2006 ACURA TL Complaints

MY 2006 ACURA TL HANDS FREE LINK STOPPED WORKING. I TRIED TO REBOOT THE SYSTEM BUT THE SCREEN NEVER CHANGED FROM THE "REBOOTING" MESSAGE. A FEW DAYS LATER THE BATTERY DIED. I HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED AND HAD TO ENTER NEW CODES IN THE RADIO AND NAVIGATION SYSTEMS. NOW THE NAVIGATION AND RADIO DO NOT COMMUNICATE SO THERE IS NO VOICE FOR THE NAVIGATION, THE CLOCK WILL NOT RESET AND THE BLUETOOTH STILL DOESN'T WORK. ON TOP OF THAT, MY TRANSMISSION BLEW AND SO DID THE POWER STEERING PUMP. WHILE IT WAS AT THE DEALER, THEY TRIED TO FIX THE ISSUE BUT SAID THE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG SO JUST REPLACE THE WHOLE UNIT. WHICH COSTS $500. I READ OTHER ACURA OWNER HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AND I BEG OF ACURA TO RECALL THE UNIT. *TR

EARLY ON I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES IN MY 2006 ACURA TL HAD A RELATIVELY SOFT FEEL IN OPERATION. INDEED, FROM THE FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP OF THE BRAND NEW CAR I'D BEEN SURPRISED AT THE DIFFERENCE FROM MY PREVIOUS CAR -- A 1995 NISSAN MAXIMA -- WHICH HAD SOLID FEELING BRAKES. I ATTRIBUTED THIS SOFTNESS TO THE NEW CAR'S GREATER WEIGHT -- THE BRAKES DID AFTER ALL, STOP THE CAR. BUT THEY NEVER FELT TRULY SECURE. IN THE LAST 2 YEARS, THE SOFTNESS PROGRESSED SLOWLY AT FIRST, AND THEN WORSENING WITH AN INCREASING RATE OF DECLINE. AT THE START OF JULY 2013, I WAS ALARMED TO FIND THAT I NEEDED TO PUMP THE BRAKES FOR THEM TO ENGAGE AND STOP THE CAR. ON 7/3/2013 THE MECHANIC I SAW FOUND THAT AIR WAS IN THE LINES, AND THAT THIS APPARENTLY HAD LET THE RIGHT REAR PADS STAY IN CONTACT WITH THE DISC REQUIRING SERVICING OF THAT PORTION OF THE SYSTEM. HE ALERTED ME THAT A DEFECTIVE BRAKE MODULATOR PROBLEM WAS KNOWN TO AFFECT MANY TLS OF THAT TIME PERIOD. AS IT IS AN EXPENSIVE PART AND NOT YET RECALLED, WE OPTED TO BLEED THE LINES AND FIX THE OTHER DAMAGE HOPING IT WOULD TURN OUT THAT THE LINE HAD SIMPLY LEAKED SOMEHOW. THE DRIVE AWAY WAS THE FIRST & ONLY TIME I'VE EVER FELT SOLID BRAKES ON THIS CAR. BUT BEFORE I'D REACHED MY HOME 10 MILES AWAY, THEY'D BECOME SPONGY. BY THE NEXT DAY I NEEDED TO PUMP THEM. CLEARLY, THE MODULATOR IS INTRODUCING AIR TO THE LINES. I ESSENTIALLY SET THE CAR ASIDE WHILE DECIDING WHETHER I SHOULD REPLACE IT OR FIX IT. I'M ABOUT TO REPLACE THE MODULATOR AT MY EXPENSE AS I'VE DECIDED I'M NOT PREPARED TO BUY A NEW CAR AFTER ALL, BUT THE BRAKES MUST BE MADE SAFE. ACURA HAS ISSUED A BULLETIN, BUT THEY'VE NOT ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR SELLING NEW CARS WITH A DEFECTIVE PART THAT COMPLETELY FAILS, EVENTUALLY. THE PROBLEM THEY'VE IMPOSED ON THE PUBLIC IS SERIOUS. PLEASE DON'T WAIT FOR THERE TO BE A DEATH BEFORE REQUIRING A RECALL OF THE PART BY ACURA. THANK YOU. *TR

