2006 Acura TL Airbags Problems

My Acura (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced a non-collision spontaneous deployment of the side airbag while the vehicle was completely stationary. There was no impact, no crash, and no triggering event. This is a serious safety defect that could have caused significant injury or loss of vehicle control had the car been in motion. This vehicle was previously included in NHTSA Recall 19V182000 involving Takata airbag inflators, but the recall repair was never completed, and the recall now shows as closed. It is unclear whether the recall was closed in error or whether the inflator or a related airbag component failed due to the unresolved safety defect. There were no warning lights, messages, or symptoms prior to the deployment. The airbag system gave no indication of a problem. The deployed components remain in the vehicle and are available for inspection. The issue has not yet been inspected by Acura because, despite opening a safety case over two weeks ago, the manufacturer has not assigned a case manager. Insurance has been notified, but no manufacturer or dealer inspection has occurred yet. Given the prior Takata recall, the incomplete repair history, and the spontaneous deployment, this failure represents a potentially ongoing safety hazard that requires immediate investigation and corrective action. I attached pictures all the way around the car so you can see where the airbags are deployed and there is no damage to the vehicle because there was no collision. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11699822

Incident

Nov 7, 2025

The contact owns a 2006 Acura TL. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH uphill, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was an abnormal sputtering sound coming from the vehicle. The "VSA" (Vehicle Stability Assist) and air bag warning lights illuminated, and an unknown message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the vehicle, and waited to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred several times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact went to Auto Zone and was informed that the accelerator pedal sensor had failed. The contact replaced the sensor. The contact stated that the failure recurred intermittently. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while the vehicle was being serviced, the contact was informed that the power steering hose was leaking. The contact was informed that the steering fluid had entered other unknown components of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The contact was topping off the power steering fluid reservoir every third day. The contact stated that the VSA warning light and air bag light remained illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact related the failures to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V182000 (AIR BAGS), 19E068000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL), and 08V091000 (STEERING). However, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.

NHTSA ID

11698546

Incident

Sep 10, 2023

Mileage

170,000 mi

Dashboard cracked. Internet search revels this is a Acura TL fleet wide issue. Cracked dashboard may rip airbag during deployment rendering it useless, impede airbag deployment, or send shards of plastic during airbag deployment.

NHTSA ID

11515155

Incident

Mar 31, 2023

I have owned this vehicle for about 9 years and been seeing major cracks in the IP trim, around passenger airbag area. The cracks started to develop about 5 years ago. They were insignificant in the beginning but have accelerated very quickly over the past year or so and seem to be getting worse by the month. I am concerned that these cracks would result in malfunctioning of passenger side airbag in an accident. I purchased this vehicle used and there has not been an accident since I have owned it.

NHTSA ID

11456843

Incident

Mar 15, 2022

CRACKS AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS WHICH IS REALLY DANGEROUS TO SEE ASSUMING IT TO BE DEPLOYED ANYTIME SOON RESULTING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND INJURING THE PASSENGER FOR NO REASON.

NHTSA ID

11386760

Incident

Nov 1, 2020

Mileage

203,000 mi

WELL MY AIR BAG SENSOR, MY PSA LIGHT AND MY TPSA LIGHT IS ON. ALL DEALING WITH FAULTY SENSORS AND ELECTRICAL ISSUES. AND MY AIR BAG SENSOR WILL COME ON ONCE IN AWHILE, SAYING IT'S OFF. AND FROM THE ACURA TL COMMUNITY 2003 TO 2006 HAVE HORRIBLE TRANSMISSIONS. EVERYBODY I KNOW AND TALK TO THAT HAVE A TL THAT FALLS INTO THOSE YEARS, HAVE HAD THEIR TRANSMISSIONS EITHER REBUILT OR REPLACED. AND NOBODY EVER TALKS ABOUT IT. I WANT TO MAKE IT KNOWN THAT THESE VEHICLES HAVE ONE OF THE WORST TRANSMISSIONS OTHER THAN THE HONDA ODDESSY BUT HONDA HAS A RECALL ON THERE TRANSMISSIONS. SO HOPEFULLY ONE DAY ACURA CAN DO THE SAME.

