2014 Acura RDX complaints

RDX headlights become dim after 6 years and important safety issue when driving at night ; dealership initially blamed sun damaging outside plastic however despite repeated buffing nothing improved spending almost a one thousand in cost for buffing without any improvement in dim light ; now they are stating it is an issue with reflective surface inside ; the acura RLX was recalled for this issue why has the acura RDX; the dealership is charging each customer at least 2-3 thousand dollars to replace ; should this not be a basic function of the car ; do we have to have an accident for a recall to occur ; I am having to use my high beams driving at night ;

Low beam halogen headlight are dangerously dim. New bulbs haven’t helped, and no, my headlight housings aren’t chalky nor crazed. I’ve found myself in many scenarios, even one dark roads, where I get very little light.

The contact owns a 2014 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the headlights were extremely dim and failed to provide proper illumination while driving at night. The contact stated that the headlights were replaced several times, but the failure persisted. The dealer was made aware of the failure and the service manager stated that the headlamp housing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.

Headlights are dangerously dim, to the extent that it is not safebto drive at night. Visibility is likened to only having the orange running lights on. May see a depth of 3ft ahead, while practically no visibility in adverse conditions, such as rain, fog or snow. I have replaced the bulbs several times, as well as the housings and fuses. All appear to be in working condition an the headlight covers do not have any condensation or wear that would obscure light emitting. I have had several mechanics look at this from 3 Acura dealers and one independent Japanese import mechanic. No failures were found, however, all agreed that this was a critical safety concern. This issue was present since 2016 when I purchased the car and has become completely unsafe to drive at night since 2018, at around 60k miles. No fix appears to be available, except an almost $3k full replacement, which i find insulting and egregious. I've only owned Acura/Honda and have never experienced such willful ignorance concerning safety. Does someone have to die for this to be recalled?

The low-beam headlights are so dim that when I drive at night I cannot see the road in front of me. When there is a passenger in my car at night, they tell me to turn on my headlights when they are already on. When I take my vehicle in for scheduled maintenance (at the dealership) I keep asking about the lights, and they keep saying that the lights are working properly, they are clean, and they are aimed properly; "that's just how they are." I asked about replacing them and they say that it would cost me thousands of dollars to do it. For nighttime driving I've resorted to turning on my foglamps along with my headlights, and turning on my high-beams whenever there are no vehicles coming toward me. I am not able to see the road at night or in storms well enough to feel safe.

If I had known the headlights are this bad to drive at night I would have never purchased the car. I have replaced the bulbs but was told it is the type of headlights that came with the vehicle. Never will buy another vehicle again with out testing it at night

Headlights have been increasingly dim over the years, and this is a common problem with 2013 -2015 rdxs ; replacing the bulbs do not help, it is due to faulty housing

I purchased this vehicle in October 2023, it was sold to me is as a certified vehicle. The issue came to my attention when I drove out the first night after the purchase. I took the car back to the dealer. Turns out the service department is aware of the issue and recommended a stereo installation shop. I went to headlight business, collision repair company, stereo shop, a total of six different outlets. I went back to the dealer and said they can’t help me. They sold me a lemon and they refuse to stand behind the fact that it was certified. They knowingly sold me a car that can only driven during the day.

The low beam headlights are extremely dim. This brightness of the low beams have slowly gotten worse over the years. Replacing the bulbs have not increased the brightness at all. Driving at night is nearly impossible without relying on the high beams to assist with vision.

Over the last year or two, my headlights have dimmed more and more to the point that I really can only drive at night with my high beams on. The bulbs have been replaced and that has not improved things so it is not a bulb issue.

The low-beam headlights are extremely dim making it difficult to see while driving at night without using high-beam lights.

Low beam headlights have gradually dimmed over time to the point that they provide minimal lighting to the roadway and often appear to oncoming drivers as only daytime running lights (they often flash their headlights at me to tell me to turn mine are, except they already are on). This is a widely occurring issue with 2013-2015 RDXs as evidenced by many numerous consumer statements publicly viewable online. This is a widespread safety issue requiring investigation and remediation from the manufacturer

The low beam headlights are too dim to drive at night safely. They are available for inspection. My safety and the safety of others is in extreme danger when driving at night because I can’t see unless I turn on the high beams. The problem is known and recalls were issues for some models. The components have not been inspected but it’s obvious.

Low beams have been getting progressively worse since late 2023 to the point where the low beams are as bright as my day running lights. Driving at night has become very dangerous and I need to continually turn on and off high beams to see roadway at night. This seems to be a common problem in 2013-2015 RDX cars. There was a recall for Acura headlights in a different Acura model many years ago. It seems the RDX model in the 2013-15 years should be covered as well.