ABOUT 3-6 MONTHS AGO, I NOTICED A CRACK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF MY ACURA 2006 TL. GRADUALLY THE CRACK GREW, THEN OVER TIME, I SAW TWO MORE CRACKS IN THE AREAS WHERE THE AIRBAGS ARE LOCATED. NOW THESE CRACKS ARE WIDENING AND I CAN SEE WHITE IN THE CRACKS. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT WILL COMPROMISE PROPER DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. IF SO, THIS CAN HAVE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES. I CALLED THE ACURA MANUFACTURER CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WILL COST ME $1500-2000 AND THAT THE ADJUSTMENT FROM THEM WILL BE MINIMAL BECAUSE THE WARRANTY FOR SUCH A THING HAS EXPIRED. I RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR ACURAS. PLEASE, PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND HELP OTHERS LIKE ME WHO ARE HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED, DISCOURAGED AND ANGRY ABOUT THE POOR QUALITY OF MATERIALS USED IN THE AREA THAT ENCASES THE AIRBAGS THAT SHOULD PROTECT US FROM INJURY OR DEATH. FOR YOUR INFORMATION: MY CAR HAS 92,000 MILES AND I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN GOOD PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT THE DASHBOARD WITH A WINDSHIELD COVER, USED SPECIAL CONDITIONER AND CRACKED MY WINDOWS TO KEEP THE HEAT OUT. I ALSO DO PROPER AND TIMELY MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE. I AM THE ONLY DRIVER AND WAS HOPING THIS WOULD BE MY LAST CAR. NOW, IF I MUST SELL MY CAR, MY CAR HAS DEPRECIATED SUBSTANTIALLY DUE TO POOR WORKMANSHIP AND I WILL HAVE A CAR PAYMENT I DON'T NEED OR CAN'T AFFORD. DO RU *TR

CRACK APPEARED ON PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD OUTLINING AIRBAG. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD AND DEFECT WITH ACURA TL. *TR

ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING IN MY 2006 TL WITH MY SON AND HE ASKED ME ABOUT THE CRACK IN MY DASH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. I WAS BLOWN AWAY BY HIS QUESTION. I DID NOT EXPECT THIS FROM ACURA AT ALL! I WAS COMPLETELY SURPRISED, I KEEP MY WINDOWS COVERED WITH A SUN GUARD. IT STARTS AT THE WINDSHIELD AND FOLLOWS THE AIRBAG DIRECTLY. I FEEL THIS IS UNSAFE SINCE IT IS AT THE AIRBAG. IT DOES CONTRACT AND EXPAND AS THE WEATHER. *TR

TWO 12 INCH VERTICAL CRACKS DOWN BOTH SIDES OF WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. CRACKS ARE ON DASH BOARD. I'M NOT SURE HOW SAFE THE AIRBAG ON THAT SIDE IS NOW WITH THE CRACKS OUTLINING THE AIRBAG LOCATION. *TR