NHTSA ID

11311223

Incident

Sep 14, 2018

Mileage

167,000 mi

2006 ACURA TL ISSUES WITH COMPONENT SUSPENSION:FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT- STEERING: HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST: HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS- CRACKED DASHBOARD LEAVES EXPOSURES TO THE ACTUAL AIRBAGS ON THE VEHICLE. *LN*JB

NHTSA ID

11291323

Incident

Dec 26, 2019

Mileage

138,000 mi

COLLISION WITH CONCRETE BARRIER AT APPROXIMATELY 60MPH. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY

NHTSA ID

11286410

Incident

Nov 24, 2019

Mileage

168,000 mi

WHILE I WAS DRIVING THREW THE CITY STREETS WITH WERE A LITTLE ROCKY SUDDENLY OUT OF NO WHERE THE DIVER SIDE AIR BAGS POP OUT LEAVING ME CONFUSE WITHOUT HEARING WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND A HEADACHE

NHTSA ID

11281611

Incident

Nov 20, 2019

Mileage

109,000 mi

CAR HAS BEEN GARAGE PARKED AND WHEN NOT IT GARAGE A SUN SHADE IS IN PLACE. DASHBOARD HAS LARGE CRACKS ON DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE. THE CRACK POSES A PROBLEM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND COULD AFFECT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. THERE ARE NO ISSUES AS OF YET BUT THE CRACK IS EXPANDING EVEN BEING IN THE GARAGE.

NHTSA ID

11210062

Incident

Jul 15, 2015

Mileage

87,000 mi

OUR GPS/ NAVI SYSTEM NEEDS REPLACED

NHTSA ID

11190398

Incident

Feb 10, 2019

Mileage

97,000 mi

MY DASH BOARD KEEPS CRACKING OVER TIME IN SEVERAL PLACES,NEW ONES JUST POP UPPING UP EVERYWHERE.THIS DID NOT START UNTIL LAST YEAR SOMETIME AROUND 100,000 MI.I TALKED TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP,ACURA CO.AND THE MANUFACTURER OF THEIR PARTS.THEY SAID THEY WONT HELP ME.THIS IS NOT RIGHT.I BARELY DRIVE ANYWHERE.MY CAR STAYS IN GARAGE AND IS VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF.NEVER BEEN OWNED/DRIVEN ON THE COAST OR FL,ANYWHERE LIKE THAT.I LIVE IN MS.ALL OVER THE INTERNET,ON ACURAZINE,AND YOUTUBE THIS IS HAPPENING TO 3RD GEN TL ACURAS.CAN U HELP ME? THE COST FOR A NEW DASH IS VERY EXPENSIVE $3000.00+. THIS IS A FAULTY PRODUCT ON THEIR PART. THERE IS NO WAY THEY SHOULD GET AWAY WITH THIS OR NOT MAKE A RECALL.ARE RECALLS A THING OF THE PAST? IV HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS NOT OF MY MAKING THAT I JUST PAID TO HAVE FIXED BUT I AM SICK OF THIS.CAR MANUFACTURERS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO DO THIS TO PEOPLE. THEY JUST BLOW US OF!AND WITH THOSE OF US WHO TAKE CARE OF OUR CARS, THIS MEANS THEIR DEFECTS ARENT GOIN TO OCCUR UNTIL MUCH LATER AFTER ANY WARRANTY HAS PASSED.I ASSURE U THIS IS NOT FROM GENERAL WEAR OR USER ERROR.MY CAR STAYS INSIDE GARAGE,I VERY RARELY DRIVE IT AND I KEEP IT WAXED JUST AS ONES LOOK ON A CAR LOT.BECAUSE I HAVE A TRUCK THAT I DRIVE MAINLY THE CAR IS RARELY USED.IV HARDLY PUT ANY MILES ON CAR SINCE IV OWNED IT.EVERYWHERE EVERYONE THAT OWNS THIS MODEL ACURA SAYS ITS HAPPENING.I ASSURE U THIS CAR DOES NOT STAY IN SUNLIGHT,HAS NEVER BEEN AROUND HARSH ENVIRONMENTS.THERE IS NOTHING THAT ANY DRIVER DOES TO CREATE USER ERROR THAT CONCERNS"CRACKING ALL OVER THE DASH BOARD"FROM LEFT SIDE ALL THE WAY TO RT SIDE, TOP AND BOTTOM.JUST LONG BIG CRACKS APPEARING OUT OF NO WHERE EVERY OTHER MONTH NOW.NEVER HAVE I SEEN THIS ON ANY CAR WITH WELL OVER 100,000 MILES.NEVER.MANY OTHERS SAY THE SAME THING.THIS TYPE OF THEIVERY AND QUALITY SHOULD NOT GO ON.

