Took my '04 in @ 38k for dash fade/airbag outline issue after repeated attempts to improve appearance or correct issue with 303. Was told dealer had vinyl repair shop "refinish" the dash--if that means they redyed it then that's what they did but the car now has 49k, has been through one summer so far and looks great w/ no airbag outline and I use 303 each time I clean the car.
Still a very happy TL owner.
:o)

 

Maguire's Gold Class Leather Cleaner works great to treat the dash.

Be very careful around the apillars, it will soak in.

 

Can you check out some of the car that this procedure was done on to see if it meets your standards? When someone says, "It'll look good", it may look good to them but you might hate it.

 

Don't feel bad. I have an '08 TL-S, with 500 miles on it and I have the airbag outline!!!!

 

taking it in on Saturday to get the dash "re-dyed". Hopefully it works out. My case manager at Client services said it has worked well. I have to get at least one axle replaced under warranty, so they can do it all in one trip. I'll keep everybody posted as to how it looks. If it looks like a## I will demand a new dash and do the 303 from day one.
eric

 

PERFECT 10!!! im telling uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu look for it you will find it lol!!!

 

Black dash under brutal sun= always a problem, no matter the vehicle, in my experience.

Mandatory accessory for every car I've purchased in the last 20 years-

http://www.heatshieldstore.com/

Best $30 you'll spend protecting your dash.

 

has nothing to do with the heat beating the dash.

 

This-- is probably the best explanation for the problem.

This material is most certainly some variant of hydrocarbon. Outgassing of just about any material is accelerated by the addition of heat. There are very few exceptions to that rule. Black tends to store more heat from radiation. Your dash sits in the sun.

Keeping the dash cool and out of the sun likely slows the outgas process, such that your cleaning cycles are now within the window of where you'd start to notice the buildup- because the outgassing is slower, it gets wiped off before being noticed.

If not that, then what is it, exactly?

 

Just off the phone with the dealer and they AGAIN tell me the
acura rep will NOT do anything about my dash marking. Never
contacted me after numerous complaints. They are probably
getting tired of me at the dealer but hey.. They sold the fucking
car as a luxury sports sedan with all the bells and whistles, great
handling, great looks, speedy et. The car came as a package of
cool. Now as the dash looks like shit since 2004 and they are not
willing to return the car to the package that I and you purchased.


The rep has been reported to say that since it is a characteristic of
this model it's normal and they don't have to do anything about it.
Gee wonder if everybody's engines were acting up, the paint fell off
whatever. Using that argument would not fly and it shouldn't fly
in this instance either. And I spent the extra coin for the 7 year
warranty. WHAT A JOKE THE ACURA WARRANTY IS. What do you
expect for 35K + anyway.

Thanks for listening,

Craig
'04 TL, All options,

 

There are numerous threads on this problem in the garage. I have an 04 with more than 60K on it. At about 36K (May 2007), I followed the advice in the Garage thread. I cleaned the dash several times using the 6:1 water/Woolite solution. I then applied 303 Protectant (bought at West Marine). The airbag outline all but disappeared. I waited about a month and repeated - no indication of the airbag at all. I haven't touched it since and it still looks great. I will do another detail this spring using the same process. It really works.

 

I never really noticed any ashy look to my dash even though I could see the airbag outline... BUT the other day I was detailing the interior and noticed that my dash was CRACKED right by the center speaker. My dealer said that they would replace the dash since i'm still under warrenty. My warrenty will be up in 4K, 3months. I have a 2004.

I went to the dealer to check up and saw them in the middle of the operation. Not a good site to see the front part of the interior in pieces. Hopefully everything will go back the same way it came out. I wouldn't be able to do that.

 

Use guys mention cleaning with the lexol for the dash. I have lexol cleaner and conditioner, can i use that as well to clean the dash as well?

Last time i used a meguirs dash spray (think it was quick detailer or something), I just wiped up the dash with a warm damp cloth and then sprayed on the meguirs and wiped again. Is that bad? Seems like my dash is turning but Im not sure because there are no pics up about this issue.