RoadVitals

2004 Acura TL Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
232
Latest Jul 17, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
42%
of 551 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Acura TL submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 232 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming body or structure

The 25 most recent of 232, in the owner's own words

AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Jul 17, 2020

DASHBOARD HAS CRACK FROM PASSENGER SIDE MIDDLE ALL THE WAY TOWARD DRIVER SIDE. STARTED ABOUT YEAR 10 AND GOT WORSE OVER THE YEARS. AFTER READING SOME OTHER COMPLAINTS HERE I AM ALSO WORRIED AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT COULD EITHER NOT TRIGGER OR TRIGGER ACCIDENTALLY HURTING A PASSENGER IN MY VEHICLE. I ALSO TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS INSTRUCTED AS OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE EVEN THOUGH SEEMS TO BE MANUFACTURE DEFECT.

NHTSA ID
11339904
Incident
Feb 17, 2014
Body & structure
Filed Jan 9, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS FRACTURED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE AIR BAG HOUSING. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH THAT THE AIR BAG MAY DEPLOY IMPROPERLY WHICH MAY CAUSE SEVERE INJURY TO THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS FROM DEBRIS FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE, CASE NUMBER: 10142090. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

NHTSA ID
11298192
Incident
Dec 15, 2019
Mileage
97,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Nov 13, 2019

IM NOT SURE WHEN IT HAPPENED AS I WAS WILLED THIS CAR AFTER MY MOTHER PASSED, AND IT WAS LIKE THIS PRIOR TO HER BUYING IT. BUT THE DASHBOARD IS CRACKED FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER GOING DOWN TO THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT AND DASH GAUGES. FROM WHAT IVE READ THIS IS VERY COMMON IN ACURAS 04-08, BUT I AM NOW CONCERNED ABOUT MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYING PROPERLY. FROM WHAT IVE READ EVERYONE WHO HAS BROUGHT THIS TO ACURAS ATTENTION HAS HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO GET IT FIXED, OR LEAVE AS IS.

NHTSA ID
11279875
Incident
Oct 2, 2016
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Oct 16, 2018

THE DASHBOARD PANEL OF MY 04 ACURA TL IS SEVERELY CRACKED. MY CONCERN IS IF IN THE EVENT AN AIRBAG DID DEPLOY DUE TO FALSE SENSORS OR EVEN DUE TO AN ACCIDENT, HOW MUCH DAMAGE WILL THIS CAUSE ME? I UNDERSTAND THAT AN AIRBAG WILL ANNIHILATE THE DASH IF ACTIVATED AND HOPEFULLY DAMAGES ARE MINIMAL BUT THAT WAS TESTED WITH A DASHBOARD PANEL THAT WAS FULLY INTACT. I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED SINCE I ALSO HAVE 98 FORERUNNER AND THE DASH PANEL IS NEARLY EMACULANT. I FEEL THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE PLASTIC IN THESE VEHICLES THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FIXED.

NHTSA ID
11140711
Incident
Oct 16, 2018
Body & structureSeat beltsSuspension
Filed Sep 10, 2018
1 injury reported

STRUTS SNAPPED ON HIGHWAY

NHTSA ID
11128597
Incident
Sep 9, 2018
Mileage
169,558 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 16, 2017

CRACKS ON THE DASHBOARD APPEAR RAPIDLY, STARTING BY THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LOCATION. FIRST CRACK A WEEK AGO AND NOW A ANOTHER ONE......AFRAID THAT AIRBAG COULD DEPLOY OR NOT DEPLOY AND ACCORDING TO MANY ACURA TL 2004 OWNERS THIS IS A VERY COMMON AND UPSETTING MATTER.

NHTSA ID
11055042
Incident
Dec 9, 2017
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Sep 22, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD AROUND THE AIR BAG AREA WAS CRACKED. THE AIR BAGS AND WIRING WERE NOT EXPOSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC OR DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000.

