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So I'm wondering if theres any opinion on ceramic window tints as a way to prevent dash crack, prevent door panel melting and general interior wear and tear. I have the black interior and it really does get hot as hell in the sun. In addition I'm getting a little nervous because i can now see the outline of the passenger airbag (lightly) in the dash. I always use a sunshade but that doesnt seem to really do too much. Was this issue solved or at least mitigated in later model years, or is it pretty consistent in all 3Gs?
it's the material used in the dash....it expands and contracts with temp swings...
so, your best bet is to buy a bubble and store your car in the bubble forever. do not drive. ever.
does it seem to be worse with earlier model years vs later or does it literally not matter? Ive got 303 on the way but here's what my passenger side looks like now.. is this the beginning of the end for my dash?
This has been discussed in depth for many years on the forums. Lots and lots and lots and lots of info, theories, rants, and such already here.
Summary:
- you can't "stop" it from happening...it is just a matter of time depending upon exposure and care
- many of us used 303 religiously and still cracked....it is possible we delayed it, but still cracked
- many of us use sun shades and still cracked
- best preventive care are clean, treat, block the sun, prevent major temp swings
To note, mine didn't crack out at the airbag. Mine started around the center speaker. Only after a year or two did the airbag finally crack out. Mine didn't crack during the summer either, it cracked over the winter months. A co-worker of mine with an '04 had his finally crack this past winter as well.
This has been discussed in depth for many years on the forums. Lots and lots and lots and lots of info, theories, rants, and such already here.
Summary:
- you can't "stop" it from happening...it is just a matter of time depending upon exposure and care
- many of us used 303 religiously and still cracked....it is possible we delayed it, but still cracked
- many of us use sun shades and still cracked
- best preventive care are clean, treat, block the sun, prevent major temp swings
To note, mine didn't crack out at the airbag. Mine started around the center speaker. Only after a year or two did the airbag finally crack out. Mine didn't crack during the summer either, it cracked over the winter months. A co-worker of mine with an '04 had his finally crack this past winter as well.
thank you, i had gleaned some of this from past threads but i appreciate the summary format. What year is yours by the way?
i always use a sunshade, but this car spent its first 3 years in the Carolinas so i suppose its only a matter of time... and i am actually not totally surprised by the winter occurrences, can see temp swings in the cabin actually being worse in winter than summer
I have a 2006 that was fully garaged for a good 7-8 years. My current work place doesn't have a covered lot... But I do have a cover craft windshield cover.
I have an '05 that spent its first few years as a Florida leased vehicle, then has spent the next 10+ years in Missouri with me. First 5 years garaged at home and at work. Next 5 mostly garaged at home, but not at work. These days....rarely garaged. Being in the central US my car is exposed to 115F max in the summer down to -10F in the winter....rarely at those extremes.
All 3G TL dash will crack eventually, but you can do something to slow down the process.
1. put a windshield run cover to reject some heat, even tho the heat still goes through your windows. Yes even with Ceramic tint... (I have it on the RL and TL-S)
2. combo of 303 and dash cover could help (I got this set up as well)
3. Avoid parking under the sun (not all of us having this luxury, I am glad my TL-S is now garage all day even I take it to work)
4. Avoid extreme temperature swing (this is unavoidable)
Once the 1st crack develop, there is no way of stopping it, I have a TL with dash crack.... Yes even parking 95% in the garage the crack appear on other area of the dash like cluster and center clock stack also I treated the whole dash with 303 and dash mat after the initial "infamous" airbag crack.
At this point if the TL-S dash crack its not the end of the world since I already did all things within my power to slow down the crack cause by design flaws.
interestingly, as i search more on this topic, it seems 04-06 are the hardest hit by the cracks so far, but that could just be a function of being older. Something tells me Acura never really took steps to correct the issue.
There is one way to stop a dash crack around the airbag. Remove the dash and then permanently remove the airbag.
why stop there? just take the dash out. no dash no problems.
so conclusions:
-ceramic tints will probably not stop cracking
-303 will probably not stop cracking
-sunshades and garaging the car will probably not stop cracking
-there is no stopping the cracking
-submit to the crack, as it is inevitable
but in all seriousness thanks all for input, i will take as many preventative measures as humanly possible but understand its a manufacturing defect that its just part of these cars.
To put your mind at ease my passenger airbag outline is even more noticeable than yours. However there are no cracks on my '06 and far as I know it was never garaged by previous owner.
I wonder if it's not just simply the sunlight, humidity and temp changes but physically pressing down in some way or another (phone mount, resting leg on dash, pressing on it getting in and out of seat... etc).
Like said By Gus, it’s a manufacturing defect. Period.
Trust me, you can do all you want to try, the only thing I haven’t prior to the dash cracking, is tinting the whole front windshield with a UV clear, or 70%-80%...
Last edited by Slpr04UA6; Aug 7, 2019 at 10:05 PM.
I decided to just go with standard tints (35% side, 20% rear) and not do the windshield (wanted another $175 for 50% - legal limit). Ill use 303 and put up a sunshade but Im in CT not the south.
Well OP you remind me of mine good old day when I moved to TX. Yes the car original from Devan Norwalk Acura then I bought it from Liberty Honda. This pictures is the regular Suntek Carbon film, Ceramic wasn't even available yet.
Well just got my first dash crack this weekend in the same area. When I bought my TL back in 2013 the dash was perfect then towards the end of 2018 the outline of the passenger airbag started appearing like yours then bam crack, my car is garaged at home at work when I do drive her she is outside I have tinted windows and use a windshield cover, I also great the dash but still I became a statistic here in florida it gets really hot inside the car which I would say like most here is the issue (temp swings), and now a new dash is over a thousand when it used to be less then $700.00. Hope you fair better than I did and do everything possible to prevent the ugly crack issue...
Well OP you remind me of mine good old day when I moved to TX. Yes the car original from Devan Norwalk Acura then I bought it from Liberty Honda. This pictures is the regular Suntek Carbon film, Ceramic wasn't even available yet.
small world... guess devan acura is good at finding unicorns, your MRP more so than mine. I wish my paint looked that good..
Well just got my first dash crack this weekend in the same area. When I bought my TL back in 2013 the dash was perfect then towards the end of 2018 the outline of the passenger airbag started appearing like yours then bam crack, my car is garaged at home at work when I do drive her she is outside I have tinted windows and use a windshield cover, I also great the dash but still I became a statistic here in florida it gets really hot inside the car which I would say like most here is the issue (temp swings), and now a new dash is over a thousand when it used to be less then $700.00. Hope you fair better than I did and do everything possible to prevent the ugly crack issue...
sorry to hear... southern cars seem to be pretty much a promise to crack.. I am diligent about my sunshade but the airbag outline is concerning
cracked dashboard have been going on since the beginning of time. Some of the BMW's have a real thick, rugged, coarse material on their X5's.
I think Honda just went cheap. I dont think it was a defect as much as I think it was "old technology" or carelessness.
Originally Posted by Slpr04UA6
^Nun of the above.
Like said By Gus, it’s a manufacturing defect. Period.
Trust me, you can do all you want to try, the only thing I haven’t prior to the dash cracking, is tinting the whole front windshield with a UV clear, or 70%-80%...
