Does anybody have a problem with cracks in the dash, particularly on the seam of the airbag? There happens to be a crack developing on the right seam of the passenger airbag on my 05 TSX. I called Acura and they tell me it's an isolated incident and that my standard warranty is expired and they can't do anything about the tear. I use a sunshield and do not clean the dash with harsh chemicals. i just dust and use a damp soft cloth, utilizing reg. water to clean the dash. I know problems exist with similar years in the TL model, but is mine the only one to have a problem in the TSX lineup?

Seeking help,
mrwolf

 

Wow, first I've heard (or should I say read) of this; I'm inclined to agree with Honda that it's a one-off problem, but still disturbing (I have an 05).

 

I am the only one that had that problem (I searched everywhere when I had the issue, which was maybe 2 years ago). I assume it was the one-time use of armor-all on my dashboard (I also use a heat shield). I had it replaced under warranty. The dealer had my car for at least 3 weeks (since I guess I was the only car they ever took apart the dashboard for). They also broke the vents a couple of times and had to wait for replacements. I put at least 3k miles on the loaner before I got my car back.

With the length of time and labor involved, I assume it'd be pricey. Try talking to the dealer and asking for goodwill assistance or something. Maybe they'll at least cover half. Otherwise, maybe you'll have to look into some sort of dashboard mat.

My crack started on the left side of the passenger airbag seam so that I couldn't see it until someone finally mentioned it to me:



If I remember correctly, the crack grew vertically until it slowly decided to go across the airbag (via the seam).

By the way, the new dashboard seemed to be slightly lighter-colored than the original one. It is pretty close and hard to tell. I'm so afraid of having the crack again that I haven't cleaned my dashboard since it was replaced...lol

 

wow I use amor-all on the dashboard on my 06 tsx. no problems (knock on wood) and it makes it look nice

 

wow never seen anything like this

 

Do what you want of course, but I've been told by more than one detail shop that armor all is pretty aggressive to plastic products over time. I don't care for the shiny look anyway, so it's not an issue for me, but you may want to reconsider (and I think the dashboard looks fine all natural with just wiping it down with a wet cloth every now and then to capture the dust..... my opinion). What I do use armor all for is on the rubber weather stripping that runs over the tops of the doors. If anyone has a creaking or almost like a rattle sound and can't track it down, try treating the weather stripping. It worked for me.

 

It is amazing that if this product seems to be so bad it is still being sold. I like the shiny look but that is just me. I do the amor-all every few months and in between I just wipe the dash with a towel. I have never been told by the detail shops I have been to over the years not to use it. Most of the time the car is kept in the garage but living on the coast of NC it gets the sun and salt air.

 

I don't agree with the flack that people give armor all. It is a simple silicone emulsion with UV absorbing oils (that aren't likely to be different than what's in sunscreens). Armor All claims that their products also contain lanolin, which is sheep's wool oil. If anything, the cracks in your dash are caused by NOT using UV protectants and not treating the plastics with the proper oils. Someone please give me a logical answer about why Armor All is "tough on plastics" or whatever you claim. It seems it's always word-of-mouth or the simple fact that you dislike the greasy feel and sheen.

Simba makes a good point about weather stripping and Armor All. The "official" rubber weather stripping grease for Honda/Acura is the Shin-Etsu silicone grease. Armor All is pretty much just a watered down, liquid version.

 

Yup, that's what I've been using. A little goes a long way.

 

A GREAT product for dashes, leather, vinyl, and rubber trim is "303 Aerospace Protectant". A little goes a long way and this stuff lasts a long time. UV-rejecting (not absorbing), perfect matte sheen (not high gloss, not dull, just "right"), easy to apply.

I haven't used Armor All in 7 years after finding this stuff.

 

Should have armor-all'ed it!!

