Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 Acura SLX problems
Owners filed 11 complaints about the 1996 Acura SLX with NHTSA between Mar 1996 and Mar 2006. The most-cited component is suspension (3).
Complaints
11
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Suspension3
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Air bags1
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Equipment1
- Seat belts1
- Vehicle speed control1
- Structure1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
4
1
0
1
3
0
1
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 4 |
| 1997 | 1 |
| 1998 | 0 |
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 3 |
| 2001 | 0 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 0 |
| 2004 | 0 |
| 2005 | 0 |
| 2006 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Suspension
3 reports
“FRONT BALL JOINTS MAKING NOISES. RECALL WAS FROM CARS BUILT PRIOR TO AUG, 1995 BUT THIS CAR WAS BUILT IN SEPTEMBER OF 1995. THE DEALER REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE OR TO HONOR RECALL AND NOW THE BALL JOINTS ARE NOISY AND THE CAR UNSTABLE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. CA. *AK”
Service brakes, hydraulic
2 reports1 related recall
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE AND STOPPING DISTANCES WERE INCREASED AS A RESULT. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 97V092002, REGARDING THE SERVICE BRAKES HOSES AND LINES. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIR.”
Air bags
1 report1 crash
“FRONT COLLISION AT 35-40 MPH, NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. NO INJURIES.*AK”
Engine and engine cooling
1 report
“THE SPECIFIC PROBLEM I AM EXPERIENCING IS A CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. IN SPEAKING WITH THE DEALERSHIP THEY CONFIRMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR CAR MODEL. THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED MULTIPLE VEHICLES WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A TWO PIECE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SPLIT IS OCCURING ALONG THE SEAM OF THE TWO PIECES. THEY STATED THAT THIS IS A FIRE HAZARD, YET NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE BY THE MANUFACTURER.*AK”
Equipment
1 report
“DEFECTIVE CD PLAYER.”
Seat belts
1 report1 related recall
“SEAT BELTS IN REAR SEAT CAN'T BE USED BY AN ADULT AS THE MALE AND FEMALE ENDS ARE TOO CLOSE TOGETHER AND THEREFORE DO NOT FIT. *DSH”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.