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

MY HUSBAND AND I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE TWO VERTICAL CRACKS ON THE DASH ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DASH AIRBAG MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 5-6 INCHES EACH. THE CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND IS NOT LEFT OUT IN THE SUN FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME SO THERE IS NO KNOWN REASON OR EXPLANATION FOR THESE CRACKS. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS FROM CONSUMERS REGARDING THIS EXACT ISSUE AND I HOPE THAT ACURA INVESTIGATES IT, AS THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT AND A SAFETY ISSUE. IF THE CRACKS CONTINUE TO GROW AND/OR THE DASH CRACKS FURTHER, IT COULD CAUSE THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY OR MALFUNCTION, NOT TO MENTION THAT A LUXURY CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM. NONE OF MY OTHER VEHICLES HAVE EVER HAD CRACKS IN THE DASH, INCLUDING A HONDA ACCORD THAT WAS OVER 15 YEARS OLD AND AN ACURA CL THAT WAS 11 YEARS OLD. *TR

THE HANDS FREE LINK SYSTEM IN THE 204-2008 ACURA TL IS CREATING A DRAIN ON THE BATTERY RESULTING IN COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE OF THE AUTOMOBILE. THE INCIDENCE OF FAILURE IS MOST COMMON IMMEDIATELY AFTER PERIODS OF AT LEAST 10 HOURS OF NON-USE OR SHORTLY AFTER STARTING. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED EXTENSIVELY ON THE ACURA OWNER'S WEBSITES AND HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. GIVEN THE POSSIBILITY FOR IN-USE ELECTRICAL FAILURE, A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *TR

THE BLUETOOTH AUDIO UNIT ON MY 2006 ACURA TL HAS SHORT CIRCUITED AND IS DRAINING MY BATTERY CAUSING THE IGNITION SYSTEM ISSUES WHEN STARTING THE CAR IN THE MORNING. THE SHORT CIRCUIT HAD OCCURRED DUE TO THE AUDIO UNIT BEING PLACED ABOVE THE REARVIEW MIRROR CONSOLE, THIS LOCATION IS EXPOSED TO SUNLIGHT WHICH IN TURN CAUSES THE COMPONENTS TO HEAT UP AND DAMAGE THE AUDIO UNIT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ~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