NHTSA ID
11025056
Incident
Jun 19, 2017
Mileage
180,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 3, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASH COVER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

NHTSA ID
10949471
Incident
Feb 3, 2012
Mileage
50,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Dec 18, 2016

I PURCHASED MY 2004 ACURA TL FROM AUTOLAND USA IN SELDEN, NY ON APRIL 5TH, 2016. THE VEHICLE IS IN GREAT SHAPE. NO TORN SEATS, INTERIOR ISSUES OR ANY OTHER VISIBLE ISSUES AT TIME OF PURCHASE. JUST ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO, I NOTICED THESE CRACKS FORMING ON MY DASHBOARD. I KNOW THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT DUE TO THE OVERWHELMING COMPLAINTS ON QUITE A FEW MESSAGE AND COMPLAINT BOARDS AND WEBSITES. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT WILL ACURA DO TO FIX THIS ISSUE. THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE, BECAUSE I ALSO HAVE A 1992 HONDA ACCORD IN MY DRIVEWAY, THAT STILL HAS A PERFECTLY INTACT DASHBOARD AND THE ACCORD IS MUCH OLDER THAN THIS ACURA. I HAVE ATTACHED A FEW PICTURES TO CONFIRM MY CLAIM. THANK YOU. [XXX] UNSATISFIED CUSTOMER INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB

NHTSA ID
10936061
Incident
Dec 8, 2016
Body & structure
Filed Dec 6, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED AROUND THE AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ID
10930264
Incident
Dec 1, 2016
Mileage
160,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Dec 1, 2016
Crash reported

I WAS READING SOME OTHER COMPLAINTS HERE AND THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED TO MY CAR. THE DASHBOARD IS TOTALLY CRACKED SURROUNDING THE AIRBAG AND LOOKS LIKE THE AIRBAG WILL EXPLODE ANY TIME. I WAS ACTUALLY JUST IN AN ACCIDENT AND IT DIDN'T EXPLODE, WHICH MAKES ME EVEN MORE NERVOUS. IT LOOKS HORRIBLE AND IS VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AS WELL AS A VINYL/LEATHER REPAIR PLACE. THE REPAIR PLACE WON'T TOUCH IT BECAUSE IT SURROUNDS THE AIRBAG AND COULD EFFECT PROPER FUNCTION. HOWEVER, LIKE I SAID, I WAS JUST HIT IN THE FRONT OF MY CAR AND IT DIDN'T EXPLODE AT ALL!

NHTSA ID
10929440
Incident
Oct 31, 2016
Mileage
141,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Aug 10, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG HOUSING FRACTURED ALONG THE LOWER SECTION OF THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAG COULD DEPLOY INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID
10894832
Incident
Jun 1, 2015
Mileage
140,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structureEngine
Filed Aug 9, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000.

NHTSA ID
10894282
Incident
Aug 7, 2016
Mileage
81,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 22, 2016

LARGE CRACK APPEARED ON MY DASHBOARD TODAY. I GOOGLED AND FOUND OUT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF ACURA TLS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. BUT THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT DONE A RECALL. I CALLED ACURA CLIENT RELATIONS AS WELL AS DEALER. THEY ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING. THE CRACK DASHBOARD IS A SAFETY CONCERN AS THE SRS AIRBAG SITS BEHIND THAT AND CAN EXPLODE.

NHTSA ID
10875792
Incident
Jun 21, 2016
Mileage
107,500 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Apr 15, 2016

THE DASHBOARD STARTED CRACKING. NOW, IT HAS CRACKS ALL OVER. PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE. THIS MAY CAUSE ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAGS. I LOOKED ON LINE AND THIS IS VERY COMMON IN 2004 TLS. ACURA REFUSES TO FIX THE ISSUE. SOME HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED ISSUES WITH THEIR AIR BAGS DUE TO THE CRACKING.