 

303 Aerospace Protectant

+1

 

I don't doubt that the trash talk about Armor all is word of mouth. But, as opposed to urban legend, the word of mouth that I've heard is from guys that actually do this stuff for a living. I listen to anyone that has an opinion on a product that they use (or don't use) in the practice of their craft. And as far as the "official" weather stripping grease is concerned, if I didn't have a bunch of Armor all kicking around (that I now have little or no use for), I'd buy some. This is all just my opinion of course. For those that use it and like it...... knock yourself out.

 

thanks I will

 

+2 I use it on all the weather stripping. Really helps to keep it from cracking over time.

I also have the Shin-Etsu grease and use it mainly on the rubber around the sunroof. If you use it, make sure you use a very small amount!

 

This is happening to my car. I just noticed a small crack ~3/8" long along the right edge of the airbag seam on the passenger side. Has anyone repaired one of these? It seems you would have to replace the entire dash if an airbag were to ever deploy. That doesn't seem very smart.

 

That's the unfortunate risk when the bean counters at Honda say to design the dash so an airbag doesn't show a line. Since the plastic is weaker there so that the airbag can deply I'm not surprised that this is happening.

I was perfectly fine with how it was showing in 6th generation and older Accords.

 

I've noticed a line developing on the steering wheel hub, just to the right of the "A". It's the curve of the airbag perforation in the back of the cover...just slowly becoming more noticeable.

 

Same problem with mine..one day my airbag light sensor is on the next it's off and i have a 14 inch crack from the start of the dash on the passenger side almost to the glove box. For a luxury car, I have had quite a few problems that are no longer covered by warranty any longer from paint peeling on the bumper, to electronic lock not working on driver door to passenger window sometimes not rolling back up..not to mention all the rattles!

 

Hello Curls. Two questions:

1) Where do you buy this 303 Aerospace Protectant? can it be bought in places like Pepboys?


2) Can I use this stuff on the dashboard or only on rubber seals on doors and sunroof?

 

I have purchased 303 Aerospace Protectant at a boat supply shop. (It's expensive - something like $15 for a medium spray bottle).

In addition to the dashboard, I use it on rubber seals around the doors.
One of the best places is the sidewall of the tires. One application makes the tires black without a lot of gloss. A second application adds some gloss.

But the the best attribute is that the 303 Protectant isn't "sticky" - it does not attract and hold dirt. I find the tires stay cleaner and blacker. The dashboard can be dusted with one of those Swifter dusters to keep it clean.
(One of my complaints with Armor All is that it seems to dry sticky and it holds dust and dirt).

 

It's usually sold at marine/boat shops. I buy it from campingworld.com (a site geared for motorhomes).

 

ArmorAll is the devil. It'll also add squeaks to your weatherstripping.

See above

Yep, Aerospace 303 is great stuff. Like Armorall though, it shouldn't be used on weatherstripping because it will add squeaks when the weatherstripping moves against the door frame.

 

you guys should check the 3G forum

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-2004-2008-93/idea-about-cracked-dashboard-826475/

 

I have the very same crack on the seam of the airbag to the right. It appeared out of nowhere. Looking for a fix before it gets worse.

 

Sparch: I have the same little slit/crack to the right of my passenger airbag. (Just appeared out of nowhere after a warm day here in Colorado on Sunday.) It's less than an inch long, but after searching this forum found that they almost always grow, following the lines of the airbag. After exploring several options, including vinyl repair kits or epoxy, I simply used some "Future glue" to fix it. (New high tech Super glue.) I waited until it warmed up so the gap was narrowed and brushed a little along the the seam. It appears to have worked. The best part, it's invisible. No color matching problems or blobs sticking out.

 

Armor all does make it look nice.

But I find that it creates too much glare during the day. I have the black dashboard. The glare from the sun reflecting from the dashboard that has been treated with armor all is sometimes too much for me.

 

That's a good reason to go w/ something like 303.

This seems to be something that's becoming quite common with TSXs. Been trying to find a solution to the crack in my dash.