AcuraRL2001Overview/acura/rl/2001/base/

2001 Acura RL

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

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2001 Acura RL is a passenger car whose maintenance profile calls for 4.9 quarts of 5W-20 API engine oil, placing it squarely in the lubrication conventions of its era. With 25 owner complaints on record and two recalls, its dominant trouble spot is the power train — a concern that lands it well below the model's worst year, 2005, which amassed 125 complaints across the RL's 1996–2015 history. For a researcher, that positions the 2001 in the quieter middle band of the lineup's reliability arc, far from the trouble peak yet not as clean as the 2012 low of a single complaint, suggesting a model year that is respectable but not without its drivetrain caveats.

Model year201220112010200920082007200620052001

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.9 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 sizeP215-60VR16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length196.9 in
Overall width71.7 in
Overall height56.7 in
Wheelbase114.6 in
Curb weight3858 lb
Track (front / rear)61 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)60/40

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

7.5–7.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.50 sec — 1996 3.5 Premium Package Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
20023.5 w/Nav Sedan 3.5L V67.90 sec16.10 sec225 hpFWD
19963.5 Premium Package Sedan 3.5L V67.50 sec16.00 sec210 hpFWD
19963.5 Premium Package Sedan 3.5L V67.80 sec16.00 sec210 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.9 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, HONDA VTM-4 DIFFERENTIAL FLUID OR EQUIVALENT in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 80 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilHONDA VTM-4 DIFFERENTIAL FLUID OR EQUIVALENT
Differential Gear Oil Capacity5.5 Pints
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.9 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs8mm Bolts: 16 ft-lbs, 6mm Bolts: 9 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts181 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts54 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts8mm bolts, 16: 6mm bolts, 9 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts22 ft-lbs
Oil Pan to Block Bolts16.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs8mm Bolts: 16 ft-lbs, 6mm Bolts: 9 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts8.9 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub181 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub181 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (Secondary Under Load)650 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (Secondary Under Load)50 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance0.9-1.1 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.50-1.60 lbs
Oil TypePAG 46
Oil Capacity4.66 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)43.0-50.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)35.0-42.0 psi
Engine Compression142
Engine Oil Pressure10 psi @ idle, 50 psi @ 3000 rpm psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket80 ft-lbs / 17 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle80 ft-lbs / 26 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.060 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.004 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.906 in / 0.354 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.906 in / 0.354 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.826 in / 0.295 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9014 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 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 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Steering 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) · Door Stop (lubricate) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Final Drive (drain & refill)
At 60,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Final Drive (drain & refill)
At 105,000 miBalance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Engine 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) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
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 2001 Acura RL sits in a mid-generation dip, experiencing a notable drop to 25 federal complaints and 2 recalls compared to the problematic peak of 70 complaints and 4 recalls seen in the 2000 model year. However, this reprieve is temporary, as complaints spike back up to 59 in the 2002 model year before the generation concludes with lower volumes in 2003 and 2004. For the 2001 model specifically, Power Train and Air Bags dominate the complaint areas with 8 and 6 reported incidents respectively, though the data does not specify the root causes for these issues. With only 1 crash and 1 fire complaint, alongside 80 technical service bulletins indicating active manufacturer awareness of minor issues, the 2001 model presents a statistically safer bet than its immediate generation peers. Consequently, the 2001 Acura RL is a relatively good year to buy, offering a quieter ownership prospect than the 2000 or 2002 models, provided a buyer ensures the Power Train and Air Bag systems are thoroughly inspected.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
80
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
25
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 25 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train8
Air Bags6
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
Steering1
Tires1
Vehicle Speed Control1
Engine & Engine Cooling1
Fuel System, Gasoline1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 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…

02V119000Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:SwitchReported 14/05/2002

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, DURING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS, OIL WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO PREVENT RUST. THIS OIL CAN LEAK INTO THE BRAKE STOP SWITCH AND CONTAMINATE THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS. Remedy: DEALERS WILL CLEAN ANY EXCESS OIL FROM THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY AND REPLACE THE STOP SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 16, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 80 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DORE5C4S092019-07-11SuspensionThis SKU is a Front Upper Ball Joint. The customer communication requested return of…
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…

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 RL. 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 RL take?

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

Does the 2001 RL have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.