Low beams have become way too dim. I replaced the bulbs, but it made only a minor improvement. I also cleaned the outer surface so it's not hazy anymore.

Our low beam headlights have been very low for a few months now. I have tried to replace the bulbs, using multiple different types / various degrees of halogen light bulbs, but each time this does not solve the low output problem. Now our car is failing our yearly state safety inspection and after research it appears the reflector inside the housing unit may need change. The lights are very dim and are becoming hard to drive without using high beams.

Dim headlights. Replaced them ($300) thinking they were getting old, upon the next evening driving - the lights were still too dim to safely drive the vehicle. No change in visibility whatsoever. Because of that these headlights are not up to par with Transportation safety. This needs to be recalled and replaced with halogen!

Both headlight lowbeams are very dim, so dim that they provide almost zero lighting to see the road at night. Dealer informed me that I would need to purchase both headlight assemblies at a cost of just under $3,000.

Low beam headlights have been horrible for the last several years. They light up a few feet ahead, very abnormal for headlights. They were fine when purchased but after about 6 years it got progressively worse. It was extremely risky to drive at night. Fortunately no accidents but a huge risk out on the road. There are many owners who have the 2013 to 2015 base RDX after searching the internet who have a similar problem. Honda/Acura should recall them. Acura dealers will admit that some owners have replaced the headlight assemblies but not on a massive scale. I think some just don't drive at night or don't want to or have the money for repair. Apparently not a problem with some cars but others like mine a major problem. I resolved the problem today by purchasing new headlight assemblies (the ONLY solution) from An Acura dealer just to provide safety and visibility in an otherwise good vehicle. Most Acura dealers charge around $2,500. The reflective coating wears off and delaminates after years of use from what I understand. This should be a definite recall and replaced by the manufacturer due to an unjust cost to the owners and more importantly for SAFETY!!! It was almost like driving without headlights on at all. It's simply not right it's a travesty to leave the owners with the financial responsibility for something provided by the manufacturer that is faulty/defective. Regards, Brad Singer

The regular headlights (low beam) are incredibly dull. Sometimes i turn the headlights off and back on to be sure they are on, because its hard to tell - especially if its raining. I have replaced the bulbs with no change. I have read online this is a recurring problem with this model. My wife had to drive home the other night from the airport in the rain and felt incredibly unsafe and drove with her high beams on the entire time to be able to see

The headlights are detective. The lowbeams are so dim it's dangerous to drive at night. This can cause a serious accident or other problems.

Headlights are so dim I can’t see while driving. Replacing bulbs had no results.

The low beam headlights do not adequately illuminate the road. It has gotten progressively worse over the last 18-24 months and has gotten to the point that we can’t safely drive the vehicle unless we are able to use the high beams. When I was at the dealership for routine maintenance I asked about replacing the bulbs. I was told replacing the bulbs would not solve the issue and they did not feel right about charging me for something they knew would be a temporary at best solution. I can only assume the dealer/manufacturer inspect the lights as part of every service visit. There have not been any warning lights on the dash. Other than not being able to see the road there have not been any other symptoms.

Headlights are so dim almost impossible to drive at night. Dealership says nothing is wrong with them.

The headlight reflector has been burned by the halogen lamp. After doing some research it’s a very common problem. Replacing the halogen bulb does nothing as the reflector does not work. Honda/ Acura is denying any responsibility. The car has ZERO visibility at night. The light power is equivalent to a candle light

The headlights are so dim that I have to drive with the high beams on at all times or I can’t see. I even had an Acura dealer try to clean them and it didn’t help. It’s crazy that this is a known issue (according to the Acura dealership) and this hasn’t been recalled. I’m basically driving in the dark or can’t drive at all at night.

Over a period of about 1 year the low beam headlights dimmed to a point that the vehicle was unsafe to drive at night. The lights provided no illumination. The dealership (Ron Tonkin Acura) did tell me that the reflector in that model and year could deteriorate and be "less" reflective. They recommended purchasing replacement components on Amazon ($418.99) and have them installed at the dealership ($435.62). I purchased the parts and had them installed. The dealership also told me that they did not have enough information to say if the replacements lights would have the same issue.

