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Acura TL 1st Generation (UA1-UA3)

1996–1998 · UA1-UA3 · sedan

The first-generation TL launched for 1996 as Acura's entry-luxury sedan, replacing the short-lived Vigor. Its name stood for Touring Luxury and it carried over the Vigor's unusual longitudinally-mounted, front-wheel-drive layout. Two engines were offered: the 2.5 TL used a 2.5L SOHC inline-five (the G25A, about 176 hp) and the 3.2 TL used a 3.2L C32A V6. A 4-speed automatic was the only transmission. Built in Japan, this UA-chassis car was a transitional model that set up the much higher-volume Ohio-built TL that followed.

Watch out: The era-typical concern on these is the automatic transmission, a weak point across several late-90s and early-2000s Honda and Acura V6 automatics, so service history and fluid condition matter. As 25-plus-year-old cars, age issues dominate: aging seals and gaskets, dated electronics, and the scarcity of the inline-five-specific parts on 2.5 TL examples.

What your TL takes

The parts and fluids that fit this generation. Specs we publish are confirmed against two independent sources; the rest fill in as we verify them.

  • BatteryGroup 25 · 450 CCA min✓ VerifiedView
  • Tire pressure29 psi✓ VerifiedView
  • Tire sizeNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Wiper bladesNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Engine oilNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Oil filterNot catalogued yetFind yours
  • Engine air filterNot catalogued yetFind yours
  • Cabin air filterNot catalogued yetFind yours
  • Spark plugsNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Headlight bulbsNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • CoolantNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Brake fluidNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Transmission fluidNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Key fob batteryNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Power steering fluidNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Differential fluidNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Serpentine beltNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Brake padsNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Wheel fitmentNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Brake rotorsNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • ThermostatNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • A/C refrigerantNot catalogued yetFind yours soon
  • Fuel filterNot catalogued yetFind yours soon

Full clubhouse — owner Garage Lineage, common problems, year-by-year notes, and product picks — is on the build list.

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