Its a year old but heres one of the members finished coverlay on an 05' TL

Looks good to me, just use realllllllyyyyyy good adhesive.

 

I don't get the cracking issue, maybe regional and related the the respective climates. I park mine in shade and have only used a feather duster to clean it. All windows have ceramic tint as well. I have an '06.

 

It's my understanding no chemicals or conditioners should be used to clean the dash as it's supposed to be allowed to breathe and doing so will clog the "pores."

 

From what I've read the theory is UV/sun exposure.

I have a 06 TL with 172k I bought last year and the owner has a garage so presumably was not in the sun too much and no crack so far.

I'm using as much Sun shade (even in cold days) to limit as much sun/uv rays hitting the dash as possible. May be one way to be preventative that is not as costly.

Quality tint can help as well of course

 

Just give it time....it will come.

My '05 finally cracked last winter...although not around the airbag like many others. Mine spent most of its time in a garage at work and at home. I think it really is just based on time and luck. Some crack sooner than others....but I think a large majority will end up cracking eventually.

 

I've had the front tinted for a few years now, rather clear ceramic film, cost was about $100.

Clear Window Films | Automotive Window Films | Choose a product | LLumar Window Films -

 

Can you confirm that the dash cover is only one piece. I need to do something about my cracked dash and this looks like a good solution. The only thing I do not like is the cut out over the passenger air bag.

The concern that if it is a separate piece, it will fly off if the airbag is deployed. I would hate for that to going flying into someone during a deployment. If it is one solid piece with indention, my thought is the weakest part of the cover will split first, thus allowing the airbag to deploy and not have pieces of the coverlay flying around the cabin.

Thanks in advance for your response.

 

SoCal original TL owner here, 2004. After 12 years, front passenger - air bag area, 4 inch vertical crack. I cried a little.

 

Don't hold your breath.

 

I think the issue with the rectangular tear is part of the airbag design, it's intended to rip, even without the cracked dash I'm guessing dash shrapnel is just a side effect of an airbag deployment. Get a dash cover and eventually you'll forget it's there.

 

Mine cracked a couple years ago (around 80k miles). Does anyone know of a way to fix or replace the dash? I inquired last time I was at Acura and they said $1300 just for the new part (entire dash).

 

Lol, mine started just like that too,same spots, when it first started. Now it looks like shatter glass. Must 3rd gen TL I see in parking lots has cracked dash. This is my last Acura product.

 

Yeah, I just opted for the Dash-Topper Sedona Suede cover. It's better than looking at the increasing amount of cracks on my dash and I'm not shelling out $600, which is what Acura wanted me to cover out of pocket.

 

I have 2 cracks in my 08 TL. Can anyone recommend a dash cover? Pictures would be nice.

 

Chiming with a "same here". 2006 TL, 150K miles. These cracks started about 3 years ago, and are now at the point that you see here in the pictures. I'm REALLY disappointed in Acura's quality on this one. I meticulously take care of my TL, it's garage kept, and doesn't bake in the sun. This is not normal wear and tear.

 

Well, a year and a half later... My 4Runner has a new dash.... replaced for free by the dealer!! The cracks I had on my 4Runner dash were consistent with the ones in my 2004 TL, sold now...My 2014 MDX better not start cracking. Still hoping Acura does the right thing and replaces them for you guys.

 

My car is at 180k now with no cracks. It's parked outside at my house, school and work, primarily in the sun.

Probably going to change my parking habits.

 

I don't think anything makes any difference. Inside, outside, shaded, treated, none of it matters. The dash simply goes after n thermal cycles and Acura has the gall to put the responsibility on owners.

 

^ Agreed- my dash just started cracking around the right of the passenger airbag like so many others. I feel pretty fortunate with it taking 10 years instead of the 5-6 so many others have encountered. Looks like the Coverlay is the least of all evils possibly but I would love to see one in person first. The dash-topper doesn't look too bad either possibly.

 

You guys should consider using Dashmat/Coverking products. I have an '08 with no cracks in the dash, but as soon as I found this thread I went ahead and bought the dashmat as a form of "preventative maintenance". Gave the dash a nice thick layer of 303 before covering it.

Also, note the matching rear deck cover! I just thought it looked cool tbh.

 

^ thanks- just ordered a dash cover in suede. I like the fact that you can customize the order and get the speaker holes cut out.

 

I think you will be very pleased with the Coverking! The price is right and the product is excellent quality. I actually like the way they look and had one on my old 2002 RL (no dash cracking in Gen 1 RL's). Maybe its just the old school look or nostalgia but I find the black Coverking front and rear deck covers to look particularly nice in my 2008 TL. They match most of the interior trim and my all-weather floor mats, yet add nice contrast to the parchment leather and carpet. Best of all, when you go to detail the interior you can just pull it out and vacuum with a handheld/attachment pretty easily.

I have had mine installed since January and haven't peeked underneath it since (honestly I am scared to look sometimes). It does add peace of mind that if some minor cracking were to start, it wouldn't bother me aesthetically. I live in the greater Seattle area, so I think I am at relatively low risk with the mild weather we see year-round. That being said, during very hot days when I first start the car and crank AC, I can hear crackling/popping coming from the dash/center console area. It sounds like it is coming from deeper in the dash though (maybe just plastic in the ducts shrinking from the heat loss?). Not sure, but it is usually one or two big pops and that's it. There is a post up above somewhere that mentions a similar experience to mine.