NHTSA ID

11170204

Incident

Jan 1, 2018

DASHBOARD RIGHT ABOVE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS CRACKING. PART OF DASHBOARD COVERING COULD BREAK LOOSE RIGHT ABOVE AIRBAG ASSEMBLY DURING AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSING SEVERE INJURY TO PASSENGER. ACURA SHOULD REPLACE ENTIRE DASH COVERING UNDER WARRANTY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

NHTSA ID

11130689

Incident

Sep 21, 2018

Mileage

100,000 mi

DASHBOARD DEVELOPED A LARGE CRACK THAT ALIGNS WITH THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PASSENGER AIRBAG COMPARTMENT WHILE PARKED. CONCERNED WITH THE INTEGRITY OF THE DASH AND SAFETY OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THE CRACK ALLOWS MOISTURE INTO THE AIRBAG MODULE WHICH CAN CREATE THE RISK OF A FAULTY AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT OR FAILING TO DEPLOY WHICH CAN LEAD TO SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH. MY PASSENGERS REGULARLY INCLUDE MY HUSBAND AND YOUNG SON THAT SITS BEHIND PASSENGER SEAT. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, THIS MATERIAL DEFECT AFFECTS ACURA TL AND TL TYPE S FROM 2004-2008, AND SEVERAL FORUMS INCLUDING HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ACURATLDEFECTIVEDASH/ SHOWS OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. AFTER INVESTIGATING, THIS CRACK CANNOT BE REPAIRED, AND TOTAL DASH REPLACEMENT IS THE ONLY SAFE ALTERNATIVE. MY ACURA HAS ONLY ONE OWNER, PARKED UNDER CARPORT, KEPT IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, 91,000 MILES, WITH ALL DEALERSHIP MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOR THE PAST 12.5 YEARS. I AM NOT LOOKING FOR ANYTHING FURTHER THAN A REPLACEMENT DASHBOARD TO BE INSTALLED BY MANUFACTURER AT THIS TIME DUE TO MY EXTREME CONCERN FOR MY PASSENGERS' SAFETY. AIRBAGS ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY SO NO NEED TO HAVE AN EXPOSED AIRBAG SAFETY ISSUE UNATTENDED. I WOULD LIKE RESOLUTION ASAP FROM MANUFACTURER. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

11110852

Incident

Jul 1, 2018

Mileage

91,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 ACURA TL. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE (NEAR THE AIR BAG) FRACTURED FROM THE WINDSHIELD DOWN TO THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT IT WAS A COSMETIC CONCERN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.

NHTSA ID

11104693

Incident

Jun 29, 2018

Mileage

115,000 mi

MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW IN JANUARY 2006. IN JANUARY OF 2018, I DISCOVERED THAT THE DASHBOARD, WHERE THE PASSENGER'S AIRBAG IS LOCATED CRACKED. THE CRACK OUTLINES THE SHAPE OF THE AIRBAG. I ALSO DISCOVERED ANOTHER CRACK DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONCERN IS THAT THE AIRBAG MAY ACCIDENTALLY DEPLOY WITHOUT BEING INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. IN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH 2004 & 2006 TLS. LOTS OF COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS AND ACURA IS NOT TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THE COMMON PROBLEM. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

11076405

Incident

Jan 20, 2018

Mileage

56,500 mi

DASHBOARD IS CRACKING ALL OVER THE PLACE TO THE POINT THAT THE AIRBAG IS NOW VISIBLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE.

