NHTSA Complaint #10334795 — 2004 ACURA TL

THIS INVOLVES MY 2004 ACURA TL, WHICH I HAVE OWNED SINCE OCTOBER 2007. IN THE TWO AND A HALF YEARS SINCE THE PURCHASE, SIGNIFICANT CRACKS HAVE APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD OF THIS CAR. THERE ARE SEVERAL CRACKS ON THE DASH IN FRONT OF THE DRIVING PANEL. THERE ARE ALSO TWO MAJOR CRACKS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, EACH ONE RUNNING FROM THE WINDSHIELD ALL THE WAY TO THE GLOVE BOX. WHAT MAKES THIS WORRISOME IS THAT EACH CRACK RUNS ALONG THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG, WHICH IS WEAKENING THE INTEGRITY OF THAT AIRBAG. I AM CONCERNED THAT THESE CRACKS COULD CAUSE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG TO DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY, INJURING ANY PASSENGER IN THAT SEAT AND POSSIBLY EVEN CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. IT COULD ALSO CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IMPROPERLY DURING AN ACCIDENT, AND EITHER FAIL TO PREVENT INJURY OR MAKE THE PASSENGER'S INJURIES WORSE. THIS DEFECT IS OCCURRING IN THE 2004 AND 2005 MODELS, BUT ACURA IS TREATING IT AS A COSMETIC ISSUE RATHER THAN A SAFETY ONE, AND REFUSING TO COVER THE EXPENSE OF REPLACING THE DASH, WHICH COSTS ALMOST $2000 INCLUDING LABOR AND PARTS. OTHER 2004/2005 TL OWNERS WHO HAD THE DASH REPLACED WERE TOLD THAT THE NEW DASH WAS MADE WITH DIFFERENT MATERIALS AND WOULD NOT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A DE FACTO ADMISSION THAT THESE DASHBOARDS WERE MADE WITH INADEQUATE MATERIALS. THIS IS INDEED A SAFETY ISSUE, AS IT INVOLVES THE AIRBAG. THESE CRACKS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY COMPROMISING THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR, AND ACURA NEEDS TO ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL RATHER THAN TREAT IT LIKE A COSMETIC ISSUE. *TR