 

I think it's about time I got a dash cover. Might looks like lol

 

What color did you get? I have the gray/quartz interior in my TL but the gray color of the suede cover looks more tan to me than gray.. hmm.

 

Does the dashboard cover cause any safety issues with the passenger airbag?

 

The suede will tickle your face

 

I have an 06 with 136k miles and not a single sign of a crack? Im in harsh winter climates but the car is stored during the winters and is parked in the garage during summer. If a crack does indeed develop ill likely just plasti dip it

 

I went with Black- it matches the black dash pretty well. I installed the cover this week and so far I like it a lot. My cracks were small on both left and right sides of the airbag port so I'll be cringing in the future when I remove the cover to peak at dash. The only nit I have with it is that there should be some velcro tabs on the forward edges near the windshield. There are plenty of tabs on the opposite side.

During this crack time, I have a new found appreciation of the auto-down via key feature of our car. When I leave the car, I twist my key in drivers door to unlock position so all the windows go down a little for venting- doing that from within the car is a pain with auto-down feature but a snap with the key.

 

There should be little to no adverse affect with this covers. The Dashking covers are attached using velcro strips. The cover will easily allow the airbag to explode and do its thing if needed. There's also a seam near passenger side and where the info display port is to help.

 

I just bought and used this https://www.amazon.com/303-30306-Pro.../dp/B000XBCURW

Is it proven to be actually working?

 

I used 303 on my car albeit not religiously and experienced the cracking issue after 10 years of ownership. I agree with the theory that thermal cycles has more to do with cracking than what you might use to clean your dash. I do believe that using the 'crack all windows using the key in lock' may greatly extend the life of your dash. I unfortunately did not do this until recently and I can't believe the difference in initial cabin temperatures when I come back to the car. I have tinted windows and they should help temperatures- so non-tinted cars may experience even more dramatic results using cracked open windows.

I would do that if I had to do things again and skip the 303.

 

303 is amazing stuff I would never skip using that. I use 303 on a lot of plastic stuff I have outside such as a garden hose storage house and it looks brand new after several years in direct NC sunlight. It may not be the cure for dash cracking but it will certainly protect it from fading due to UV exposure.

The cracking of the dash is not that complicated. The plasticisers leach out overtime and the dash will crack usually when its cold and contracting around the various mounting locations. Heat /uv exposure greatly accelerate the rate that the plasticizers leach out.

Personally, I installed rubber washers between all the mounting screws for the dash. Both around the airbag and behind the speedometer. I guess only time will tell if it helps or not.

 

Also just a tip for applying 303. Just spraying it on the dash or rag and spreading it around is not effective application method and will only look streaky or like you applied nothing at all. To get the 303 to actually soak into the dash you need to get a rubber glove and spray little puddles on your dash and rub it around like sunscreen (no rags). It will look white and milky but leave it like this overnight and you will find a beautiful glossy dash in the morning. If you prefer less shine you can knock the shine down with a microfiber at this point.

 

Roger, did you remove dash to do the rubber washers? Or just the screws themselves. That's a good idea.



Mine already cracked over gauge cluster, gonna see what Acura Will do. If not, may attempt the DIY.

 

No dash removal just the cluster , clock display and glove box. I'm sure there are some screws I could not reach but I did the main ones where most of the cracking seems to originate.

 

^any ideas as to what type/size of rubber washers you used? I don't have the service manual, so I don't know the size of the actually screws. Thnks

 

I have an '07 TL with over 128k miles on it and the dash cracked last year right around the passenger side. I didn't even notice it at first until a cousin of mine pointed it out to me, It was depressing at first but figured there could be a way to salvage it. I bought a coverlay but had the guy at the body shop install it. Looks pretty good overall but the adhesion is subpar because the sides are coming off. I'm thinking about taking if out this weekend and redoing it again myself. I like the way OP's look, this gives me hope.

 

I have an 05 TL and used 303 on my dash about once a month since I got the car back in 2012. I noticed a crack by the navigation speaker about 5 months ago. It was small so wasnt to worried about it. About 2 weeks ago it cracked on the passenger airbag. its about 10 inches on both sides of the airbag and getting worse. The 303 might of made the dash look clean and nice but dont think it protected the dash to well. Time to order a dash cover to hide the cracks....

 

I cant say for sure, I have a hole punch set I use to make various foam/rubber gaskets as needed. The screws are small , if I were to guess maybe 1/16-1/8" ID and 1/4" OD for the washer size.

https://www.amazon.com/Lang-Tools-95...9RP6VAMXXHXP40

 

Wow. Those cracks look almost identical to mine. they weren't there at all yesterday, but when I went out to my car this morning there they were, two huge cracks right on top of where the airbag is. I almost cried. This couldn't come at a worse time. I can't really afford a new dashboard at the moment. I guess I will have to take it to the dealer next week when I have a little bit of time and see what they say. I drive a 2008 TL. It only has about 85000 miles on it. I've always lived in a hot climate, but that shouldn't matter with a quality product. this isn't the first big problem with my TL. I had to have the Bluetooth Disabled, because it was not shutting off and it was draining the battery. I went through 3 batteries before finding out what the problem was. after that, I came to this forum and found out just like I did here that I'm not the only one with the problem. For some reason it makes me feel better to know I'm not alone.