IN APRIL OF 2013 I NOTICED A SMALL CRACK ABOVE THE STEERING COLUMN IN THE DASHBOARD OF MY CAR, THIS CRACK SLOWLY GREW ALL THE WAY TO THE WINDSHIELD AND HAS NOW SPIDERED OFF TOWARDS THE PASSENGER SIDE. JUST THIS MONTH (SEPT 2013) I ALSO NOTICED IT STARTING TO CRACK AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. NOT ONLY IS THE CRACK VERY UNATTRACTIVE, BUT IT ALSO HAS ME WORRIED ABOUT THE AIRBAG AND THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE, I FOUND THAT THE CRACKING DASHBOARD IS A COMMON ISSUE ON THE THIRD GENERATION ACURA TL. IN FACT MOST THIRD GENERATION TL OWNERS HAVE HAD THEIR DASHBOARDS CRACK, AND WHEN THEY CONTACT ACURA (DEALERSHIPS, AND ACURA CORPORATE) TO TRY AND GET ASSISTANCE, ACURA ACTS AS THOUGH THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE ISSUE BEFORE. SOME CONSUMERS ARE ALSO GETTING AN AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT, AND TO REMEDY THE WARNING LIGHT THEY HAVE TO DROP $2,200 TO HAVE THE WHOLE DASHBOARD REPLACED. I HAVE ALSO TRIED GETTING ASSISTANCE FROM ACURA (BOTH JODY WILKINSON ACURA SALT LAKE CITY, AND ACURA CLIENT RELATIONS). AFTER LEAVING MY CAR WITH THEM FOR 4 DAYS, THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME. THE REASON THEY WONT HELP ME IS BECAUSE I HAVEN'T BEEN GETTING MY CAR SERVICED AT THEIR DEALERSHIP. SINCE I KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF MY OWN CAR AND PERFORM MY OWN OIL CHANGES, I WILL HAVE TO PAY $2,200 TO HAVE THE DASHBOARD REPLACED. THIS WAS THE EXCUSE THEY USED TO DENY ME, THERE ARE MANY OTHER EXCUSES THEY HAVE USED ON OTHER CONSUMERS. ACURA NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THEIR CARS AND FIX THIS OBVIOUS PRODUCT FLAW. THEY SHOULDN'T BE TREATING THEIR CONSUMERS LIKE CRIMINALS FOR NOT GETTING THEIR VEHICLE SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND PEOPLE NEED TO START REPORTING IT TO EVERY VENUE THEY CAN.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS SUMMER MY DASHBOARD RANDOMLY STARTED CRACKING ABOVE MY STEERING COLUMN. THE CRACK HAS EXTENDED ALL THE WAY TO THE WINDSHIELD AND SPLIT OFF IN ONE DIRECTION. ALSO THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS STARTED TO CRACK AROUND THE AIRBAG. AN EXPENSIVE LUXURY CAR LIKE SHOULD NOT HAVE THESE TYPES OF ISSUES. I LOVE THIS CAR, BUT NOW EVERY TIME I GET IN I CANT HELP BUT FEEL THAT I AM DRIVING A PIECE OF JUNK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 ACURA TL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED A CRACK ON THE DASHBOARD WHERE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WAS LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE DASHBOARD WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. *TR

ON FRIDAY JULY 19TH 2013 I NOTICED TWO SMALL CRACKS (ONE ABOUT 3 INCHES AND THE OTHER ABOUT 2 INCHES') ON DASHBOARD ON BOTH SIDES OF WHERE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS LOCATED. ON MONDAY JULY 22ND THE CRACK HAD GROWN CONSIDERABLY LARGER 12 INCHES. I SPOKE WITH ACURA CLIENT RELATIONS ON MONDAY JULY 22ND TO EXPRESS MY CONCERNS. THEY OPENED UP A CASE AND TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE THE DEALER INSPECT IT. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE CARLSBAD DEALER ON TUESDAY JULY 23RD AND HAD IT INSPECTED BY ONE OF THE SERVICE MANAGERS. HE GLANCED AT IT AND ABRUPTLY STATED I WILL NEED A NEW DASH AND THAT MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY SO I WILL HAVE TO PAY $1500. LATER THAT DAY I SPOKE WITH CLIENT RELATIONS AND WAS TOLD 'WE ARE SORRY FOR YOUR ISSUE AND ACURA WILL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH THE COST. THE WORK CAN BE DONE FOR $800' BELIEVING THAT THE PART MAY BE FAULTY MAKES ME QUESTION WHY I HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT I WAS DISMISSED SO QUICKLY BECAUSE MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I UNDERSTAND THAT WEAR AND TEAR HAPPENS BUT IF THERE IS A DEFECT THAT THE CONSUMER HAS NO CONTROL OVER WHY SHOULD THEY BE HELD TO A WARRANTY PERIOD? A LITTLE SEARCHING OF THE WEB WILL PROVIDE QUITE A BIT OF EVIDENCE OF THE SAME ISSUE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BELOW ARE A FEW LINKS: CNN REPORT HTTP://IREPORT.CNN.COM/DOCS/DOC-708135 ATLANTA NEWS STATION HTTP://WWW.WSBTV.COM/NEWS/NEWS/ACURA-OWNERS-COMPLAIN-OF-CRACKING-DASHBOARDS/NFB38/ ACURAZINE FORUM HTTP://TL.ACURAZINE.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=730775 FACEBOOK PAGE STARTED FOR THE ISSUE HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/ACURATLDEFECTIVEDASH. *TR