I have an '04 TL and my dash cracked last week (about 7 inches) on passenger side! I am FURIOUS! I'll be making my way down to the dealer next week and will raise some HELL! I have 80k miles and have never used ANYTHING on my dash as I knew the dangers of Armor-all. When I called the dealership, I was told labor alone would be $1100. I just can't believe I'd be responsible for defective material. Now I'm worried about the safety of my airbag.
Oh, and has anyone else also had their "roll away" drink compartment cover break as well? Well, mine did 2 wks ago. I went to pull it over the drink holder, and only the handle and about 3 "lines" of the cover came "out of hiding". The rest is stuck somewhere under the console...told that would be about $100 in labor. I can't believe the INSIDE plastic components are cracking up like this.
Just last month, I was thanking my lucky stars my TL purchase in 10/2003 has given me so much joy that I still LOVE to drive my car each day. NOW, I'm cursing Acura and thinking of trading it in for something else. I have been an Acura owner since 1997 (Acura 3.2 TL), then stuck with Acura when they unveiled this new body style...and have never regretted my decision until now. How should I approach this issue with the dealership to have the best chance of getting it replaced for a discount, or better yet, FREE?

 

You can lodge a complaint and/or request an investigation with the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). This is the agency that is responsible for automobile safety recalls.

Link Here:

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/

 

I don't own a 3G but that would be my upgrade whenever I let go of my 99. I would like to know, do they just replace the dash with a new one (which will fail in 5+ years) or have they actually 'fixed' the problem with the dash? Just curious.

 

Yes!

 

The dealer told me that the reclamation was denied, so no dash for me ! I am hating Acura service right now! I am thinking of selling and buying a Lexus is. Right now i think that Matel made the dash of the TL

 

^I don't blame you. Why the hell was it denied? That's bullshit.

Rolan thanks for that link! If it comes down to that, I'll know where to go

 

I don't really know he told me that he has nothing to do with the desition, that the desition was made in the US. I don't believe him, I made the reclamation 3 month ago they never call me. And the funny thing is that another member from PR get it fix for $500 in the same dealer, and the car has the same miles as mine. The manager told me that maybe my car has more than 5 years. What can I do?

 

Signing-in, 2004 TL, in Puerto Rico

 

^That's exactly where my first crack started

 

No, there have been a few reported cases from 2005 owners as well.

 

Yes they are 5 cases of 2005 but they will be more, eventually the 2006 will be next, we encorge you to joint as support the facebook group Acura TL defective dash consumer right, we are fighting to make these problem a recall, but we need your support. Because YOU can be next !!!

 

This issue has concerned me too because my dash has looked ashy and dry since it was 1 yr old. Nothing seemed to work

I bought a bottle of 303 as advised by the forum (with a lot of hesitancy and skepticism because the cheap looking bottle costs $16!!) Let me tell you something: This stuff is AWESOME~!! It has stuff in it that is unlike any other compound. It is miky white and I was thinking....."aaah this is just an expensive, fancy Armor-All I bet!"......no it isn't!! It goes on easy and you have to wipe it dry. It makes all the vinyl and plastic in the car look great! It gives it a UV coating that isn't oily or sticky at all. Just fresh, clean, nice natural looking with no odor, or abnormal shine. I went crazy on my interior and did every vinyl and plastic surface. I am now addicted to this stuff......Did my engine bay too, lol. Really my car looks like Day 1 again and that dash looks like NEW!!

BUY IT!

 

^I'll look into that, especially since I just had my dash replaced a few months back. I've been hesitant to try it because it's expensive and I'm pretty scared to put ANYTHING on my dash for fear of it happening again.

Thanks

 

Wow holy crap, I always thought what it meant when people said "cracked" dashes. That's horrible! Does this affect all models?!

 

i hope this is only an 04 issue

 

Nop its starting to appear on the 2005 models and I am pretty sure that they eventually they will appear on later models is the same dash is only a matter of time!!!!

 

I have always sworn by Acura and would never drive anything else until this point. I bought a certified pre owned 2004 TL 8 months ago and brought my car to the dealer about a month ago with a cracked dashboard. They made a big deal out of me only buying 1 Acura (I am 27 and drove my dad's Acura during college and a few years after) and then acted like they were giving me a great deal to only charge me $400. I don't think I will ever buy another Acura because of the way they have handled this issue. A luxury car should not crack like this unless you live in Iraq!

 

So it looks like everyone who has this problem lives in the southern part of the US (or costa rica)? I guess those of us in the north don't have to worry.

 

I have an 05 blk/blk with 58k miles. Just cracked in two places on the passenger side a few weeks ago. Dealer is offering to replace it with me covering 25% of the costs which came out to $346 plus tax.

The dealer read me a letter from corporate saying the cracks were due to silicone based protectants not allowing the dash to breath. I never used any protectant but I'm the second owner at 18k mi.

I live in Miami, FL, it has been parked in direct sun most of the time, and it gets hot as a motha.. down here. I will be using a sun shade from now on.