NHTSA ID

11072090

Incident

Feb 1, 2013

Mileage

60,000 mi

MY 2006 ACURA TL DASHBOARD CRACKED AFTER BAD SNOW STORM HERE. THERE ARE MANY CRACKS AND THE DEEPEST IS VERTICAL ALONGSIDE AIRBAG. ACURA IS NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND NOT CORRECTING DEFECTIVE PARTS. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY JUST NEVER EXPOSED TO FRIGID WEATHER. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE NOT KNOWING WHEN AND IF AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY.

NHTSA ID

11071621

Incident

Jan 9, 2018

SQUARE CRACK WITH LINES RUNNING TO WINDOW WHERE AIRBAG IS. LOOKS AWFUL AND I HOPE THE BAG DOESN'T POP OUT. THIS IS NO LUXURY CAR AND ACURA DOESN'T CARE. HAS LESS THAN 100K MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

11061168

Incident

Jul 1, 2017

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE PASSENGER DASH CRACKED IN A SQUARE AROUND THE AIRBAG.

NHTSA ID

11058474

Incident

Nov 1, 2017

Mileage

70,000 mi

SEVERAL LARGE CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED ON THE FRONT DASH BOARD. THIS INCLUDE THE AREAS IN AND AROUND THE PART OF THE DASH THAT COVER THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG. I HAVE USED NO TYPE OF CLEANER THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS ISSUE AND HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY SERIOUS CRASHES. A SEARCH ONLINE SHOWS A LARGE NUMBER OF VEHICLES OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL WITH SIMILAR ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

11052324

Incident

Dec 4, 2017

Mileage

140,000 mi

TAKATA INFLATOR,I NOTICED ON PASSENGER SIDE ONE DAY AROUND JULY 1017 A CTACK WHERE THE AIRBAG IS LOCATED. I WOULD SURE DISLIKE IF ONE OF MY FAMILY PASSENGERS OF MYSELF FOR THAT MATTER GETS HURT DUE TO THE AIRBAG POPPING OUT FOR NO REASON I WOULD LIKE THIS FIXED TO AVOID A LAW SUIT FOR THE COMPANY..THANKS IN ADVANCE

NHTSA ID

11030735

Incident

Jul 1, 2017

CRACKING OF THE ACURA TL DASHBOARD MAY PRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD WITH REGARDS TO PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. THE CRACKS APPEAR TO EMANATE FROM ABOVE THE AIRBAG CANISTER AND EXTEND FOR THE ENTIRE WIDTH OF THE DASHBOARD. THE CRACKS MAY IMPACT THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG BY OPENING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION OR TOO QUICKLY DUE TO THE REDUCTION IN RESISTANCE OF THE DASHBOARD. THE CRACKED PORTION OF THE DASHBOARD MAY PRESENT A SAFETY HAZARD IF IT DETACHES DURING AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. MANUFACTURER SHOULD PROVIDE TEST AND/OR COMPUTATIONAL SIMULATION DATA TO VERIFY THAT THE REDUCTION IN DASHBOARD INTEGRITY DOES NOT IMPACT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT OR CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR DANGEROUS FRAGMENTS.

NHTSA ID

11012900

Incident

May 1, 2017

Mileage

84,000 mi

THE DASH BOARD HAS TWO LARGE CRACKS ON IT, AND I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE AIRBAGS THAT ARE DIRECTLY BELOW THESE CRACKS. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER OWNERS THAT ARE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES AS THIS ONE HOWEVER ACURA IS NOT RECOGNIZING THIS AS A DEFECT?

NHTSA ID

11011699

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

110,000 mi

MY TRANSMISSION IS STARTING TO FAIL GEARS THE RPM IS GOING UP AND DOWN RAPIDLY.

NHTSA ID

10991243

Incident

May 8, 2017

Mileage

208,000 mi