Problems with 2004 Acura TL STRUCTURE

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 acura tl. the contact stated that the dashboard was fractured in close proximity to the air bag housing. the contact was concerned that in the event of a crash that the air bag may deploy improperly which may cause severe injury to the vehicle occupants from debris from the dashboard. the vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired. a dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure, case number: 10142090. the approximate failure mileage was 97,000.

The dashboard panel of my 04 acura tl is severely cracked. my concern is if in the event an airbag did deploy due to false sensors or even due to an accident, how much damage will this cause me? i understand that an airbag will annihilate the dash if activated and hopefully damages are minimal but that was tested with a dashboard panel that was fully intact. i'm a little concerned since i also have 98 forerunner and the dash panel is nearly emaculant. i feel there is a manufacturing defect in the plastic in these vehicles that should be recalled and fixed.

Struts snapped on highway

Cracks on the dashboard appear rapidly, starting by the passenger airbag location. first crack a week ago and now a another one......afraid that airbag could deploy or not deploy and according to many acura tl 2004 owners this is a very common and upsetting matter.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 acura tl. the contact noticed that the dashboard around the air bag area was cracked. the air bags and wiring were not exposed. the contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

I purchased my 2004 acura tl from autoland usa in selden, ny on april 5th, 2016. the vehicle is in great shape. no torn seats, interior issues or any other visible issues at time of purchase. just about 2 weeks ago, i noticed these cracks forming on my dashboard. i know this to be a manufacturers defect due to the overwhelming complaints on quite a few message and complaint boards and websites. i need to know what will acura do to fix this issue. this is definitely not a wear and tear issue, because i also have a 1992 honda accord in my driveway, that still has a perfectly intact dashboard and the accord is much older than this acura. i have attached a few pictures to confirm my claim. thank you. [xxx] unsatisfied customer information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).'*jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 acura tl. the contact stated that the dashboard was cracked around the air bags. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 160,000.

I was reading some other complaints here and this has also happened to my car. the dashboard is totally cracked surrounding the airbag and looks like the airbag will explode any time. i was actually just in an accident and it didn't explode, which makes me even more nervous. it looks horrible and is very expensive to replace. i have talked to several mechanics as well as a vinyl/leather repair place. the repair place won't touch it because it surrounds the airbag and could effect proper function. however, like i said, i was just hit in the front of my car and it didn't explode at all!

Im not sure when it happened as i was willed this car after my mother passed, and it was like this prior to her buying it. but the dashboard is cracked from one end to the other going down to the glove compartment and dash gauges. from what ive read this is very common in acuras 04-08, but i am now concerned about my airbags deploying properly. from what ive read everyone who has brought this to acuras attention has had to pay out of pocket to get it fixed, or leave as is.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 acura tl. the contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. in addition, the contact stated that the dashboard was cracked around the passenger side air bag. the contact also stated that when the accelerator pedal was depressed, the vehicle decelerated as the check engine warning light flashed. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the air bag sensor needed to be reset. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 81,000.

Large crack appeared on my dashboard today. i googled and found out there are thousands of acura tls having the same issue. but the manufacturer has not done a recall. i called acura client relations as well as dealer. they are not doing anything. the crack dashboard is a safety concern as the srs airbag sits behind that and can explode.

I have a 2004 acura tl and in the last months cracks have appeared on the dashboard, directly around the airbag compartment on the passenger side. it is definitely a defect of workmanship and or materials. there is way too much consistency in the positions of the cracks. there are hundreds of posts on social media reporting the same issue. https://www.facebook.com/acuratldefectivedash/posts/219662424726766 my car has 165k miles, is garage kept, detailed regularly with one owner. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 acura tl. the contact stated that the front passenger side air bag housing fractured along the lower section of the dashboard. the contact was concerned that the air bag could deploy independently. the vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the issue. the approximate failure mileage was 140,000.

I have owned my 2004 since 2011 and since then i have noticed my dash has been cracking more and more have crack lines all over the dash i am not the only acura tl owner experiencing this issue. *tr

Extensive cracking of dashboard cover, including near passenger side airbag which may cause dashboard pieces to become missiles in the event of deployment of this airbag. acura has of this date not issued a recall or in any way that i know of accepted responsibility for this product issue. *tr

I am the 2nd owner of a 2004 acura tl that i purchased in october of 2007. it has been a great vehicle with the exception of a recent defect issue. the dashboard has cracked multiple times directly over the passenger side airbag as well as over the instrument panel. it appears this is a common defect reported by several other owners of this year, make, and model of vehicle. i'm afraid the cracks may cause inadvertent airbag deployment which would be extremely dangerous to myself or any other occupant that may be in my car. i strongly believe acura needs to step up and handle this safety issue. *tr

