2004 Acura Tl

AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATES PERIODICALLY. DASHBOARD HAS DEVELOPED TWO SIGNIFICANT CRACKS DIRECTLY OVER THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE COMBINATION OF THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT AND DASHBOARD CRACKS INDICATE A SAFETY ISSUE. IF THE AIRBAG WERE TO DEPLOY, IT MAY NOT DO SO APPROPRIATELY. THE CRACKS COULD CAUSE IT TO DEPLOY IN WRONG DIRECTION, RENDERING IT INEFFECTIVE OR DANGEROUS. ALSO, PIECES OF DASHBOARD COULD BREAK OFF IN EVENT OF AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND RESULT IN PROJECTILES THAT COULD INJURE OCCUPANTS.

THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2004 TL BEGAN TO CRACK. I'VE HAD THE CAR SINCE 2008 WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS UNTIL NOW. THE DASH IS CRACKED IN TWO PLACES, ONE FROM THE FRONT ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGE OF THE COVER OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE OTHER CRACK COMES FROM THE FRONT UP TO THE MIDDLE SPEAKER. NO FURTHER SPREAD SO FAR BUT AM CONCERNED THAT CRACKING WILL CONTINUE AND SPREAD AFTER SEEING SO MANY COMPLAINTS. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP SAID THAT REPLACEMENT WOULD BE EXPENSIVE, AROUND $2000. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I CALL ACURA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SEE IF THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING. THAT IS MY NEXT STEP.

THE STEERING SHAFT ASSEMBLY AND CONTROL ARMS THAT CONNECT TO THE TIE RODS, SWAY BARS AND LINKS TO CV AXLE AND I BELEIVE RACK AND PINION SUSPENSION CAME APART FROM THE TIRES AND CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE WITH MY CHILD AS A PASSENGER WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. WE ARE BOTH VERY LUCKY TO BE ALIVE AS WE WERE IN ROUTE TO TRAVEL THE INTERSTATE BEFORE THIS CRASH OCCURED.

DASHBOARD HAS CRACKED DIRECTLY OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. CAR IS STORED IN A GARAGE DAILY AND OUT OF EXCESSIVE HEAT/COLD YEAR ROUND. STEERING WHEEL COVER OVER THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG ALSO HAS CRACKED. BOTH CRACKS SHOW VISIBLE OUTLINE OF THE AIRBAGS. ADDRESSED THE STEERING WHEEL CRACK WITH THE FAIRFIELD, CA DEALERSHIP WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE THE AIRBAG REPLACED AT A COST OF $1,500 DOLLARS. THE ISSUE WAS PART OF THE AIRBAG HOUSING. IF THAT'S THE CASE, WOULDN'T THIS BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT COSMETIC? ESPECIALLY BECAUSE BOTH CRACKS ARE DIRECTLY OVER THE AIRBAGS?

GOT IN MY CAR ONE MORNING AND NOTICED A HUGE CRACK ON THE DASH OF THE PASSENGER SIDE WHERE THE AIRBAG IS. I FEEL THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOWS THE LACK OF QUALITY MATERIAL USED IN CARS. I DON'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY THE EXPENSIVE COST TO REPAIR THIS SEEING AS I'VE PAID THE EXPENSIVE COST OF THE CAR. I UNDERSTAND NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS. THERE ARE CARS THAT ARE WAY OLDER THAN A 2004 THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO. SINCE THIS HAPPENED TO MY CAR AND I HAVE RESEARCHED IT, APPARENTLY THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH ALOT OF 2004 ACURA TLS.

THE VEHICLE IS A 2004 ACURA TL. IT IS MAINLY GARAGED KEPT AND WELL MAINTAINED. IT HAS DEVELOPED A LARGE CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD RUNNING FROM THE WINDSHIELD TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SEAT. IT APPEARED ONE DAY FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENT. THERE IS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE CAR BUT THEY WON'T COVER THIS. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS DUE TO INFERIOR MATERIALS AND/OR DESIGN AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAG DEPLOYS...WILL THE CRACKED DASH PREVENT THE AIR BAG FROM DEPLOYING PROPERLY? OR WILL THERE BE PIECES OF THE DASHBOARD ACTING AS LITTLE MISSILES POSING A THREAT TO THE OCCUPANTS? *TT