2006 Acura Tl

ABOUT 3-6 MONTHS AGO, I NOTICED A CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY ACURA 2006 TL. GRADUALLY THE CRACK GREW, THEN OVER TIME, I SAW TWO MORE CRACKS IN THE AREAS WHERE THE AIRBAGS ARE LOCATED. NOW THESE CRACKS ARE WIDENING AND I CAN SEE WHITE IN THE CRACKS. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT WILL COMPROMISE PROPER DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. IF SO, THIS CAN HAVE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. I CALLED THE ACURA MANUFACTURER CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WILL COST ME $1500-2000 AND THAT THE ADJUSTMENT FROM THEM WILL BE MINIMAL BECAUSE THE WARRANTY FOR SUCH A THING HAS EXPIRED. I RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR ACURAS. PLEASE, PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND HELP OTHERS LIKE ME WHO ARE HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED, DISCOURAGED AND ANGRY ABOUT THE POOR QUALITY OF MATERIALS USED IN THE AREA THAT ENCASES THE AIRBAGS THAT SHOULD PROTECT US FROM INJURY OR DEATH. FOR YOUR INFORMATION: MY CAR HAS 92,000 MILES AND I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN GOOD PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT THE DASHBOARD WITH A WINDSHIELD COVER, USED SPECIAL CONDITIONER AND CRACKED MY WINDOWS TO KEEP THE HEAT OUT. I ALSO DO PROPER AND TIMELY MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER AND WAS HOPING THIS WOULD BE MY LAST CAR. NOW, IF I MUST SELL MY CAR, MY CAR HAS DEPRECIATED SUBSTANTIALLY DUE TO POOR WORKMANSHIP AND I WILL HAVE A CAR PAYMENT I DON'T NEED OR CAN'T AFFORD. DO RU *TR

AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS SUMMER MY DASHBOARD RANDOMLY STARTED CRACKING ABOVE MY STEERING COLUMN. THE CRACK HAS EXTENDED ALL THE WAY TO THE WINDSHIELD AND SPLIT OFF IN ONE DIRECTION. ALSO THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS STARTED TO CRACK AROUND THE AIRBAG. AN EXPENSIVE LUXURY CAR LIKE SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE TYPES OF ISSUES. I LOVE THIS CAR, BUT NOW EVERY TIME I GET IN I CANT HELP BUT FEEL THAT I AM DRIVING A PIECE OF JUNK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED A CRACK ON THE DASHBOARD WHERE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE DASHBOARD WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. *TR

ON FRIDAY JULY 19TH 2013 I NOTICED TWO SMALL CRACKS (ONE ABOUT 3 INCHES AND THE OTHER ABOUT 2 INCHES') ON DASHBOARD ON BOTH SIDES OF WHERE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS LOCATED. ON MONDAY JULY 22ND THE CRACK HAD GROWN CONSIDERABLY LARGER 12 INCHES. I SPOKE WITH ACURA CLIENT RELATIONS ON MONDAY JULY 22ND TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS. THEY OPENED UP A CASE AND TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE THE DEALER INSPECT IT. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE CARLSBAD DEALER ON TUESDAY JULY 23RD AND HAD IT INSPECTED BY ONE OF THE SERVICE MANAGERS. HE GLANCED AT IT AND ABRUPTLY STATED I WILL NEED A NEW DASH AND THAT MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY SO I WILL HAVE TO PAY $1500. LATER THAT DAY I SPOKE WITH CLIENT RELATIONS AND WAS TOLD 'WE ARE SORRY FOR YOUR ISSUE AND ACURA WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH THE COST. THE WORK CAN BE DONE FOR $800' BELIEVING THAT THE PART MAY BE FAULTY MAKES ME QUESTION WHY I HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT I WAS DISMISSED SO QUICKLY BECAUSE MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I UNDERSTAND THAT WEAR AND TEAR HAPPENS BUT IF THERE IS A DEFECT THAT THE CONSUMER HAS NO CONTROL OVER WHY SHOULD THEY BE HELD TO A WARRANTY PERIOD? A LITTLE SEARCHING OF THE WEB WILL PROVIDE QUITE A BIT OF EVIDENCE OF THE SAME ISSUE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BELOW ARE A FEW LINKS: CNN REPORT HTTP://IREPORT.CNN.COM/DOCS/DOC-708135 ATLANTA NEWS STATION HTTP://WWW.WSBTV.COM/NEWS/NEWS/ACURA-OWNERS-COMPLAIN-OF-CRACKING-DASHBOARDS/NFB38/ ACURAZINE FORUM HTTP://TL.ACURAZINE.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=730775 FACEBOOK PAGE STARTED FOR THE ISSUE HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ACURATLDEFECTIVEDASH. *TR