In the last 10 days, the srs dash light came on without a known incident. researching online acura information, many areas refers to cracking of the dashboard as a possible reason for the srs light to stay on. upon investigation, there is a 15 inch crack on the passenger side, going down the right side of the airbag placement. reports say cracks will continue, acura knows of the issue however will not recall or correct the issue. for the numerous reported issues of cracking dashboards, acura should take the corrective action needed. this has been my best purchase to date and have unquestionable faith in the car. with the multitude of complaints about this same issue, how can it be ignored? before this, i would not consider purchasing anything other than another acura however a $36k vehicle should not have a known repetitive issue thru several years of models. i called acura client relations in the us ((800) 382-2238) and had them open a case number for my issue. not sure if it will do anything however it can not hurt. only 43k on the car, immaculate 2004. normally stored during the winter. *tr

In the last 10 days, the srs dash light came on without a known incident. researching online acura information, many areas refers to cracking of the dashboard as a possible reason for the srs light to stay on. upon investigation, there is a 15 inch crack on the passenger side, going down the right side of the airbag placement. reports say cracks will continue, acura knows of the issue however will not recall or correct the issue. for the numerous reported issues of cracking dashboards, acura should take the corrective action needed. this has been my best purchase to date and have unquestionable faith in the car. with the multitude of complaints about this same issue, how can it be ignored? before this, i would not consider purchasing anything other than another acura however a $36k vehicle should not have a known repetitive issue thru several years of models. i called acura client relations in the us ((800) 382-2238) and had them open a case number for my issue. not sure if it will do anything however it can not hurt. only 43k on the car, immaculate 2004. normally stored during the winter. dealer maintained. *tr

In the last 10 days, the srs dash light came on without a known incident. researching online acura information, many areas refers to cracking of the dashboard as a possible reason for the srs light to stay on. upon investigation, there is a 15 inch crack on the passenger side, going down the right side of the airbag placement. reports say cracks will continue, acura knows of the issue however will not recall or correct the issue. for the numerous reported issues of cracking dashboards, acura should take the corrective action needed. this has been my best purchase to date and have unquestionable faith in the car. with the multitude of complaints about this same issue, how can it be ignored? before this, i would not consider purchasing anything other than another acura however a $36k vehicle should not have a known repetitive issue thru several years of models. i called acura client relations in the us ((800) 382-2238) and had them open a case number for my issue. not sure if it will do anything however it can not hurt. only 43k on the car, immaculate 2004. normally stored during the winter. dealer maintained. *tr

I bought a certified used 2004 acura tl in 2011. the car was in awesome shape. then in oct. 2014, i noticed two cracks running from the windshield almost to the glove box. it appeared to outline the airbag on the passenger side. hairline cracks in the first couple of weeks. then a cold spell hit and the cracks became much larger. now a crack is running across the airbag area. i am very concerned about safety due to the airbag being compromised by a cracked dash. i took it to the dealer where i have purchased 3 acura tl's for my family. they told me that it was a very well known problem but there was no recall on this issue. they suggested using leather conditioner to soften the dash in hopes of stopping the spread of the cracks. they blamed it on armer all type product usage on the dash. they even gave me a leather conditioner kit to apply. now, i have researched the thousands of other complaints about acura tl dashboard/airbag issues with cracked dashboards in 2004-2008 models. safety is being compromised while acura/honda refuses to take responsibility. i have never seen a dashboard crack like this in the 40 years of car ownership! it screens defect and must be recalled. *tr

3 cracks have been forming for the last 6 months on my dash from the middle speaker over to the left airbag compartment area. they are now beginning to split. the airbag light also now comes on when there is a passenger riding on the right front seat. dealership gave me a replacement price of $2500 but that acura corporate is knocking off less than $200 for "goodwill". this is an obvious defect. *tr

My 2004 acura tl has a defective dashboard. i've seen cracking in my dashboard that was disguised in the instrument panel since 2007. it originally looked like the crack was part of the design above the instrument panel. in the past three years, the cracking has spread all over the dashboard to the passenger side comprimising the integrity of the airbag deployment feature in my vehicle. i have received nothing from acura corporate for an obvious dashboard design flaw for 2004-2006 acura tl models. acura corporate says that cracked dash is a result of wear and tear. my concern is the safety of the airbag during normal deployment and whether or not it will protect my family in the event of an impending accident. *tr

