If your vehicle is showing dashboard passenger airbag cover is cracked, warped, or lifting up, here are the most likely causes and the parts you'll need to fix each one.
Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight and extreme cabin temperatures causes the dashboard material and airbag cover adhesive to shrink, warp, and eventually crack or lift.
Certain vehicle models have known factory defects where the dashboard material or airbag cover retaining clips fail prematurely. This is often addressed by a manufacturer Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) or recall.
If the vehicle was in a previous accident where the passenger airbag deployed, the replacement cover or dash panel may have been installed incorrectly, or an improper aftermarket cover was glued down.
Prying on the airbag cover to route aftermarket wiring, mount accessories, or clean the dash aggressively can break the fragile retaining clips, causing the cover to lift.