NHTSA ID
10855673
Incident
Apr 2, 2014
AirbagsBody & structureDriver assistance
Filed Apr 9, 2016

NOT SURE IF THIS IS TAKATA ISSUE AS WELL! OR DUE TO DEFECTIVE DASHBOARD MATERIALS WHICH HAVE CRACKED SEVERELY BAD! WHEN IT STARTED THEY WERE LINES HARDLY NOTICEABLE! NOW DUE TO NEGLEGANCE OF THE COMPANY THE PRIMARY CRACKS ARE OVER THE AIRBAG AREA & HAVE CREVICES ACROSS TOP AND THEY ARE ACROSS ENTIRE DASHBOARD? THE LIGHT FOR AIRBAGS COMES ON AND OFF AT RANDOM TIMES? THE SEAT BELT BEEPING INDICATOR IS NOT WORKING ALL THE TIME ANYMORE! MY CAR EVEN THOUGH IT IS A 2004 IS IN VERY GOOD SHAPE FROM WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TOLD ME! THAT IS OF COURSE UNTIL THEY SEE THE CRATERS IN THE DASH OF WHAT IS SUPPOSE TO BE A HIGHER END NICE MODEL CAR THAT SHOULD HOLD UP BETTER THAN???? THIS IS NOT TO MENTION THE FACT OF SAFETY? IS THERE A POSSIBILITY THE AIRBAGS HAVE DRIED OUT OR BECAME EFFECTED DUE TO THESE LARGE CRACKS AS WELL AS WHAT OTHER DAMAGE IT COULD BE CAUSING ELECTRONICALLY? AM I GOING TO END UP IN SOME HORRIFIC CAR ACCIDENT DUE TO AIRBAG RELEASE WHEN JUST DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND THEN IT ALL BE MY FAULT FOR SWEVING OVER IN ANOTHER LANE AND CAUSE THE ACCIDENT! THEN IT WILL LOOK AS IF I WERE AT FAULT AND AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AS THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE, INSTEAD OPENED PREMATURELY DUE TO DEFECTIVE PARTS? OF COURSE THIS IS A HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION BUT I WOULD THINK TOTALLY PLAUSIBLE!!! AND ALL DUE TO NOT HAVING RECALLED WHAT EVERYONE ALREADY KNOWS THAT DASHBOARD MATERIAL ON THIS MODEL AND OTHERS THAT WERE RECALLED AND REPAIRED BY DEALERS SAME YEAR MODELS 2004-2008 FOR THE SAME IDENTICAL REASONS! THAT SEEMS LIKE A ROLL OF THE DIE AT CONSUMERS EXPENSE! NOT TO MENTION A LIABILITY TO ALL CONSUMERS THAT HAPPEN TO BE DRIVING THESE VEHICLES!

NHTSA ID
10854548
Incident
Oct 21, 2013
Mileage
98,542 mi
Body & structure
Filed Mar 19, 2016

CLEAR COAT IS PEELING REAL BAD

NHTSA ID
10850524
Incident
Apr 9, 2014
Mileage
125,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 18, 2016

THE TOP OF THE DASH IN MY ACURA HAS MANY CRACKS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED TO THE POINT WHERE I BELIEVE IT MY IMPACT THE AIR BAG. MINOR CRACKS MIGHT BE SEEN WITH TIME IN THE DASH HOWEVER THESE ARE LARGE, NUMEROUS AND OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE FIXED.

NHTSA ID
10836894
Incident
Feb 1, 2014
Mileage
150,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Nov 5, 2015

MY DASH IS CRACKING AT AN ACCELERATED RATE. FIRST AT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG, THEN STARTED SINKING DEEPER THAT MAKES AN OBVIOUS RECTANGLE ON MY DASH. MY CONCERN IS IF THE DASH IS DRY ENOUGH TO SPLIT ALONG THE AIRBAG SEAMS, THEN WHAT WOULD PREVENT SHARDS OF DASH FLYING OFF IF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYS? THIS SHOULD GET SOME SERIOUS SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS.