Purchased 2004 acura tl in late august 2014. initially thought the markings on the passenger side of the dashboard were as designed due to the uniform appearance. turns out, there are multiple cracks in the dash going in different directions. cracks are at least 10 inches and there are several. i am very concerned about the airbag deploying. this is our third acura and we have never seen this before. looking at this board, i see multiple complaints regarding tl dashboard cracking. hope acura will evaluate this issue and determine whether or not there is any danger to front seat passengers. *tr

Dashboard has started cracking from 85000 miles onwards. now by 124000 miles, the dash has so many cracks that i am worried that the airbags may pop out anytime soon. this is a big safety concern. *tr

While cleaning the inside of my 2004 acura tl, i noticed that the dashboard over the passenger airbag was cracking. the cracking is in a symmetrically rectangular shape directly over the airbag. i checked with acura and they claim that there is no recall or market action regarding this defect. i then googled "acura cracked dashboard" and was astonished to find many other owners with the same problem and acura claims no liability for this defect. i am concerned that the cracking may manifest as has happened with other complaints i saw on the internet. not only is this unsightly, but from a safety standpoint, the continued cracking may compromise the integrity of the dashboard, ultimately deploying the airbag unnecessarily. although the representative from acura told me that they have received numerous other complaints, they refuse to acknowledge that this is a manufacturer's defect and only said that i should take my vehicle to an acura dealer and self-pay for any repairs. with the numerous complaints, this is obviously a systemic problem and should require acura to pay for any repairs before an injury occurs. i did see another market action involving acura and honda airbags but acura states that this is unrelated to the cracking of the dashboard on the 2004 acura tl's. *tr

The dash just always had a line in it. it looked as if it is where the airbag is. and now it just started to crack. i'm just not sure if it is a safety hazard or not and if the airbag will still work. *js

Dashboard cracked on passenger airbag and know has started cracking all over dashboard in a matter of a day, acura should be responsible for this as this car has been maintained by acura for the life of the product. *tr

Dashboard developed 9 cracks in one day. several cracks run across the passengers side air bag. may be a safety issue along with defective parts. *js

Walked out to my car one morning and found my dash to be cracked. a big crack in the center. the car is a 2004 model, but i owned a 1984 car and the dash never cracked. there are a lot of the same complaints online with the same model of car and year. this is a manufacture defect and needs to be recalled. *tr

While i was driving, i heard a buzzing noise. i turned to my passenger side to realize my dashboard airbag was cracking! this needs to be recalled! *tr

A small crack developed on the dashboard on left side of the airbag. over time, the crack has grown and another crack has developed on the right side along the airbag. both cracks are of equal length running from the top of the dashboard down past the airbag. *tr

Dashboard has cracked (~10+ inches) need airbag seem. crack is large. may result in high velocity debris during air bag deployment. may result in improper air bag deployment. *tr

Clear coat is peeling real bad

The dashboard started cracking. now, it has cracks all over. passenger side and driver side. this may cause issue with the airbags. i looked on line and this is very common in 2004 tls. acura refuses to fix the issue. some have also experienced issues with their air bags due to the cracking.

In march of last year a crack in the dashboard running parallel to the driver side airbag appeared and extended from the windshield to the to glove compartment. in the intervening months, several more cracks near the airbag have appeared and the srs warning light is on whenever the ignition is live. given the recent publicity regarding airbags, and the many similar complaints i have read from other owners of 2004 acura tl's, i am increasingly concerned that this defect is both widespread and dangerous. since acura is aware of the hazard these significant failures present, and to date has taken no action to correct them, i believe the nhtsa must act to compel acura to recall and repair the affected vehicles. *tr

The dash has begun to crack and i fear it is going to weaken the dash where my air bags are located, resulting in a deployment. *tr

A small crack developed on the dashboard on left side of the passanger side airbag. over time, the crack has grown and another crack has developed on the right side along the passanger side airbag. both cracks are of equal length running from the top of the dashboard down past the airbag. this definitely looks like a recall issue or acura needs to pay for the part to be fixed and/or replaced. *tr

A small crack developed on the dashboard on left side of the passenger side airbag. over time, the crack has grown and another crack has developed on the right side along the passenger side airbag. both cracks are of equal length running from the top of the dashboard down past the airbag. now there are more than 6 cracks on the entire dashboard and they are progressing in all directions everyday. rapid progression of these cracks (specially the ones around the passenger side air bag area) makes me very uncomfortable driving around this car. if the dashboard is not replaced immediately, this air bag could deploy pre maturely and cause serious harm and/or injury and/or death of my family member. this definitely looks like a recall issue and acura/dealer needs to pay for the part to be fixed and/or replaced. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 acura tl. the contact stated that the passenger side dashboard had severely cracked around the air bag area. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 100,000.

