NHTSA Complaint #10470099 — 2005 ACURA TL

I OWN A 2005 ACURA TL AND PURCHASED IT NEW. I ENJOY THE CAR, HOWEVER, NOTICED A CRACK THAT FORMED DIRECTLY OVER THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG IMPRESSION ON THE DASHBOARD IN AUGUST OF 2011. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 75,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME, AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. I NOW HAVE 83,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, AND THE ORIGINAL CRACK THAT FORMED HAS NOW GROWN VERTICALLY FROM WHERE THE DASH CONNECTS TO THE WINDSHIELD ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE GLOVE BOX ACCESS. ADDITIONALLY, SEVERAL OTHER CRACKS HAVE FORMED AROUND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG IMPRESSION ON THE DASH, AND MOST RECENTLY, I HAVE A CRACK THAT FORMED ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE DASH. I HAVE OWNED THREE OTHER HONDA/ACURA PRODUCTS, AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE BEFORE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND RIGHT NOW AM IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING A REGIONAL MANAGER REVIEW MY CASE. EVEN BEFORE HEARING BACK FROM THE REGIONAL MANAGER, THE DEALER HAS ALREADY INFORMED ME THAT SOME "CAPITAL PARTICIPATION" WILL BE REQUIRED FROM ME, AND THAT THE DASHBOARD COSTS $1,850 NOT INCLUDING TAX. I AM WAITING TO HEAR BACK WHAT THEY WILL DO FOR ME, BUT BASED UPON OTHER COMMENTS FROM OTHER TL OWNERS I HAVE SEEN ON-LINE, I AM NOT OVERLY OPTIMISTIC. OBVIOUSLY AESTHETICS ARE A FACTOR IN THIS CASE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I AM WORRIED ABOUT SAFETY OF ANY PASSENGER THAT MAY BE RIDING IN MY CAR. *TR