When my car hit approximately 100,000 miles noted greatly decreased visibility for night time driving due to poor output from what I thought was the lights. Had Acura dealer replace lights with no change noted. They then suggested I have someone else(because they wouldn’t do it) replace bulbs with LED bulbs. Had LBulbs changed to LED with no change. This is a major safety issue as I do not have adequate or any visible lighting with my low beams making it impossible to be able to see to drive at night. This is extremely dangerous. Acura will not do anything. I did research online and noted many people with same or similar year RDX talking about this issue and reporting it. Online I found this: it’s a very real problem that is common to the 2013, 2014, and 2015 Acura RDX base model. It’s outrageous that Acura hasn’t recalled it. The low-beam reflector itself oxidizes, is not reflective at all, and no amount of brighter bulbs or clean outside lenses will help with a reflector that doesn’t reflect. (It’s also not related to the cloudy inner-lens. It’s the reflector.) Looks like there are several complaints about that gen RDX and its HIDs getting dim at around 100k. Focus seems to be converging on the reflector and/or the fresnel lens degrading. There’s even a law firm doing some preliminary work to judge whether or not to file a class action.

I just recently purchased this vehicle on 10/18/23. I purchased it during the daytime so was unaware of the headlight problem until I had to drive at night time. The low beams are extremely dim! I checked all fuses, relays and bulbs and everything is in good working order. Reached out to my local dealership and they advised this is a known issue but has not been recalled. The housing assembly causes delamination over time and will cost me more than $2,000 to replace the entire headlight assembly on both sides and Acura is aware of this issue and recalled the headlight problem on similar Acuras of the same year but refuses to fix this safety problem. I can not see when driving at night unless my highbeams are on which is illegal on the highway!

The contact owns a 2014 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving at various speeds at night, the low beam headlights were significantly dimmed, diminishing the visibility of the roadway. The contact stated that the high-beam headlights were activated to safely drive at night. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the low-beam headlights were replaced, and the lenses were cleaned; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.

The headlights are so dim it's unsafe to drive at night. I replaced the bulbs, but the headlights still are too dim to drive at night. It's dangerous and people in my car with me at night after I replaced the bulbs noticed it too and were very concerned.

October 2021 at 74,790 miles I took the 2014 RDX to the dealer as the driver side headlight did not illuminate. The bulb was replaced. The light was still dimmer than the passenger side. In December 2022 at 81,415 mile service at the dealer I reported continued issues with night driving and dim headlights and was informed that the both head light projectors oxidized and the recommendation was to replace both ( $2,177.98). I limited my night driving and tried one more time to have the bulbs replaced without improvement. July 2023 at 85,204 miles both headlight assembly were replaced at the dealer ( $2,276.85). At the same time I contacted American Honda Motor Company to request financial assistance. After providing all dealer service documentation I was called to be advise that this was outside of warranty even thought the vehicle was not safe to drive in the dark.

Low beam headlights have gotten dimmer and dimmer over time, and represent a significant safety risk when driving at night. We have replaced the bulbs with the brightest, most expensive options possible, and no difference. We had the dealer check the problem, and they told us that they could "recondition" the headlight covers (which didn't look to me to be the problem, but we were desperate to make the situation better). No change at all (except we're out a few hundred dollars). Upon further research online, sounds like it is a common issue for this generation of Acura RDX, as well as other cars that use the same headlight projector. The heat from the bulbs gradually degrades the reflective coating on the inside of the projector, and it doesn't matter what bulb you put in at that point. It is amazing to me that this is a known issue, and no recall has been issued by Acura. Properly functioning headlights are a critical component of a safe operating vehicle.

Headlights too dim And won’t pass inspection

I am the original owner of a 2014 Acura RDX, and I've been facing headlight issues since hitting 70,000 miles. The problem has worsened, making it extremely dangerous to drive at night due to the excessively dim headlights. I've nearly been in two car accidents because of this visibility problem. I've ruled out lens clouding as the cause and discovered that the issue lies with the coating inside the headlight assembly, leading to significant dimming during nighttime use. This poses a serious safety hazard, and I believe the dealer should issue a recall to address it. It's concerning that many others have experienced the same problem, yet Acura hasn't taken action to resolve it, despite the evident safety risk. Notably, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , Honda issued a recall for certain Acura RLX vehicles with the same issue, but not for the RDX. I feel that it's time for the government to intervene and compel Acura to conduct a recall for this problem. Safety should be their top priority, and prompt action is necessary to ensure the issue is resolved. On a related note, Chimicles Schwartz Kriner & Donaldson-Smith LLP (CSK&D) is currently investigating a potential class action lawsuit involving Acura vehicles, including the 2013, 2014, and 2015 Acura RDX models. Reports suggest that these vehicles have unsafe low-beam headlights that gradually dim over time, creating a safety risk, especially at night when visibility is crucial.

My 2014 Acura RDX only has 24,000 miles on it and the headlight are so dim I cannot even tell if they’re on at night!!! This is extremely dangerous!!! To replace these headlights through my local dealer cost over $850! I’ve found on the internet that this is a very common problem that thousands have had! I cannot believe that the government has not forced Acura to recall for this problem!!!

