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2003 Acura CL

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

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2003 Acura CL is a passenger‑car built on Acura’s mid‑size platform and equipped with a powertrain that requires 4.6 qt of 5W‑20 API oil. Across its 1997‑2004 production run, the model accumulated 79 owner complaints overall, with the power‑train identified as the most frequent issue area and five recalls issued for the generation. Compared with the peak of 274 complaints recorded in 2001, the 2003 CL sits toward the lower end of the series’ trouble‑report curve, approaching the 2004 low of just one complaint, indicating a comparatively steadier reliability record for researchers to note.

Model year2003 2002 2001

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 length	192.1 in
Overall width	70.5 in
Overall height	55.5 in
Wheelbase	107.1 in
Curb weight	3470 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 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.90 sec — 2003 3.2CL Type-S Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2003	3.2CL Type-S Coupe 3.2L V6	5.90 sec	14.60 sec	260 hp	FWD
2003	3.2CL Type-S w/Nav Coupe 3.2L V6	5.90 sec	14.50 sec	260 hp	FWD
2001	3.2CL Type-S Coupe 3.2L V6	6.40 sec	14.80 sec	260 hp	FWD
2001	3.2CL Type-S Coupe 3.2L V6	6.80 sec	15.20 sec	260 hp	FWD

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 Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Oil	5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.6 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	181 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	23 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	23 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	29.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	29.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	181 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub	134 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-4-2-5-3-6
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 Resistance	17,100-20,900 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	NGK

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.30-1.40 lbs
Oil Type	PAG 46
Oil Capacity	5.33 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	24
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	550 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	169-176 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)	41.0-48.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)	32.0-40.0 psi
Engine Compression	135 minimum PSI. 28 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Oil Pressure	10 psi @ idle, 50 psi @ 3000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash	0.006-0.007 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	80 ft-lbs / 17 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	80 ft-lbs / 41 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	0.060 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.004 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.098 in / 0.35 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.106 in / 0.358 in
Rotor Discard at or Under	1.024 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 15,000 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 15,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 30,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 60,000 mi	Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 105,000 mi	Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)
At 120,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Transmission Assembly (drain & 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 CL sits at the end of a generation that saw a dramatic complaint spike in 2001 (274 complaints) before settling to 61 in 2002, then rising again to 79 in the target year. More critically, the 2003 model year carries the highest number of recalls (5) and investigations (4) in the entire dataset, alongside a peak in technical service bulletins (177), signaling that serious, widespread issues were being addressed by the manufacturer. The top complaint area is the power train with 33 reports, and there were 7 crash-related complaints, though no fire complaints. Compared to earlier years, the 2003 CL shows a troubling concentration of federal oversight and corrective actions, even as raw complaint volume is not the highest. This pattern suggests that while the vehicle may have fewer overall owner gripes than the troubled 2001 launch, the problems it does have are significant enough to trigger multiple investigations and recalls. A buyer should be cautious: the 2003 Acura CL’s federal record points to a higher risk of unresolved serious defects, particularly in the power train, making it a less reliable choice than the 2002 model year.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

177

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

7 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

’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02’03’04

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 79 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train33

Air Bags8

Exterior Lighting5

Service Brakes, Hydraulic4

Structure3

Tires,Wheels3

Tires3

Engine2

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 177 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
B21-022	2021-05-28	Power Train	Service Bulletin - Case v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. BC 424169 (Third…
B20-008	2020-03-10	Air Bags	Service Bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating…
BBOM08092018901	2018-08-09	Engine And Engine Cooling	Dealer message - Today, Acura is notifying dealers of a voluntary noncompliance recall…
B18034	2018-08-09	Equipment	Service bulletin - Emission certification labels that were replaced on a small number of…
B18-017	2018-05-24	Air Bags	Service bulletin - This bulletin is a notification of a class action settlement relating…

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.

Group 24 battery Vehicles taking 4.6 qt

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2003 CL take?

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

Does the 2003 CL have open recalls?

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