NHTSA Complaint #10561532 — 2005 ACURA TL

A CRACK IN THE DASH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AT THE AIRBAG WAS NOTICED THE SUMMER OF 2012. IT STARTED OUT SMALL AND EVENTUALLY RAN THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE DASH. SINCE THAT DAY SEVERAL MORE CRACKS ON BOTH SIDES HAVE APPEARED DURING DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR. HEAT CAUSES THE CRACKS TO CLOSE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THEM AND OPEN UP WHEN THE WEATHER OR INTERIOR IS COOLER. YESTERDAY THE 6TH CRACK APPEARED, THIS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. THE ENTIRE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS VISIBLE WITH BOTH SIDES OUTLINED BY CRACKS. HEAT ALONE IS NOT CAUSING THIS AS THE LAST CRACK WAS NOTICED IN 40 DEGREE WEATHER. WITH THE AIRBAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAVING CRACKS I AM WORRIED THAT THE DASH IS UNSTABLE AND COULD BREAK OFF DURING A CRASH AND BECOME A DANGEROUS PIECE OF DEBRIS WHEN (IF) THE AIRBAG IS ACTIVATED IN A CRASH. I AM ALSO WORRIED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WILL NOT ACTIVATE DUE TO THE DAMAGE TO THE DASH. *TR