 

i aid 449 last Saturday for brand new dash.now im gonna run to buy some shades bc here in MIA the sun is no joke.

 

paid*

 

I don't know if I'd be that confident. I'm in Indiana with an '04 with no trouble yet, but I check every day and use 303. It's not clear that heat or sunlight, per se, are responsible. There's a respectable case to be made that it's the differential expansion rate of the dash cover and the underlying supports that's causing it. If so, serious cold could be as much of a problem over time as serious heat. Besides, I'll bet your car is as hot inside after sitting in the sun all day in Toronto as mine, almost as hot as a TL in Atlanta, and it can be hot and sunny as hell in summer out on the prairie.

 

Just to update this thread, I have a 3 inch crack by the center speaker. The car's always been garaged with a sun visor and as well 303. What's odd is that the crack is soft and pliable! The dealer called up acura and they were VERY helpful and lived up to their promise. I have to pay a small amount to get a new dash, but it's nowhere near the cost to me if acura didn't step up to the plate.

Props to acura to stepping up and doing the right thing This alone will make me get another honda/acura once I need a car... I spy a fit in the future....

 

^Good to hear! I just wish Acura would admit there is something wrong with the dashes.

 

damn that sucks, looks like you took every precaution. Were you the original owner csmeance? What's the facebook page for this?

 

what are the recommend products to protect the longevity of the dashes?

 

big

 

Here is the answer. It is just three replies above your question.

This means that there is nothing that will save the dash from the ravishes of time. By the way, "303" is commonly accepted to be the best vinyl protectant commonly available.

 

^Isn't that stuff pretty pricey? I don't want to have to replace my dash again down the road because of improper care, but I don't want to break the bank preventing it from happening either.

 

No, not at all. Here's a link to their website.

http://www.303products.com/shop303/i...protectant.cfm

 

That's cheaper than I thought it would be. It looks like I need to hop on that!

 

I pretty much baby the car and take care of it as much as I can. Park under tree's with the sun reflector thingy on the windshield... keep it garaged at home whenever possible, etc.

The only thing you can do to protect the dash is use 303 Aerospace protectant to keep the vinyl from fading and looking ugly. As far as cracking, I don't think anything can really stop it from happening unless acura releases a fix or something...

303 is the best stuff I have come across, but it appears that the dash is cracking from underneath and forcing the vinyl to crack/tear as well. I'll talk to the tech who pulled out the dash and installed the new one if he saw it cracking from underneath or if it was crumbling or what...

 

I had to pay $500, and I still think I should have not payed a penny. I am also very concearned about the fact that I plan to keep my car for 4-5 more years and scares the crap out of me having it crack again. Im pretty sure the defect has not been corrected.

Hey csmeance, is your windshield tinted? how about the rest of your car?

I have 50% on windshield, 30% on sides, and 35% on back. ive been thinking about changinng the windshield to 35% just to protect the dash.

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/...3928650&ref=ts
+1


I also believe the cracks come from the inner part of the dash. it would be a good idea to see the dash from the inside, it might give us some idea why it crack that way. (cracks show up on the same places every time) I believe it has more to do with heat expansion and contraction from it getting cold again. eventually it will happen enough times for the dash to give up on its weak spots.


Peace,

Rolan

 

I 100% agree. When it was the hot of the summer the initial crack would seal up to a point where you couldn't tell where it was... I'm going to install my dash when it gets warm. I'll post pics of both the dash going in & the one coming out.. My crack started a little differently than most. It started a couple inches inside of the passenger airbag then cracked down along to the center console & back along the inner edge of the dash eventually cracking the gauge pod cover & now it's spider webbing back. It's gotten much worse as the temps have dropped.

 

Its been a long while since ive read over this thread, but im glad to see rick case in FL doing the right thing. ive had a horrible experience with them before (seriously mind blowingly bad), but ive had plenty good ones as well. I swore I would never go back to them (and havent yet), but if they fix my dash for free, ill be there best friend again. Im hoping to take my car in valentines day weekend. ill try post pictures up sometime this weekend. ill keep you all updated.

 

I don't have the windshield tinted, however I do put up the shade that I keep in the car and as well aim to always park either in the garage or in the shade.

I took a look at my dash from underneath and it was solid, there was no cracking from under. It's really weird, it's like some magic fairy is coming and slicing up our dashes...

 

This isn't rick case, it's Courtesy Acura and they have been phenomenal with service. In fact I'm going to call up Acura Client Services and tell them how much I enjoyed the experience!

 

I saw on page 7 "Got mine done today... Free of charge i love rick case." I was assuming he was talking about Rick Case. Im in between Tampa and Fort Lauderdale, but north of orlando is a little out of my way. Oh well, Excited for nothing I guess

 

I had mine replaced at Rick Case Acura, they will work with you.

 

consultauto, did you have to do much when you took it to rick case? i am getting ready to take mine in to them and just want to make sure things go smooth. mine is cracking real bad now. it really started to come out a few weeks ago when we hit the 40's a few weeks ago.