AcuraTL2001Overview/acura/tl/2001/base/

2001 Acura TL

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2001 TL.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2001 Acura TL is a passenger car that runs on a 4.6‑quart, 5W‑20 API oil specification, and its owner‑reported data shows 162 total complaints with the power‑train area leading and three recalls issued. Across the model’s 1995‑2014 history the complaint count peaked at 551 in 2004 and hit a low of 1 in 1995, positioning the 2001 year in the middle of that spectrum and suggesting a moderate reliability standing for this model year.

Model year201420132012201120102009200820072001

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 sizeP205-60VR16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length192.9 in
Overall width70.5 in
Overall height56.3 in
Wheelbase108.3 in
Curb weight3461 lb
Track (front / rear)61.4 / 60.6 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 TL of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.2–7.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.20 sec — 2002 3.2 Type-S Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
20003.2 Coupe 3.2L V67.40 sec15.90 sec225 hpFWD
20023.2 Type-S Sedan 3.2 L V66.20 sec14.80 sec260 hpFWD
20023.2 Type-S Sedan 3.2L V66.60 sec15.10 sec260 hpFWD
20023.2 Type-S Sedan 3.2L V67.60 sec16.00 sec260 hpFWD
19993.2 Sedan 3.2L V67.40 sec15.70 sec225 hpFWD
19993.2 Sedan 3.2L V67.60 sec15.80 sec225 hpFWD
20033.2 Type-S Sedan 3.2L V66.50 sec14.90 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
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts9.0 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 ManufacturerHonda

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 From0.35 in / 1.098 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.358 in / 1.106 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.295 in / 1.024 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 7,500 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant at 120,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 120,000 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 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Steering System (inspect) · Suspension 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) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · 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) · Seat Belt System (inspect)
At 180,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Seat Belt System (inspect)

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 federal record reveals a general escalation in complaints and recalls across this generation, with totals climbing from 1999 and peaking in 2004. The 2001 Acura TL falls early in this arc, recording 162 complaints, 3 recalls, and 1 investigation. This is a marked improvement over the 251 complaints seen in 2000 and avoids the sharp increase to 352 complaints that occurred in 2002. The most frequent issues for 2001 involve the Power Train (99 complaints) and Air Bags (16), though the data does not specify the root causes. With 172 TSBs and relatively low recall numbers compared to the 2002-2005 window, this model year represents a stable point before the generation's quality metrics declined. This makes the 2001 model a good year to buy.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
172
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
162
Owner complaints
9 involved a crash · 2 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 162 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train99
Air Bags16
Vehicle Speed Control6
Visibility6
Engine & Engine Cooling5
Electrical System4
Tires4
Seat Belts2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 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…

01V166002Seat Belts:Front:Buckle AssemblyReported 14/08/2001

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: THE FOLLOWING VEHICLES WERE REPAIRED WITH INCORRECT PARTS: 2002 ACURA 3.2TL SEDANS WITH REPLACEMENT BUCKLES INSTALLED PER RECALL 01V-166001; CERTAIN 2000 ACURA 3.2TL VEHICLES WITH REPLACEMENT… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT, AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 20, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 172 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
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…
B90-0092017-08-30Power TrainService bulletin - You are required to install a remanufactured A/T (automatic…

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 TL. 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 2001 TL take?

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

Does the 2001 TL have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.