NHTSA ID
10788494
Incident
Jan 25, 2013
Mileage
135,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Aug 14, 2015

I HAVE A 2004 ACURA TL AND IN THE LAST MONTHS CRACKS HAVE APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD, DIRECTLY AROUND THE AIRBAG COMPARTMENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. IT IS DEFINITELY A DEFECT OF WORKMANSHIP AND OR MATERIALS. THERE IS WAY TOO MUCH CONSISTENCY IN THE POSITIONS OF THE CRACKS. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF POSTS ON SOCIAL MEDIA REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE. HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ACURATLDEFECTIVEDASH/POSTS/219662424726766 MY CAR HAS 165K MILES, IS GARAGE KEPT, DETAILED REGULARLY WITH ONE OWNER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10748749
Incident
Jul 30, 2015
Mileage
165,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Apr 15, 2015

I HAVE OWNED MY 2004 SINCE 2011 AND SINCE THEN I HAVE NOTICED MY DASH HAS BEEN CRACKING MORE AND MORE HAVE CRACK LINES ALL OVER THE DASH I AM NOT THE ONLY ACURA TL OWNER EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10705922
Incident
Apr 14, 2015
Mileage
187,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Apr 13, 2015

THE CRACKS AROUND PASSANGER SIDE AIRBAG. THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE THE FIRST CRACK APPEAR. THE CRACKS ARE ON ALL OVER THE DASHBOARD. SOME CHIPPING STARTED NOW. I HAVE TAKEN TO THE DEALER MANY TIMES AND I WAS TOLD THERE IS NO ISSUE BUT COULDN'T CLEAR THE LIGHT. THE CAR IS ALWAYS PARKED IN GARAGE AND UNDER CANOPY AT WORK.

NHTSA ID
10705320
Incident
Jul 11, 2007
Mileage
29,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Apr 12, 2015

EXTENSIVE CRACKING OF DASHBOARD COVER, INCLUDING NEAR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WHICH MAY CAUSE DASHBOARD PIECES TO BECOME MISSILES IN THE EVENT OF DEPLOYMENT OF THIS AIRBAG. ACURA HAS OF THIS DATE NOT ISSUED A RECALL OR IN ANY WAY THAT I KNOW OF ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PRODUCT ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10705168
Incident
Mar 4, 2015
Mileage
145,000 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed Mar 30, 2015

A SMALL CRACK DEVELOPED ON THE DASHBOARD ON LEFT SIDE OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. OVER TIME, THE CRACK HAS GROWN AND ANOTHER CRACK HAS DEVELOPED ON THE RIGHT SIDE ALONG THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. BOTH CRACKS ARE OF EQUAL LENGTH RUNNING FROM THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD DOWN PAST THE AIRBAG. NOW THERE ARE MORE THAN 6 CRACKS ON THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD AND THEY ARE PROGRESSING IN ALL DIRECTIONS EVERYDAY. RAPID PROGRESSION OF THESE CRACKS (SPECIALLY THE ONES AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG AREA) MAKES ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING AROUND THIS CAR. IF THE DASHBOARD IS NOT REPLACED IMMEDIATELY, THIS AIR BAG COULD DEPLOY PRE MATURELY AND CAUSE SERIOUS HARM AND/OR INJURY AND/OR DEATH OF MY FAMILY MEMBER. THIS DEFINITELY LOOKS LIKE A RECALL ISSUE AND ACURA/DEALER NEEDS TO PAY FOR THE PART TO BE FIXED AND/OR REPLACED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10702579
Incident
Mar 5, 2014
Mileage
105,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Mar 27, 2015

THE DASHBOARD IS SPIDERWEBBING WITH CRACKS, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. *TR

NHTSA ID
10702081
Incident
Jan 1, 2012
Mileage
25,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .