Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Acura TL owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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!
I bought a certified used 2004 Acura TL in 2011. The car was in awesome shape. Then in oct. 2014, I noticed two cracks running from the windshield almost to the glove box. It appeared to outline the airbag on the passenger side. Hairline cracks in the first couple of weeks. Then a cold spell hit and the cracks became much larger. Now a crack is running across the airbag area. I am very concerned about safety due to the airbag being compromised by a cracked dash. I took it to the dealer where I have purchased 3 Acura TL's for my family. They told me that it was a very well known problem but there was no recall on this issue. They suggested using leather conditioner to soften the dash in hopes of stopping the spread of the cracks. They blamed it on armer all type product usage on the dash. They even gave me a leather conditioner kit to apply. …
In the last 10 days, the SRS dash light came on without a known incident. Researching online Acura information, many areas refers to cracking of the dashboard as a possible reason for the SRS light to stay on. Upon investigation, there is a 15 inch crack on the passenger side, going down the right side of the airbag placement. Reports say cracks will continue, Acura knows of the issue however will not recall or correct the issue. For the numerous reported issues of cracking dashboards, Acura should take the corrective action needed. This has been my best purchase to date and have unquestionable faith in the car. With the multitude of complaints about this same issue, how can it be ignored? Before this, I would not consider purchasing anything other than another Acura however a $36K vehicle should not have a known repetitive issue thru several years of models. …
In the last 10 days, the SRS dash light came on without a known incident. Researching online Acura information, many areas refers to cracking of the dashboard as a possible reason for the SRS light to stay on. Upon investigation, there is a 15 inch crack on the passenger side, going down the right side of the airbag placement. Reports say cracks will continue, Acura knows of the issue however will not recall or correct the issue. For the numerous reported issues of cracking dashboards, Acura should take the corrective action needed. This has been my best purchase to date and have unquestionable faith in the car. With the multitude of complaints about this same issue, how can it be ignored? Before this, I would not consider purchasing anything other than another Acura however a $36K vehicle should not have a known repetitive issue thru several years of models. …
In the last 10 days, the SRS dash light came on without a known incident. Researching online Acura information, many areas refers to cracking of the dashboard as a possible reason for the SRS light to stay on. Upon investigation, there is a 15 inch crack on the passenger side, going down the right side of the airbag placement. Reports say cracks will continue, Acura knows of the issue however will not recall or correct the issue. For the numerous reported issues of cracking dashboards, Acura should take the corrective action needed. This has been my best purchase to date and have unquestionable faith in the car. With the multitude of complaints about this same issue, how can it be ignored? Before this, I would not consider purchasing anything other than another Acura however a $36K vehicle should not have a known repetitive issue thru several years of models. …
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.
In March of last year a crack in the dashboard running parallel to the driver side airbag appeared and extended from the windshield to the to glove compartment. In the intervening months, several more cracks near the airbag have appeared and the SRS warning light is on whenever the ignition is live. Given the recent publicity regarding airbags, and the many similar complaints I have read from other owners of 2004 Acura TL's, I am increasingly concerned that this defect is both widespread and dangerous. Since Acura is aware of the hazard these significant failures present, and to date has taken no action to correct them, I believe the NHTSA must act to compel Acura to recall and repair the affected vehicles.
I am the 2nd owner of a 2004 Acura TL that I purchased in October of 2007. It has been a great vehicle with the exception of a recent defect issue. The dashboard has cracked multiple times directly over the passenger side airbag as well as over the instrument panel. It appears this is a common defect reported by several other owners of this year, make, and model of vehicle. I'm afraid the cracks May cause inadvertent airbag deployment which would be extremely dangerous to myself or any other occupant that May be in my car. I strongly believe Acura needs to step up and handle this safety issue.
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.
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.
Body complaints in other TL years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2004 Acura TL?
NHTSA has 232 complaints about the body & structure of the 2004 Acura TL, 42% of the model year's 551 complaints. The component named most often is body (50 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Acura TL body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2004 Acura TL, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Acura TL body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 1% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 1 injury to body & structure problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.