigation screen clock reading 00:00? We?re aware of this…
B18010I2018-01-10EquipmentServicenews article - Is the navigation screen clock reading 00:00? We?re aware of this…
BTS1708012017-09-26EquipmentTech line summary article - Is the navigation screen clock reading 00:00? We?re aware of…
BTS1708012017-08-31Electrical SystemTech line summary article - Is the navigation screen clock reading 00:00? We?re aware of…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific CL. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2002 CL take?

4.6 qt of 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2002 CL have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.