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I purchased a new 2014 Acura RDX with all wheel drive and technology package. The dashboard has slowly warped where it meets the windshield, passenger side and has a dip or sag about 6 inches long and ¼ inch deep. The factory representative determined that the problem is a characteristic of the RDX, that there is no fix and they will not attempt to repair or replace under warranty.
They have admitted that my dashboard is the worst they have seen, but they insist all RDX’s have this characteristic to some degree. I believe this is a flaw and it should be repaired under factory warranty. A $40,000 vehicle should not have a sagging dashboard as a normal characteristic. It certainly was not sagging when I purchased the car.
Anyone else have this problem and any solutions? Help!
Go back and insist they replace it under warranty. If they give you grief, ask to have Regional Manager contact you. At same time write/contact Acura customer service and complain. It will work...just be adamant!
That is pretty bad! It is only 1 or 2 years old. What happens when you are 4 or 5 years in and your 40k vehicle has a crater in the dash. I would not let this go.
NHTSA is the National Highway Traffic SAFETY Administration. While you can file a complaint with them, it isn't going to bring you anything other than a permanent entry on the internet unless you can tie this to a safety issue.
For a bit of humor, you can always search the complaints. Most of the complaints are at this level except are badly written.
OTOH, safercar.gov (the NHTSA website) is a great place to search for recalls and TSBs. Once you've found the short description of the TSB, then you can come here to find the full version.
So this weekend I took a passing glance at the dash of my '15 RDX that was built in Feb 2015 and has about 2500 miles on it - and hasn't yet seen really hot weather sitting outside. And even this car has a very slight dip in the dash at the same spot. And I'm wondering with others whether such a characteristic exists? I'd have sworn mine was perfect until I looked. So why some are worse than others I don't know - but I also know that if multiple ones are like this, would replacing the dash fix the problem? For me, I just look the other way and enjoy the ride.
Mine has it too. The dealer called it normal and didn't do squat. But on the flip side, I'd rather not have the entire dash replaced. Thy would have to take apart the entire interior, and it probably wont be put back the same way. Then the car will have rattling sounds for the rest of its life.
So this weekend I took a passing glance at the dash of my '15 RDX that was built in Feb 2015 and has about 2500 miles on it - and hasn't yet seen really hot weather sitting outside. And even this car has a very slight dip in the dash at the same spot. And I'm wondering with others whether such a characteristic exists? I'd have sworn mine was perfect until I looked. So why some are worse than others I don't know - but I also know that if multiple ones are like this, would replacing the dash fix the problem? For me, I just look the other way and enjoy the ride.
andy
I noticed mine around the time of the NY Autoshow in 2014. When I went to the show I checked out the RDX there, and it did not have the dip in the dash. Then I went to the dealer about it but they (as usual) just said it's "normal". Whatever.... I'm not a returning customer at this point.
Thanks for the replies! I am not getting anywhere with the dealer, Acura customer service or the factory rep. They have decided that the 'sinking' dash is a characteristic of the car and will not do anything about it. This is totally absurd! A warped dash is not normal. And it will only get worse with heat and time. I need every new generation RDX owner to look at their dash and if it is warping, take it in and complain. Not only to the dealer, but the factory rep and Acura customer service. If they will not fix the problem, file a complaint with the BBB. Thanks to everyone helping me on this. Acura needs to step up and honor their warranty!
I'll mention it in passing next time I'm into the dealer - but to be completely honest, I'm not going to sweat this one too much. Yea, there's a small dip there - but even I never noticed it till you pointed it out - and I frankly can barely notice it unless I'm hyper-focused on it. Maybe I'm not as particular about this stuff as I used to be - putting the big picture in perspective seems to be my mantra as I get older....
Looking at ottoman's pic, it looks like a design feature like a vent either active or passive. If they say it is the design, I would ask them to measure it and document the measurement your next service.
Down the road, if the measurement is an inch bigger, they might be forced to fix it. Your car will be older so the idea of ripping apart and installing a new dash will not be so scary.
Is it worth starting a class action for it? I might have to check mine out tomorrow before I commit to buying it, but this sounds like all RDXes in the second generation have this problem.
Is it worth starting a class action for it? I might have to check mine out tomorrow before I commit to buying it, but this sounds like all RDXes in the second generation have this problem.
A class action suit for a small dip in one section of the dashboard near the windshield? Really? I have this small dip and I don't even notice it. If you look closely at how much work it'd be to replace the dashboard, you'd think long and hard about voluntarily having this done. I'm a relatively particular person when it comes to cars, fit/finish, etc - but for this "defect", I just don't see the rationale to do something dramatic - or anything at all.....
Thanks for the replies! I am not getting anywhere with the dealer, Acura customer service or the factory rep. They have decided that the 'sinking' dash is a characteristic of the car and will not do anything about it. This is totally absurd! A warped dash is not normal. And it will only get worse with heat and time. I need every new generation RDX owner to look at their dash and if it is warping, take it in and complain. Not only to the dealer, but the factory rep and Acura customer service. If they will not fix the problem, file a complaint with the BBB. Thanks to everyone helping me on this. Acura needs to step up and honor their warranty!
Honestly it does look that bad and I have no idea if it will get worse or not. It may have settled as far a it is going to. To replace the dash is a huge job and will likely cause more harm to replace it than to just live with it.
