NHTSA Complaint #10521350 — 2006 ACURA TL

ON JUNE 23, 2013 I WAS SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY 2006 ACURA TL AND NOTICED THAT MY DASHBOARD HAS APPROXIMATELY AN 8 INCH CRACK IN IT. THE CRACK IS ON A SEAM WHERE THE AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY IF I WERE TO GET INTO A CAR ACCIDENT. MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND IS A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED ACURA THAT I PURCHASED AT 30,000 MILES. IT FORMERLY BELONGED TO AN FSU PROFESSOR WHO HAS A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED IT FROM. THE CRACK APPEARED OVERNIGHT AND IS STILL A SURPRISE TO ME. HOW DOES A $30,000 CAR GET A CRACK IN THE DASHBOARD ESPECIALLY WHERE THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS? I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. APPARENTLY THIS ISSUE IS WIDESPREAD IN THE 2004-2006 MODEL YEAR ACURA TL'S. ONE SUCH FORUM ACURAZINE HAS NUMEROUS OWNERS WITH THE EXACT ISSUE. I ALSO JOINED THE FACEBOOK GROUP ACURA TL DEFECTIVE DASH-CONSUMER'S RIGHTS. BOTH GROUPS ENCOURAGED OWNERS TO MAKE FORMAL COMPLAINTS TO THE NHTSA. *TR