Well it has happened to me got my first crack in the dash were the passenger airbag is. I've been accumulating parts to install (roof spoiler, aftermarket headlights harvested talk here, replaced the curb crashed waffles with new ones, was about to get new leather for the seats and the custom steering wheel but now not sure. I am one of those that likes my things looking good and that crack is well you know. I went to acura poem parts (Del ray acura) and the price of the dash almost doubled now over a thousand dollars,you would think since our cars are over ten years old and the manufacturer is not making these parts anymore they would want to get rid of inventory but instead they raised the price. Now having previously worked at a Chrysler dodge jeep dealership what they did with obsolescence parts was damage them and dump them in the dumpster as a right off which sucks for the individuals that need parts not sure if acura does the same but by raising the price that dramatically it sure sounds like they do. Now I'm at a crossroad with my type s dash way overpriced from previous cost dash pads ugly and the overlay well doesn't fit the same (speaker holes more sunk in. It may be time to part ways....

 

all depends on condition of the car otherwise... what color/transmission? If its an automatic i would probably just dump it as is too...

 

Someone in California is selling a brand new dash for $300 on eBay, but it's $367 to ship.

 

Have you checked out Coverlay? www.coverlaymfg.com Been reading good things about their dash cover for our TL's.....
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I have the Coverlay and love it so far. Just use a freakin' sunshade.

 

I had smaller cracks in mine but last winter really did a number and gave me about 3 front to back cracks. What the heck is up with these dashes?

 

I have a 2006 TL 5spd at 108,000 miles and the dash just cracked a few weeks ago, a vertical line on the right side of the passenger airbag. I already bought a black carpet like dash cover for $35, but I might just spring for the Coverlay and make sure to use a sunshade as has been mentioned. Fun fact, where I work there are three 3rd gen TLs and all have the exact same vertical crack on the passenger dashboard on the right side of the airbag. It's just a matter of time with these brittle dashboards.

 

Wonder if anyone has windshield tint.. these cracked dash stories are starting to make me paranoid cause they're coming from people who already take really good care of their cars.

Xpel offers a 90% tint with SPF 1,000 UV protection and 88% heat reduction

 

Listin to this guy^^^

 

That won't do jack shit.

Listen: if you park the car in the sun during the day, and it's 90 degrees out, it's going to be 128 degrees in the car with the windows up, even with a sunshade. Heat comes in from the windows, the doors, everywhere. So when you get in your 120 degree car, and jack down the temperature for the AC, THAT is what kills the dash, because the AC vents are now getting 38 degree temperatures through the vents. There is a large temperature difference, so now the dash and all that wants to contract from the cold AC temps and yet expand from the hot outside temps. The materials that Acura used cannot handle it.

Your dash will crack. Period.

 

Yep all TL dash will crack, I bought mine used @150K miles and the dash was crackless. After lowering it plus stiffer suspension it started 2 small cracks on top the steering wheel/dash area. Then I went on Vacation for a week without putting my sunshade on before i left. Came back home and 2 large cracks running down on the passenger airbag side, I was sooo pissed. now i dont even care anymore. still put my sunshade on tho.

 

I've wondered this. I never use my AC ever. I've had two TL's 170k+ miles with zero dash issues.

 

Where do you live not to use A/C?

 

Location says he is from KS/TX. aint no way you dont use AC.

 

If the OP is worried about the speakers being too sunk in from the Coverlay dash cover, perhaps he should sand it down like Gatrhumpy did for a cleaner, better look and fit.
I know he posted a thread somewhere about his install. He's an engineer and knows his stuff. Perhaps he can re-post the link to that thread here.
I also have the Coverlay on my dash It's not perfect but much better than looking at dash cracks. My passengers don't even noticed unless I mention it.

 

 

That's because Acura goes way too far to cut costs! Look at the side view mirrors for '04/5/6. We got gypped as the models above and below had turn signals on them while our cars came without.

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Acura
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That's odd because 7th gen Accords don't have a cracking dash problem even though it's basically just a less fancy TL.

 

So you are saying the cracking dash is an upgrade then. Awesome!!! My TL is for sure waaaaaay fancier than an Accord right now.

It is "interesting" that the Accord doesn't have this issue. I wonder how different the materials are between the two. My niece drives an '06 Accord...I need to take a closer look at her dash the next time she is back home. Is it the outer material is different? Is there more padding on the TL? Or just different suppliers hence different issues?

 

This is one of the main reasons I perfer the Accord to TL.

 

I'm guessing they're softer in the Accord (if I remember correctly). Remember folks, harder is better!

 

Joined the cracked dash crew this morning. FML. I had been parking my car outside for the last week as I stored some items in my garage. Due to that, I had to defrost my windows this morning. Looked over when I pulled into work today and saw a crack over the passenger side airbag.

 

It begins.....

 

Is there a way to stop it? mines about 3-4 inches from reaching the glove box. I tried to use tape to hold it together, but the surface is too slick.

 

No. It already started.

 

No. But you could fill it, sand it, texture it and paint it. It probably wouldn't match and would have to be redone as new cracks apprear.

 

I wish this would be the end-all. I think unless you are the original owner the structural integrity may already be shot by previous owners that were not meticulous about this.

I live in TX and I purchased my 08 TL-S in November 2013, with about 50k miles. I immediately bought a form-fitting WeatherTech windshield cover for my vehicle and I would say used it probably 90% of the time if intending on being somewhere more than 30 minutes uncovered. This worked far better than your "random" windshield covers in terms of reflection and surface area coverage. I figured I was golden.

Fast forward to Fall of 2018. I noticed a hairline crack on my passenger airbag left seam. I figured shit, I'll make sure I up my game to 100% of the time. No shit, in a matter of 2 weeks, I went from a hairline 1-2" crack on one side to nearly a 1ft crack on the left edge and another 8-10" crack on the right side of airbag. I basically watched it grow like the depths of hell opening before my eyes over the course of 10-14 days. Ridiculous.

I get it, TX heat is brutal, but I have seen older (and less expensive vehicles) make it 5-10 years longer before their dash starts giving way.

I don't know if using "products" would keep the material conditioned better. I would occasionally use armorall (low-gloss). ie. maybe 4-5 times a year. I know some folks are against it, but given the amount of people with cracks in this "specific area" I think this is a manufacturing/design folly, not a matter of care.

P.S. My car is kept in the garage every night since I've owned it. It only bakes in the sun when I'm at work or out and about.

 

I don't even think conditioning it helps much because I believe it dries out from the inside too.

No other Hondas or Acuras have this problem. I've never seen a 2G TL with a cracked dash, let alone a 6G or 7G Accord. It's weird.

 

Wichita. It gets hot in the summer, around 98+, but it really just doesn't bother me. We had one summer where it reached 114F and yeah I cranked it down to Lo.
Everyone else uses A/C, I just don't. I really don't have a good reason other than that.
If I have guests I'll use my A/C for them.

 

I always use my ac, but my dash was already fucked when I got the car....

 

Ok. Just make sure to run it every once and a while so the system doesn't seize up on you. That would be my biggest concern.