2004 Acura Tl

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD FAILED AND SPLIT IN HALF NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG HOUSING. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE DASHBOARD FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY WEAR AND TEAR AND WAS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THIS SHOULD RAISE THE QUESTION OF AIRBAG INTEGRITY AND FUNCTION. SUCH A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND THEREFORE BE RECALLED AND REPAIRED BY ACURA.

I HAVE A 2004 ACURA TL DASH THAT HAS VERY LARGE CRACKS OVER THE PASSENGER AIRBAG AND IS CRACKED IN 3 MORE PLACES OVER THE DRIVERS STEERING COLUMN. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM THAT MANY 2004 ACURA OWNERS ARE FACING. ACURA CUSTOMER RELATIONS SAYS TO SEE THE DEALER FOR A RESOLUTION AND FROM WHAT I'M READING ONLINE IT SEEMS THAT THE DEALER WANTS NO PART IN FIXING OR WARRANTING THIS PART. I WILL INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND REPORT BACK TO ACURA TO SEE IF THEY WILL COVER THIS 2000 DOLLAR PART THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED ON THAT MODEL YEAR. ACURA SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS KNOWN ISSUE WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO START. *TR

I RECENTLY DISCOVERED A HUGE GASH ON MY 04 ACURA TL'S DASHBOARD. I AM WORRIED THAT THIS CRACK WILL CAUSE AN AIRBAG FAILURE OR EVEN RESULT IN DEPLOYING PREMATURELY. IT IS LOCATED ALL THE WAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE WINDSHIELD WITH AN ADDITIONAL CRACK TOWARDS THE MIDDLE. AS THE CRACK HAS EXPANDED WITHIN THE PAST WEEK, I HAVE FOUND THAT JUST ABOVE THE CENTER CONSOLE, THE AIRBAG HAS BEEN PUSHED TO THE SIDE, CAUSING THE AIRBAG TO BUBBLE UP IN THE CENTER. I CALLED ACURA AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY GIVE DISCOUNTS ON THE PRODUCT BECAUSE IT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AND BECAUSE IT WASN'T MY FAULT, JUST A FAULTY PRODUCT THAT HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN SEVERAL OTHER STATES. I TALKED TO THE DISTRICT MANAGER OF GUNN ACURA IN SA,TX ABOUT THE ISSUE AND WAS TOLD THAT SINCE I HAVEN'T USED ACURA'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS MUCH AS THEY LIKE (PRETTY MUCH SAYING THAT I HAVEN'T GIVEN THEM ENOUGH MONEY), THEY WOULD GIVE ME ONLY A 15% DISCOUNT WHEN I WAS TOLD TO EXPECT AROUND 75%. MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT I DON'T SEE HOW THAT WOULD MATTER IF IT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN ANYWAY. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS DEFECT ISN'T A RECALL. THE DISTRICT MANAGER TOLD ME THAT IF ANYTHING, THE AIRBAG WOULD COME OUT FASTER IF NEEDED SINCE THERE IS ALREADY A CRACK TO OPEN IT UP. BUT THAT MIGHT NOT BE A GOOD THING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS PUSHED OUT OF THE WAY AND HOW THE AIRBAG DOESN'T COME OUT OF THE DASHBOARD. WHEN I SPOKE TO THE DISTRICT MANAGER, THE FIRST THING I WAS TOLD WAS THAT THE OFFER IS STAYING THE SAME, NO MATTER WHAT. HE CHECKED HIS NOTES AND DECIDED A PRICE BEFORE EVEN CONSULTING ME OR ASKING QUESTIONS. HE WAS SET ON A RATE BEFORE HE EVEN SPOKE WITH ME. THE PRICE HASN'T CHANGED AND I AM EXPECTED TO PAY FOR A $2000 DASHBOARD WITH A 15% DISCOUNT. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY ANY DAY NOW FOR NO REASON. IT IS GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE I AM ACTUALLY SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2004 ACURA TL IN OCTOBER OF 2008. RECENTLY, I'VE NOTICED THE DASHBOARD CRACKING. AFTER BRINGING IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALERSHIP, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY. AS I SEARCH FOR INFORMATION ONLINE, IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OTHER 2004 MODELS. I HAVE ASKED IF THE AIR BAGS ARE SAFE AND THE PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP GAVE ME A CHUCKLE AND SAID "...OF COURSE". *KB

12-15" CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD CAUSING THE AIR BAG MALFUNCTION LIGHT ON THE DASH TO ILLUMINATE--THEREBY INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG. THIS IS CLEARLY DUE TO THE PROBLEMATIC CRACKS OVER THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE DASHBOARD, INCLUDING BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE. GOING OVER A POT HOLE OR SEVERE BUMP COULD CAUSE THE AIR BAG TO INFLATE AND POSSIBLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY TO THE FRONT PASSENGER. THE 2004 ACURA DASHBOARD OBVIOUSLY IS DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY ACURA AND FURTHER, INVESTIGATED FOR POTENTIAL ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE OF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. *TR