carrollb

As of September 3rd, I have been in communication with Acura Corporate, and the Acura of Memphis dealership to have my dash replaced on my 05 TL. I was first told by the Service Advisor to contact Acura Corporate on the 1-800 number, which I did. Acura Corporate took down information about my car and asked what dealership they could contact to get my service records. After giving them this information, I called Acura of Memphis and let the same Service Advisor know what transpired, and was informed that the Service Manager would contact me. I waited for 6 days before contacting the Service Manager at Acura of Memphis, to check the status of the decision to have my dash replaced. He then stated that he had to get the okay from Corporate to replace my dash. I called Corporate back last week and they stated that it was the dealerships decision to replace it or not.
I called on this past Monday September 22, and the Service Advisor told me they would replace it if I paid half of the cost, which is about $640. I explained to the Service Advisor that called me with this news, that this was not acceptable. I also informed him that I currently have a Buyers order and deposit on a 2009 Acura TSX from their dealership, that I am purchasing for my wife. I let him know without be a jerk about it, that the decision to replace the dash on my TL weighed heavily on the purchase of the TSX. As I yesterday, I am awaiting a call back to let me know what they are going to do.

carrollb

I forgot to mention, I need the dash replaced because of the severe cracks around the passenger side Air Bag. They are so bad that the top part of the Air Bag is almost exposed. The cracks are almost wide enough to put a penny sideways in the crack.

Bearcat94

Pics of the dash?


I assume your car is out of warranty?

rolan04tl

Hello carollb, sorry to hear. I too had this happen to my TL, its a big turn off, and well known issue for Acura. There are many 04 with this issue, I think its the second 05 with the problem I hear about. I guess its just a matter of time for them to keep showing up.

Here is the link to a good thread on this with lots of info:
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-problems-fixes-114/cracked-dashboard-04-tl-688828/

There is even a group on facebook about it. Join and post pics if you can.

I myself gave up and ended up paying $500 for the repair. Decided I could not keep wasting my time on this.

Bad choice on their part.. I have had 2 Honda Accords and now this TL and because of this issue, and the way Acura handled it, I am no more an Honda/Acura customer. Last Acura/Honda Ill ever buy and will not be taking my car to the dealer no more. so, in the long run, its their loss...

Anyways, if you have questions about this let me know, or let the crew in the linked thread help. its a big, not happy crew and for the looks of it, its growing by the day.

Good luck my friend,

Rolan

carrollb

Pictures of my cracked Dashboard. Sorry about the quality of the pictures, I am at work and had to take them with my iPhone camera.

carrollb

Sorry I screwed up the pictures in the previous post....


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oP904RX5Q2...h/IMG_0287.JPG

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oP904RX5Q2...h/IMG_0289.JPG

carrollb

One more for good measure!!

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oP904RX5Q2...0-h/Dash+5.jpg

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

Carroll, best of luck with the dash. You have some nice leverage though, with your impending TSX purchase. It will be interesting to see what the dealership comes up with.

wasupdog

iTrader: (2)

most of the 05's are out of warranty now. i wonder if this was a bad batch of dash's or if constant exposure to sunlight causes this. it seems like most that were having this problem have 04's.

dwb993

iTrader: (13)

If you have an 04-06 with the dash still in good condition, get some 303 Aerospace now and begin a monthly regimen to try to prevent this.

OP--sorry to see your problem. I hope all turns out well for you.

Bearcat94

I figured it was out of warranty, but there was a chance it was a late '05 sale. Point being, it's good will if they replace it.

This should NOT happen in a car at this level (at any level really). I really don't understand why the crack/break like that. It's pretty pathetic.