But you gotta love Acura.... 'All our cars are defective like that, so being defective is normal for Acura.' Way to lower the standard Acura.
I just got a 2016 RDX AWD w/Tech pkg. I wonder if any 2015/16 owners have this prob?
Anyone care to share? I live in hot northern,ca but I use a reflective sun shade.
I just got a 2016 RDX AWD w/Tech pkg. I wonder if any 2015/16 owners have this prob?
Anyone care to share? I live in hot northern,ca but I use a reflective sun shade.
My 15 RDX has this, but it was there since new and is barely noticeable unless you're looking for it. I asked my wife if she could notice it when we were driving yesterday, and she said she'd never noticed it before and said it was so slight she wouldn't have if I didn't point it out. When I told her that some were considering it as a defect or doing a class action suit over it, she almost bust a gut laughing so hard. :-)
Anyone who uses the words "class action" combined with "RDX dashboard warping" clearly doesn't understand anything about class actions.
The only thing I need to understand about class action is that there is only one winner...the lawyers.
I was not the one complaining about the warping in the first place...all I meant was that if this was seriously considered a major defect that Acura that those who do set up a class action. If it isn't something to worry about, then leave it be.
Trying to make assumptions about what I clearly do or do not understand helps no one. Believe me...I'm not going to lose sleep over your attempt of d-baggery...
The only thing I need to understand about class action is that there is only one winner...the lawyers.
I was not the one complaining about the warping in the first place...all I meant was that if this was seriously considered a major defect that Acura that those who do set up a class action. If it isn't something to worry about, then leave it be.
Trying to make assumptions about what I clearly do or do not understand helps no one. Believe me...I'm not going to lose sleep over your attempt of d-baggery...
Sorry - I didn't mean my post to sound the way it came out.
Quite simply though, class actions are difficult, require specialized legal counsel and drag on for years. The remedy is usually insignificant - a coupon or other token compensation in those cases where there is no significant harm.
Where is the safety impact? The drivability impact? What harm - other than a slight cosmetic flaw - is there?
A few years ago I was included in a class action brought against GM for the gas tank size in the 1996-1998 Yukon. Apparently, the documentation stated that the Yukon had a 18.5 gallon tank but actually only had a 18 gallon tank.
In order to be a part of the class, one had to certify that the advertised size of the gas tank was a significant factor in choosing this vehicle and that the smaller size adversely affected the utility, enjoyment or use of the car.
Ultimately, IIRC, class members received a $50 coupon towards the purchase of a new Yukon to be used within 2 years. Given that the average of a car on the road was upwards of 10 years at the time, I'd suspect that most of the coupons expired.
Sorry - I didn't mean my post to sound the way it came out.
No worries and apology accepted.
In truth I really should have done a better job at not sounding so serious over the whole class action thing...or at least make similar points to what you made. In fact, I wouldn't have even gotten involved at all if not for the fact that I am in the market for an RDX and I am shooting for the next couple of weeks of finally buying one and having it as my avatar. I was kind of wondering how serious that warping was, but it sounds like it isn't that bad.
Here's why I can't get worked up over this dashboard "dip" thing. Again, mine is a 2015 RDX AWD Tech. Was manufactured in Feb 2015, and I took delivery the first week of March. Vehicle has 3500 miles on it and is garaged almost all the time with very little outside parking in the heat. The first picture is a closeup of the "dip" from the driver's seat. And the second picture is my view of the "dip" without zoom. Is there a dip? Yup. Do I notice it? Almost never. I'll spend my worry cycles during the times I teach my Asperger's son how to drive.
Here's why I can't get worked up over this dashboard "dip" thing. Again, mine is a 2015 RDX AWD Tech. Was manufactured in Feb 2015, and I took delivery the first week of March. Vehicle has 3500 miles on it and is garaged almost all the time with very little outside parking in the heat. The first picture is a closeup of the "dip" from the driver's seat. And the second picture is my view of the "dip" without zoom. Is there a dip? Yup. Do I notice it? Almost never. I'll spend my worry cycles during the times I teach my Asperger's son how to drive.
Cheers - andy
That's nothing to worry about either. He'll do fine.
That's nothing to worry about either. He'll do fine.
Yup, I know. But teaching him is a whole world of different than my older two (now 27 and 30). I quickly found I needed a car for him to learn on that was small and nimble but safe so he could focus on driving and stuff around him and not the size of the car. Found this little gem at a local dealer - 8 yrs old and 122k miles but runs like new. It's fun to take out from time to time, but I think I'll stick with my RDX. Thanks for the good word, though! It's an adventure with him but fun every step of the way!
Yup, I know. But teaching him is a whole world of different than my older two (now 27 and 30). I quickly found I needed a car for him to learn on that was small and nimble but safe so he could focus on driving and stuff around him and not the size of the car. Found this little gem at a local dealer - 8 yrs old and 122k miles but runs like new. It's fun to take out from time to time, but I think I'll stick with my RDX. Thanks for the good word, though! It's an adventure with him but fun every step of the way!
andy
One of our best analysts in the office had Asperger's. We were lucky to get her after she got out of the Marine Corps and we all felt saddened when she left for a new job with a far shorter commute (15 minutes vs 2 hours). Because she liked what she was doing she was happy and we were happy to have her as one of our most productive analysts.
06-18-2015, 11:20 AM
