Acura›TSX›2005›Overview/acura/tsx/2005/base/

2005 Acura TSX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2005 TSX.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S5)

The 2005 Acura TSX is a passenger car whose engine calls for 4.4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil and is paired with an Automatic (S5) transmission, carrying EPA ratings of 20/28/23 mpg. Its 51 owner complaints place it between the 2004 model's high of 142 complaints and the 2014 model's low of 7, leaving it in the middle ground of the 2004-2014 complaint record. The top complaint area is air bags, and four recalls were issued, so a used example should be checked for completed recall work and air-bag service history.

Model year2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2005

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque80 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy20/28/23 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 51R · 430 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 51R · 430 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP215-50R17OEM · verified

Wheel / rim7-JJ inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic (S5)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	183.1 in
Overall width	69.3 in
Overall height	57.5 in
Wheelbase	104.7 in
Curb weight	3230 lb
Track (front / rear)	59.4 / 59.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	60/40

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	20 / 28 / 23 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	91 cu ft
Cargo volume	13 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Premium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

7.2–8.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.20 sec — 2006 w/Nav Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2004	w/Nav Sedan 2.4L I-4	7.20 sec	15.60 sec	200 hp	FWD
2004	w/Nav Sedan 2.4L I-4	7.50 sec	15.70 sec	200 hp	FWD
2004	w/Nav Sedan 2.4L I-4	7.60 sec	15.90 sec	200 hp	FWD
2004	w/Nav Sedan 2.4L I-4	8.10 sec	15.80 sec	200 hp	FWD
2006	w/Nav Sedan 2.4L I-4	7.20 sec	15.70 sec	205 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 33.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.4 qt
Manual Transmission Fluid	Acura part number 08798-9031-A
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity	4

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs	8mm Bolts: 16 ft-lbs, 6mm Bolts: 9 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	AT: 54, MT: 76 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	33 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	33 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	33.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	8.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	80 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug	36.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	181 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)	AT: 800, MT: 750 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)	50 rpm
Spark Plug Manufacturer	NGK
Spark Plug Gap	0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque	13.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing	8 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance	2 degrees

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.10-1.21 lbs
Oil Type	PAG 46
Oil Capacity	4.33-5.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	51R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	430 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	169-176 °F
Pressure Test	14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	169-176 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)	48.0-55.0 psi
Engine Compression	135 minimum PSI. 28 maximum variation PSI.

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	17 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	57 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket	37 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	80 ft-lbs
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.0016 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.09 in / 0.35 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.11 in / 0.36 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

27 ft. lbs., Step 2: 120

27 ft. lbs

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

36 ft. lbs., step 2: 90

36 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs at 110,000 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 10,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 20,000 mi	Brake Linings (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect) · Steering System (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 60,000 mi	Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 110,000 mi	Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 120,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 180,000 mi	Engine 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 2005 Acura TSX shows a marked improvement over its predecessor, with complaints falling from 142 in 2004 to 51 in 2005 while recalls remained steady at four and no investigations were opened. Complaint levels stayed low in the following years (50 in 2006 and 22 in 2007), indicating that the 2005 model sits at the start of a relatively trouble‑free period within this generation. After 2007, complaints began to rise again, reaching 34 in 2008 and peaking at 132 in 2012, while recalls gradually increased from three to six or seven before declining. Investigations, absent through 2011, appear only in 2012‑2014, suggesting that later‑year issues emerged as the fleet aged. Taken together, the 2005 TSX’s low complaint count and stable recall record make it a strong candidate for a used purchase compared with the higher‑problem years that follow.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

5 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’04’05’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 51 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags15

Steering6

Power Train3

Tires3

Unknown Or Other2

Seat Belts2

Engine & Engine Cooling2

Structure2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

19E068000Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator PedalReported 10/10/2019

Dorman Products, Inc. (Dorman) is recalling certain Accelerator Pedal Assemblies part numbers 699-114 and 825-5029-1, sold as replacement parts for 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2004-2008 Acura TL and TSX, 2003-2007 Honda… Remedy: Dorman will notify owners, and qualified service facilities will replace the affected accelerator pedal assemblies, free of charge. The recall began December 9, 2019. Owners may…

13V093000Engine And Engine CoolingReported 15/03/2013

Honda is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Acura TSX vehicles originally sold in, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan… Remedy: Honda will notify owners and Acura dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any damaged ECU, free of charge. All vehicles will have a waterproof cover installed onto the ECU…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 44 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
DORE5C4S09	2019-07-11	Suspension	This SKU is a Front Upper Ball Joint. The customer communication requested return of…
B07-025	2018-07-10	Equipment	Service bulletin - There are specific leak dye kits for the R-134a and R-1234yf A/C…
BTS180402	2018-04-17	Electrical System	Tech line summary article - When adding keys or running the System Check with the…
BJA46167	2017-01-01	Equipment	Sending vehicle data to tech line.
B05-018	2016-11-23	Equipment	SERVICE BULLETIN - NAVIGATION SYSTEM INFORMATION.

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 TSX. 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 51R battery Vehicles taking 4.4 qt

Reference guides

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

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2005 TSX take?

4.4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2005 TSX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the TSX get?

EPA figures are 20 city / 28 highway / 23 combined mpg.