OP - hope you get a replacement.

carrollb

My car has actually always been garage kept, with a sunshade used during the day when I am at work. Has not had much sun exposure at all.

rolan04tl

IMO, its more about the dash expanding in warm temperatures and contracting when cooling down. If you get into your car when its very warm inside it and you have the cracks, you will notice how they close up to the point it looks like you have no cracks at all. they will start to show agian as soon as the inside of the car starts cooling down. This is what I think causes the cracks. The repetitive expansion and contraction will eventually cause the cracks. Its like bending a piece of metal over and over again, it will eventually break.

Interestingly, most the cases I have heard of are in warm places like Florida, Puerto Rico, Atlanta, etc.

So, ofcourse direct sunlight will contribute to this happening, but not by weakening the material, but by heating it. But just warm weather will do.

IMO, it is a design flaw, rather than a bad batch. it will show up sooner or later on every car that has this dash desing. (with warm weather being a accelerating factor) I dont know if they fixed it in later years, only time will tell.

Peace.

Rolan

carrollb

Okay, here is the update on my on going saga with Acura of Memphis. I got a call today from my sales man, about my purchase of the 2010 Acura TSX. I explained to him, that I was not moving any further on the purchase until my TL's dash was replaced with no cost to me. He immediately got off the phone with me and went to the Service Manager at the dealership. 5 minutes later, I get a call from the Service Manager apologizing for just getting back to me, since I left him a message last Monday. He stated that there was not anything else he could do for me, and that they only way they could repair my dash, is if I paid for $600 of the repair. I explained to him that I was not doing that, and that I felt they should have replaced it at no cost to me.
10 minutes later I get a call back from the salesman wanting to know when I was coming in to pick up the 2010 TSX. I explained to him the situation, and he began to make me the offer that he would split the cost with me on the dash if I proceeded with the TSX sale. I explained to him that it was not a matter of the money, but the principle of the fact of them standing behind their product and doing the right thing. I asked him if he really expected me to going into the purchase of a $40K vehicle, when they will not do the right thing in replacing a $1300 dash on my car. Especially when it stands in the way of me making a $40K purchase!! They are making me think twice about buying another Acura all together. I really like the TSX and I love my TL, but I am not happy with the lack of customer service in this situation. I even considered buying the TSX at a dealership outside of Memphis, just to avoid giving Acura of Memphis my business.
So that is where everything stands as of today. I will continue to keep everyone posted if anything changes.

TylerT

iTrader: (1)

Cracked dashes are pretty ridiculous, they should replace it all together with no expense to you.

I live in Valley Center, CA .. I left my car ungaraged for about a year in 115 degree summers. Even where I work .. the parking lot does not have ANY shade whatsoever. I never put a sunshade on it and I never used conditioner on it .. my dash looked perfectly fine when I sold it.

Clearly it's defective.

SG81

iTrader: (1)

good luck. i support people going after dealerships for what's right. they try to bully people too often

94eg!

I personally believe the reason the dealerships are trying to make everybody pay half, is becuase Acura is giving them the part for free, but not covering the labor to install it. This means it's up to the dealership to cover the cost of labor and they just don't want to do it. The fact that you are trying to buy a car at the same time makes your dealership look REALLY bad. They are trying to bend you over for $300 measly dollars on a 40k dollar purchase. You should tell them to go F themselves and that you will be taking your 40k somwhere else.

I also suggest you contact Acura and see if they can get you the replacment dash for free so you can install it yourself since the dealer is trying to screw you. That way you can have it installed by someone else more worthy of your hard earned dollars. Take your buisness elsewhere and give them the finger!!!

carrollb

Yeah I am pretty much done with Acura of Memphis all together. I am looking at a dealership in Nashville (about 200 miles away) to purchase the TSX, and possibly replace my dash. The really bad part about it is, they replaced the dash of someone who lived across the country when they brought their 04 TL in 8 months ago, for free. Here I am, living in the same city about to purchase another car from them, and they wont replace my dash for free. That really shows me what kind of jerks they are!! If I did not love the car so much, I would never deal with Acura again, just for this issue alone. The dealership is really making a bad bad impression on the Acura company as a whole.