AcuraTL2003Overview/acura/tl/2003/base/

2003 Acura TL

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2003 TL.

Body PASSENGER CAR

Classified as a standard passenger car, the 2003 Acura TL is mechanically defined under the hood by its 4.6-quart engine oil capacity and 5W-20 API viscosity requirement, offering researchers a clear baseline of its maintenance specifications. Reliability data reveals a more complex narrative, however, as this model year carries 397 total owner complaints with power train issues leading the list, compounded by five official recalls. Contextualized within the model's 1995-2014 complaint history, the 2003 TL sits just before the all-time peak of 551 complaints in 2004, placing it squarely within a notoriously problematic era for the nameplate that stands in stark contrast to the relative dependability of earlier years like 1995, which saw just a single complaint.

Model year201420132012201120102009200820072003

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 length192.5 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height56.3 in
Wheelbase108.3 in
Curb weight3492 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.

6.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.50 sec — 2003 3.2 Type-S Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
20033.2 Type-S Sedan 3.2L V66.50 sec14.90 sec260 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
20003.2 Coupe 3.2L V67.40 sec15.90 sec225 hpFWD
19993.2 Sedan 3.2L V67.40 sec15.70 sec225 hpFWD
19993.2 Sedan 3.2L V67.60 sec15.80 sec225 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
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 Compression135 minimum PSI. 28 maximum variation PSI.
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 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 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 60,000 miTransmission Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 105,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)
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 2003 Acura TL sits at the peak of a rising complaint trend within its second generation (1999–2003). Complaints climbed from 159 in 1999 to 397 in 2003, with the target year also recording 5 recalls and 4 investigations—the second-highest investigation count in the generation. The dominant complaint area is the powertrain (214 complaints), followed by airbags (40) and vehicle speed control (13), and the year logged 26 crash-related and 4 fire-related complaints. While the 2003 model is the final year of this generation and might be expected to have benefited from refinements, the data shows it instead has the highest complaint volume of the generation and a relatively high number of investigations compared to earlier years. The subsequent generation (2004–2008) opened with an even higher 551 complaints but then declined, suggesting the 2003 represents a problematic endpoint. Given the elevated complaint and investigation counts, particularly in the powertrain, this is not a recommended year to buy.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
187
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
397
Owner complaints
26 involved a crash · 4 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 397 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train214
Air Bags40
Vehicle Speed Control13
Tires11
Structure10
Electrical System10
Exterior Lighting9
Engine & Engine Cooling9

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

19V182000Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator ModuleReported 06/03/2019

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… 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…

19V499000Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator ModuleReported 27/06/2019

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… 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 187 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
B21-0222021-05-28Power TrainService Bulletin - Case v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. BC 424169 (Third…
B20-0082020-03-10Air BagsService Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating…
B18-0412018-10-26Air BagsService bulletin - This bulletin has been cancelled because the collection is now…
BBOM080920189012018-08-09Engine And Engine CoolingDealer message - Today, Acura is notifying dealers of a voluntary noncompliance recall…
B180342018-08-09EquipmentService bulletin - Emission certification labels that were replaced on a small number 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 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 2003 TL take?

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

Does the 2003 TL have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.