The headlights are extremely dim making night driving unsafe. The Acura of Chattanooga attempted to deglaze the exterior of the light housing, but the problem is inside the round bulb cover. It is easily visible to see the glaze covering the inside of the bulb. This low light/visibility problem is constant at any speed.

I am the original owner of the vehicle and have kept up on all routine maintenance. At about 65K miles the headlights started getting dimmer and it is impossible to see at night. It is like having a bic lighter for headlights. It is not the lens clouding over and there are numerous other consumers online that have the exact same problem. Online reasearch shows that there is a problem with the coating on the inside of the headlight assembly that makes the headlights dim at night. This needs to be recalled by the dealer and is definitely a safety hazard! Acura will not address the issue and they recommend changing the whole headlight assembly at $18000 for parts. I tried putting in brighter bulbs and this did not fix the problem. Please help!!

Problem: Dim low beam headlights. I first noticed this issue around the end of 2020 to 2021 (mileage around 80,000). It got progressively worse over the next 2 years. I believe that it is now unsafe to drive this vehicle at night. I have contacted Acura customer service (American Honda) regarding this problem 12/06/21 case #[XXX]. I have made a number of efforts to improve brightness including refinishing plastic lens, replacing halogen bulbs, replacing with LED bulbs but none of these have improved the unsafe low beam headlights. On my last visit to the Acura dealership I was told that I had a fogged projector glass in the light assemble. the only repair would be to replace the entire light assemble both right side and left side costing $3,500.00. On 7/5/23 the Honda case worker says that because there is no recall they can not do anything about it. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The contact owns a 2014 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that moments later the vehicle re-started independently and the operated normally. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the failure recurred; however, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence. During the failure, the contact stated that the "Charging System" warning light continued to flash off and on. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 98,000.

Headlights are dangerously dim. Replacing the bulbs did not help. I am forced to either use high beams or not drive at night.

Headlights are dim, even after replacing it is something faulty with the original design. I have nearly been hit by cars turning into the road at night because of how dim the lights are. I have to have them on bright to be seen which creates further issues eith cars flashing their brights. I have researched online and found this is a common problem that acura refuses to issue a recall for. Please help us!!!

These low beam head lights are so dim you can not see the road at night

Low beam headlights have become very dim. By not adequately lighting the road ahead, a dangerous condition is being created for the driver. High beam headlights must be used to provide adequate lighting but must be switched to low beam to avoid blinding oncoming vehicle drivers. Based on internet searches on this matter, many other 2013, 2014, and 2015 Acura owners are having the same problem. Acura is aware of the faulty manufacturing of the low beam headlight units but refuses to issue a recall on the RDX model.

I can not drive the vehicle at night due to not being able to see the road using the low beam headlights. The low beam headlights have become so dim that I have to use the high beam in order to drive at night.

Exterior light, especially the low beams, are not sufficient for driving at night. The beams are very low and make it challenging to see. If I did not have added fog lights, I would find it impossible to drive at night without constant usage of the high beams. It seems this was recalled in other models and needs to be addressed. It is not safe for drivers and it is clear that just changing the bulbs does not fix the problem. The dealership was going to charge me over 100 dollars just to look at the headlights and said that it was a known issue and nothing can really be done without an extensive overhaul of the headlights. This needs to be recalled.

Headlights have gradually become so dim that the vehicle is not safe to drive at night. This 2014 Base model Acura RDX was purchased new from the dealer in 2013 and has less than 50,000 miles. This appears to be a widespread issue and the only identified correction is to replace both headlight assemblies at an estimated cost exceeding $2000 (for dealership replacement). In addition to compromising the safe night operation of the vehicle, this is an unreasonably short lifetime limitation for mandatory safety equipment.

The headlights on my 2014 Acura RDX are very dim. I went to the Acura dealership and they agreed that it was dim and suggested that I replace both hid bulbs which I did but it hasn't made much of a difference. Not having properly lighting is obviously a safety issue and makes it very difficult to drive at night, especially with our current weather conditions. I emailed Acura to follow up and they said there is nothing they can do as there isn't a recall. A recall should happen asap as this is a big safety issue.

The low beam headlights are extremely dim, making the car unusable at night. The exterior plastic is clear and not cloudy. Changing the bulbs did not help. It appears that the reflective coating inside the light has failed. The car was not used at night durning the pandemic so I'm not sure when the failure occurred. I have recently replaced both light assemblies in order to use the car at night. Calls to Acura were not helpful.

The headlights have gone extremely dim making it really hard to see in the night. I have tried replacing bulbs multiple times but it doesn’t help. Reading on forums it seems many folks are hitting the same issue and are pointing to the housing/reflector going bad. Please take a look at this as it seems similar issue has been reported and recall issued for other models from Acura.