We purchased an acura tl in 2013 as a third owner. we love the car and is always garage kept. however, one day suddenly cracks starting appearing along the dashboard on the passengers side. also, the cracks propagated along the driver's side too. when i checked online, i wasn't the only one with this issue. there are several hundreds of people with this issue. i called acura and they did not take responsibility for a defective part. i have a master's degree in manufacturing systems engineering from university of kentucky and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. i work with plastic & steel components with design and manufacturing day in day out. i can tell you confidently that it is a 'defective' plastic part. it's not about the money for me, it's the safety concern i have. in case of an accident, i do anticipate the dashboard plastic chips acting as a shrapnel and causing injury to the passenger/driver. i really wish you could do something about this. appreciate your help. regards *js

The top of the dash in my acura has many cracks that have developed to the point where i believe it my impact the air bag. minor cracks might be seen with time in the dash however these are large, numerous and obviously a manufacturing defect that should be fixed.

I found a crack on the dash on the driver's side coming front to back approx 18 inches and then spreading sideways for over 2ft. i called acura and they say its not covered because its considered wear and tear and that it'd cost approx $2000 to fix. other people have complained and there's forums of people with the same model and year with the same defect at https://www.facebook.com/acuratldefectivedash and https://www.facebook.com/groups/acuratldashgroup/ *tr

Not sure if this is takata issue as well! or due to defective dashboard materials which have cracked severely bad! when it started they were lines hardly noticeable! now due to neglegance of the company the primary cracks are over the airbag area & have crevices across top and they are across entire dashboard? the light for airbags comes on and off at random times? the seat belt beeping indicator is not working all the time anymore! my car even though it is a 2004 is in very good shape from what other people have told me! that is of course until they see the craters in the dash of what is suppose to be a higher end nice model car that should hold up better than???? this is not to mention the fact of safety? is there a possibility the airbags have dried out or became effected due to these large cracks as well as what other damage it could be causing electronically? am i going to end up in some horrific car accident due to airbag release when just driving down the interstate and then it all be my fault for sweving over in another lane and cause the accident! then it will look as if i were at fault and airbags deployed as they should have done, instead opened prematurely due to defective parts? of course this is a hypothetical situation but i would think totally plausible!!! and all due to not having recalled what everyone already knows that dashboard material on this model and others that were recalled and repaired by dealers same year models 2004-2008 for the same identical reasons! that seems like a roll of the die at consumers expense! not to mention a liability to all consumers that happen to be driving these vehicles!

I have the same problem that every 04 acura tl has. the dashboard has been cracking on me and my airbag indicator light stays on. i have contacted acura about the problem and they told me to take it into a dealer so they could look at it and send a report. i have not heard from anyone about fixing the problem let alone, hear from anyone at all. acura should take care of this problem before someone gets seriously injured from a premature airbag deployment because of the cracked weak dashboard. the manufacturer should not wait for some thing serious like a death to happen from the problem just to fix it. the problem should be taken care of now. we the consumers want action and satisfaction with this problem. i hope acura comes to their senses and fixes this problem immediately. goodnight!! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 acura tl. the contact stated that dashboard was fractured under the passenger's side air bag area, exposing part of the air bag. the vehicle was not inspected or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the issue. the approximate failure mileage was 57,000....updated 11-12-13 *bf

I have a long 5 inch crack on my dashboard that covers the airbag. it appeared out of no where and that is a well known issue that acura is aware of but doesn't recall. it will get worse and im afraid it will affect the ability of the airbag deploying properly. *jb

I noticed a small crack over my passenger airbag area over a year ago. that small crack has now grown to a much larger crack, in size and depth. several cracks now all over dashboard. the ones over passenger airbag concern me due to its location. i have read that it has caused the airbag light to turn on. i have contacted acura to possibly replace it but because my warranty has expired, they refused. *tr

My dashboard has developed a foot long crack on the passenger side. i have talked to acura office and only could file the case for me. acura needs to do something about it . cause it's several acura tl with the same problem not just mine. i'm a very upset owner. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 acura tl. the contact stated that dashboard was fractured under the passenger's side air bag area, exposing part of the air bag. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and current mileage was unknown. ...updated 12/03/13 *bf updated 12/06/2013 *js

Within a 24-hour period, numerous cracks appeared on the top of the dashboard. most noticeable are two cracks that outline the portion of the dash that covers the passenger side air bag. my concern is that this condition will affect the operation of the airbag and its deployment when activated in a crash. this condition could be a danger to the passenger. *tr