2006 Acura Tl

ON JUNE 23, 2013 I WAS SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY 2006 ACURA TL AND NOTICED THAT MY DASHBOARD HAS APPROXIMATELY AN 8 INCH CRACK IN IT. THE CRACK IS ON A SEAM WHERE THE AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY IF I WERE TO GET INTO A CAR ACCIDENT. MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND IS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED ACURA THAT I PURCHASED AT 30,000 MILES. IT FORMERLY BELONGED TO AN FSU PROFESSOR WHO HAS A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM. THE CRACK APPEARED OVERNIGHT AND IS STILL A SURPRISE TO ME. HOW DOES A $30,000 CAR GET A CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD ESPECIALLY WHERE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS? I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. APPARENTLY THIS ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD IN THE 2004-2006 MODEL YEAR ACURA TL'S. ONE SUCH FORUM ACURAZINE HAS NUMEROUS OWNERS WITH THE EXACT ISSUE. I ALSO JOINED THE FACEBOOK GROUP ACURA TL DEFECTIVE DASH-CONSUMER'S RIGHTS. BOTH GROUPS ENCOURAGED OWNERS TO MAKE FORMAL COMPLAINTS TO THE NHTSA. *TR

MY HUSBAND AND I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE TWO VERTICAL CRACKS ON THE DASH ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DASH AIRBAG MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 5-6 INCHES EACH. THE CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND IS NOT LEFT OUT IN THE SUN FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME SO THERE IS NO KNOWN REASON OR EXPLANATION FOR THESE CRACKS. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS REGARDING THIS EXACT ISSUE AND I HOPE THAT ACURA INVESTIGATES IT, AS THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT AND A SAFETY ISSUE. IF THE CRACKS CONTINUE TO GROW AND/OR THE DASH CRACKS FURTHER, IT COULD CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY OR MALFUNCTION, NOT TO MENTION THAT A LUXURY CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. NONE OF MY OTHER VEHICLES HAVE EVER HAD CRACKS IN THE DASH, INCLUDING A HONDA ACCORD THAT WAS OVER 15 YEARS OLD AND AN ACURA CL THAT WAS 11 YEARS OLD. *TR

THIS IS A CAR THAT WAS BOUGHT PRE-OWNED WITHIN THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE CAR WAS BOUGHT IN PRISTINE CONDITION. PER ACURA'S INSTRUCTIONS, NOTHING IS TO BE USED TO CLEAN THE DASHBOARD EXCEPT A MICROFIBER CLOTH, WHICH I HAVE DONE. ON OCT. 06 2012, I GOT INTO THE CAR AND FOUND A CRACK OVER THE DRIVER'S SIDE DASHBOARD ABOVE THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. ADDITIONAL SMALL CRACKS ARE STARTING TO FORM OVER THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE CRACKS MAY CAUSE PROBLEMS IN THE CASE OF AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. *TR

A FIVE INCH CRACK WAS SEEN IN THE MORNING UPON ENTRANCE INTO THE VEHICLE. OVER TIME THE CRACK HAS EXTENDED TO AN APPROXIMATE TEN TO TWELVE INCH CRACK WHICH CORRESPONDS WITH THE VEHICLE'S PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LOCATION. THE CRACK APPEARS LESS VISIBLE WHEN THE VEHICLE'S INTERIOR IS HOT AND BECOMES MORE VISIBLE WHEN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE COOLS. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE APPEARANCE OF THE CRACK AND THE RELATION IT MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE WITH THE AIR BAG. *TR

2006 ACURA TL WAS PURCHASED NEW IN THE FALL OF 2005. ON OR ABOUT 8/13/2012 WE NOTICED AN 8-INCH CRACK IN THE PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD THAT RAN THE LENGTH (AND BEYOND) OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. TWO DAYS LATER THE CRACK HAD GROWN TO 12-14 INCHES AND ANOTHER CRACK HAD FORMED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRBAG AND CURVED AROUND THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRBAG (ALSO 12-14 INCHES). I CALLED THE LOCAL ACURA DEALERSHIP AND THEY STATED THAT WE WOULD NEED TO BRING THE CAR IN SO THEY COULD TAKE PICTURES AND SUBMIT A REPORT AND WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET A 30% DISCOUNT ON REPAIR (WE WOULD END UP PAYING CLOSE TO $2000). I EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THE PIECE WOULD FLY OFF WHEN THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS CAUSING SERIOUS INJURIES OR THAT THE CRACKS WOULD CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY ON ITS OWN. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE SO FAR THAT IT COULD CAUSE INJURIES, BUT IF THE PIECE DID FLY OFF THAT "IT WON'T CAUSE TOO MUCH DAMAGE OR INJURY." VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED OR REMEDIED BY ACURA. *TR

VEHICLE HAS DEVELOPED A 16" LONG CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG TO THE RIGHT ON THE VERTICAL AIR BAG SEAM. WHEN DRIVEN THE CRACK APPEARS TO HAVE GROWN, THEREFORE WE HAVE STOPPED DRIVING IT COMPLETELY UNTIL THIS SAFETY ISSUE IS FIXED. WE FEAR THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COULD BE NEGATIVELY EFFECTED BY THIS CRACK EITHER PREMATURE DEPLOYMENT OR NOT PROPERLY DEPLOYING IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN METICULOUSLY TAKEN CARE OF AND GARAGE KEPT SINCE WE DROVE IT OFF THE DEALERS LOT BRAND NEW. *TR

ON OR ABOUT APRIL 2,2012 I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE DASH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE NEAR THE AIRBAG. 3 WEEKS LATER ANOTHER CRACK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DASH. WENT TO ACURA DEALERSHIP AFTER READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND THEY OFFERED TO PAY 90%. FAST FORWARD TO THE WEEK OF MAY 22-28 THERE IS NOW CRACKS OUTLINING THE PASSENGER AIRBAG ALL THE WAY AROUND IT. THE SIDES ARE STARTING TO CURL UP AND NOW 3 MORE NEW CRACKS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DASH AS WELL. THIS ALL STARTED 2 MONTHS AGO AT WHICH TIME I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO CRACKS AT ALL. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR AND I ALSO USE A CUSTOM MADE SUN VISOR EVERY SINGLE DAY. I FEEL WITH ALL THESE COMPLAINTS THAT THERE HAS TO BE SOME SORT OF DEFECT. I'M NOT HAPPY HAVING TO PAY 150.00 OF MY MEASLY UNEMPLOYMENT CHECK TO PAY FOR THIS. *TR