IllustrationMY 1998 ACURA SLX, WITH 122,000 MILES, REQUIRES A NEW ENGINE. THE CAR DEVELOPED A LOUD SLAPPING NOISE AND WAS DIAGNOSED BY 2 MECHANICS AS A BROKEN PISTON SKIRT. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THESE CARS - A RESULT OF A MISMATCH BETWEEN THE ISUZU ENGINE AND THE ACURA TRANSMISSION. *NM
1998 Acura Slx
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Slx years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 3 of 6 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Tires. Review the 1 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
6 reportsIN JUNE OF 2003, WE TOOK OUR 1998 ACURA SLX W/45K MILES ON IT INTO STEVENS CREEK ISUZU DEALERSHIP FOR A MAJOR SERVICE AND TO CHECK OUT THE "PINGING/GRINDING" NOISE THAT WE HAD BEEN HEARING FOR A LONG TIME. WE WERE TOLD THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE NOISE. IN JUNE 2004, WE TOOK IT TO THE RENO ISUZU FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TO CHECK …
Read full complaint
IN JUNE OF 2003, WE TOOK OUR 1998 ACURA SLX W/45K MILES ON IT INTO STEVENS CREEK ISUZU DEALERSHIP FOR A MAJOR SERVICE AND TO CHECK OUT THE "PINGING/GRINDING" NOISE THAT WE HAD BEEN HEARING FOR A LONG TIME. WE WERE TOLD THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE NOISE. IN JUNE 2004, WE TOOK IT TO THE RENO ISUZU FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TO CHECK OUT THE NOISE AND WE WERE TOLD THAT WE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. OUR CAR NOW HAS 54K MILES ON IT. WE TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION AND WERE TOLD THAT A ROD WAS BLOWN AND A NEW ENGINE WOULD BE NEEDED. THE CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP. WE PAID $4K FOR A NEW ENGINE SO FAR AND WILL OWE ABOUT $3K IN LABOR & MISC. PARTS. WE FEEL THAT SINCE THIS PROBLEM STARTED WHILE STILL UNDER "MILEAGE" WARRANTY BUT COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED, ACURA/ISUZU SHOULD PAY FOR THE ENGINE AND LABOR THAT WE HAVE INCURED. OUR MILEAGE IS EXTREMELY LOW AND THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON TO REPLACE THE ENGINE THIS SOON. WE OWN A 1993 JEEP CHEROKEE THAT HAVE 117K MILES ON THE ORIGINAL ENGINE! WE HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ON OTHER WEBSITES ABOUT THE ACURA/ISUZU ENGINES BLOWING SO EARLY. WE ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED AND WILL NEVER RECOMMEND NOR BUY AN ACURA/ISUZU AGAIN.
CONSUMER STATED SHE HEARD KNOCKING AND A LOUD PINGING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. SHE THEN PULLED OVER AND HER HUSBAND CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND SAW THAT THE OIL WAS EMPTY ALTHOUGH SHE HAD AN OIL CHANGE BEFORE THE TRIP. ALL OF THE OIL SPILLED FROM THE ENGINE. ENGINE HAD BLOWN. *AK *SC *JB
THROTTLE SUCKED TO THE GROUND AND WOULD NOT RELEASE WHEN BRAKES APPLIED, WHEN EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS EXTENDED. *AK
UNABLE TO STEER STRAIGHT LINE AT 70 MPH 95 DEGREES, WANDERS OVER ROAD, OKAY WHEN TIRES COLD. *AK( DOT NUMBER: CLL417 TIRE SIZE: P245/70R16 )
THE QUICK DISCONNECT GAS TANK CONNECTION CAME LOOSE ON THE HIGHWAY. DRIVER IS UNAWARE OF LEAK UNTIL MADE AWARE OF IT BY SOMEONE ELSE.
Official recalls
198V180000 · Power Train:transfer Case (4-WHEEL Drive)
Aug 3, 1998
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE TRANSFER GEARBOX FLANGE NUTS WERE NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED, CAUSING THE NUTS TO LOOSEN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE FLANGE NUTS LOOSEN, THE PROPELLER SHAFT CAN SEPARATE, RENDERING THE VEHICLE INOPEATIVE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FRONT AND REAR FLANGE NUTS AND, IF FOUND LOOSE, TIGHTEN TO SPECIFIED TORQUE AND SECURED STAKED AT TWO PLACES.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.