2003 Acura Tl: Recalls, Problems & MPG
Here are the deets on the 2003 Acura Tl: 5 recalls, 391 owner complaints.
Recalls
5 vehicle recalls from the manufacturer. Repairs are free. Check your VIN to see if one is still open on your car.
Engine & cooling Vehicle recall #02V226000 · 2002 · 17,551 vehicles
What's wrong: On certain minivans, sedans, coupes, and sport utility vehicles equipped with v6 engines, a timing belt tensioner pulley on the water pump is misaligned and could cause the timing belt to contact a bolt on the cylinder head. Eventually the belt could be damaged and fail.
Why it matters: If the timing belt breaks, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect the water pump and if it is one of the defective pumps, the water pump and timing belt will be replaced. Owner notification began August 30, 2002.
Transmission & drivetrain Vehicle recall #04V176000 · 2004 · 1,099,796 vehicles
What's wrong: 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 leading to gear tooth chipping or gear breakage.
Why it matters: Gear failure could result in transmission lockup, which could result in a crash.
The fix: 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 vehicles with more than 15,000 miles, the dealer will inspect the transmission to identify gears that have already…
Airbags Vehicle recall #15V320000 · 2015 · 6,281,043 vehicles
What's wrong: Honda (american Honda motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2001-2007 accord, 2001-2005 civic, 2001-2004 Honda civic gx, 2003-2005 Honda civic hybrid, 2002-2006 cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2008 pilot, 2006 ridgeline, 2003 Acura 3.2cl, 2003-2006 Acura mdx, and 2002-2003 Acura 3.2tl vehicles. The affected vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that May be susceptible…
Why it matters: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began on July 1, 2015.
Airbags Vehicle recall #19V182000 · 2019 · 1,101,534 vehicles
What's wrong: 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 2009 Honda accord, 2001-2005 civic, 2003-2005 civic hybrid, 2001-2005 civic gx ngv, 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 cr-v, 2003-2011 element, 2007 fit, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2008 pilot, and 2006-2014…
Why it matters: An explosion of an inflator within the driver frontal air bag module May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: 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
Airbags Vehicle recall #19V499000 · 2019 · 3,947 vehicles
What's wrong: 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 element, 2002-2004 odyssey, 2003-2008 pilot and 2006 ridgeline vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with driver frontal air bag inflators assembled as a recall remedy part or replacement service…
Why it matters: An inflator explosion May result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began August 12, 2019.
Most-reported problems
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component. One complaint can list several components. 4 mention a fire, 20 injuries and 1 deaths were reported.
What owners describe
- Transmission & drivetrain (246): the most common themes are hard / delayed shifting (141), warning light on (40), stalls / loses power (39).
- Airbags (50): the most common themes are warning light on (10), fails to deploy (7), deploys unexpectedly / inflator (6).
- Speed control / throttle (20): the most common themes are sudden acceleration (3), stalls / loses power (3).
- Other / unknown (18): the most common themes are warning light on (3), rust / corrosion (3).
The 2003 Acura Tl has 391 owner complaints, ranking #2 of 20 Tl model years for complaints (2.5× the average Tl year). Complaints peaked in 2010 (44 filed that year). The typical problem showed up when the car was about 6 years old, at a median of 75,900 miles. Neighboring years: 2002 (333 complaints, 7 recalls), 2004 (551 complaints, 4 recalls).
Want the full repair deets? Get the factory manual.
Recall and complaint data tells you what goes wrong. A service manual tells you how to fix it: torque specs, wiring diagrams, fluid capacities and step-by-step procedures for the 2003 Acura Tl.
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FAQ
Does the 2003 Acura Tl have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 5 vehicle recalls for the 2003 Acura Tl. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, no matter how old the car is. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common 2003 Acura Tl problems?
Owners have filed 391 complaints with NHTSA. The most-reported areas are transmission & drivetrain (246), airbags (50), speed control / throttle (20).
Where can I get a 2003 Acura Tl repair manual?
eManualOnline sells downloadable manuals, Mitchell 1 DIY and ALLDATAdiy sell online access to factory repair data, and Haynes sells printed guides and online access. Pick a download if you want to keep it, or a subscription for wiring diagrams and TSBs.