My headlights provide no useable light to drive at night I have to use my high beams. So I avoid using this car at night when possible. It is my understanding that there was a recall on a similar problem of the Acura. 2014-2015 Acura RLX 11, 2014 – Acura will voluntarily recall approximately 9,700 model-year 2014-2015 RLX vehicles in the United States to replace the both headlight assemblies, free of charge. I would like my car headlights fixed so I can drive at night. This is not a maintenance problem but a Acura headlight product problem.
2015 Acura RDX complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2015 record →
The low beam headlight of my 2015 Acura RDX FWD became so dim and made driving at night impossible, unless putting the high beam on. I went to the local ACURA dealership and replaced the lightbulbs but it made not difference at all. I saw many same complaints on-line for ACURA RDX manufactured between 2013-2015, this is a serious safety issue and Honda needs to do something to fix this issue before people get hurt.
Headlights are very dim. Originally they were bright. Over time they have dimmed to the point of not being able to see at night. There are many discussions and threads on this defect. This is a significant safety issue.
My 2015 Acura RDX headlights have progressively been getting more and more dim over the past 5+ years. I am now at the point that I can no longer safely drive my car at night. I am unable to see very far in from of me, making it impossible to see lines in the road, or gauge where my vehicle is in the road. I have to use my high beams if I want to see anything. This blinds oncoming traffic. While looking this problem up online, I see that many others have complained about this, but there has been no resolution. Acura told me to pay the dealership to do diagnostics on my car and send them the report. I do not have the money to pay for diagnostics, and do not feel I should do so when there is a lot of evidence of a problem already. Acura recalled headlights of another model that had the same issue, the Acura RLX. "Delamination of the aluminum film may diminish output of the headlight, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash"
The Keyless Entry TPMS controller in the car, part #38320-TX4-Ao1 malfunctions, and the care does not turn itself off. The engine normally stops, but electrical systems continue operating and the car will drain its battery with a few hours. This is not an isolated occurance, while dealership personnel have not given firm #s, I beleive this may be effecting as high as 20% of the vehicles with this part. We have had a replacement part on back order since August 30th of 2023, today the dealship told me we are elevated to Urgent Backorder with not estimated fulfillment. On service tech told me the issue is that Acura suspended manufacture of the part as they try to solve this issue.
The headlights on the 2015 Acura RDX are so dim I cannot drive at night without leaving my high beams on. This has been going on for 3 years and the Acura dealer has generically said it is a known problem and there is no easy fix. There are many reports of this issue and it is a serious safety issue that neither Acura or NHTSA have addressed. It is dangerous for my family and me as we cannot see turns or obstacles well and it is dangerous for approaching drivers when I have to leave my high beams on.
Not related to any specific event, but the headlight housing on my Acura RDX has degraded such that the lights are nearly too dim to be usable at night. The dealer has advised me of a $3k cost to fix, but this is apparently a known, recurring issue related to this model, and perhaps other Acura models. Apparently, the reflective housing degrades around the headlight.
Over the past several months I have observed my headlights becoming dimmer when driving at night. It has gotten to the point where I now feel unsafe driving the vehicle as I can barely see the road. It appears the reflective surface inside the headlights has oxidized and no longer reflects at a safe brightness level. I spoke to my local dealership and the service department advised that he has seen the same issue on 2013-2015 RDX models but Acura has yet to issue any type of recall. My only option presented was to replace the headlight assemblies with an estimated cost of $2,200 for parts and labor.
Recently purchased a used 2015 RDX, headlights were foggy and the dealer cleaned the outer lens but the inner lens is not possible to restore. They are so dull that you must drive with the high beams on in order to see clearly. The Acura RLX had a recall for the exact same problem, this recall should have been extended to the RDX as well.
Low Beam Headlights degraded over the time to the point that driving at night became unsafe. Border line between lighted and dark road surface non exist. Replacing halogen bulbs has not solved the issue.
My 16 year old son was at a church function until after dark because daylight savings time means it is dark earlier. When he began to drive home he could not see the roadway because the low beam headlights provided close to zero illumination. He lost visibility and drove off the road into someone’s yard. There were children outside and they could have been killed. Only minor damage to the grass and yard occurred and fortunately no damage to the vehicle. He called me and I instructed him to engage the high beams and drive home which caused several oncoming vehicles to swerve and react menacingly because he didn’t dim his lights. The oxidation of the reflective coating is a known defect that was recalled in the Acura ILX and I expect that they should be required to take the same corrective action for the base model RDXs. Please take action
The low beam headlights are so dim that it is dangerous to drive at night. We must drive with high beams on in order to be safe on the road. It is unsafe for the car, us and other drivers to have the RDX on the road using low beams. In 2021, we had the vehicle inspected by the dealership, they informed us that the fix would be a $1200 replacement of the headlights. They offered to clean the lenses at a reduced cost, which we had already done, but this did not fix the problem. There are no warning lights or other indicators of the problem except that we cannot see at night.
My 2015 Acura RDX has such dim headlights, that I feel that it is not safe to drive at night. The headlights have gotten so dim that I can't even tell if they are on, unless I drive by a building and see the lights in the reflection. The only way I can drive safely is to have my high beam headlights on, which is not safe for other drivers. As I understand it, the 2015 Acura RLX has had recalls for a very similar headlight issue. Why hasn't this recall been extended to the 2015 RDX, which appears to be built off the same platform, and is having the same issue?
The headlights are horrible. I am unable to drive safely without using my bright lights. When I dim my headlights before approaching an oncoming car it is dangerous. On October 28, 2023 I did just that and missed seeing a deer due to the lack of visibility due to the defective headlights and hit the deer damaging my vehicle's right headlights. Prior to the accident, I invested in installing fog lights to remedy the situation, but it still did not help. I am holding Acura responsible for my accident which was due to defective headlights.
Headlights horribly dim on low - only illuminate the roadway at night if on high beams. Took it into the dealership today and was told it would be $2,500 to replace the reflectors and basically re-do the whole front headlamp area. We had this car mainly garaged during COVID when working from home 100%. Now that we drive it more, we realize it has become unsafe -cannot see to drive at night at all. Other vehicles with this problem have had recalls - RDX models of this 2015 year need to also be recalled so the problem can be fixed before causing accidents.
I have been having issues with the external low beams for the past 9months-1 year. They have progressively been getting more dim to now I can't even drive my car at night without using my high beams. I have replaced the bulbs and done headlight restoration without any improvement. There have been no warning lamps or messages on my car at all.
The contact owns a 2015 Acura RDX. The contact stated that the headlights failed to produce adequate light at night. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the bulbs, but the failure recurred. The contact called the dealer, who diagnosed that the casing needed to be replaced and the reflector had deteriorated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
The reflective surface inside the headlights has oxidized and no longer reflects at a safe brightness level. I have had the lenses cleaned and the bulbs replaced, but I still can barely see the road and can't drive my car at night until the entire headlight assemblies are replaced. This is not an easy task to do, and the assemblies are not inexpensive, Why isn't there a receall since this is a known safety issue?
The headlights are very dull and fail to illuminate the road at night. Thus, night driving is a hazard and using high beams blind other drivers.
LOWBEAM HEADLIGHTS: I have noticed myself and others have told me my RDX headlights do not light your driving as much as other cars. I been told this for couple year but I rarely drive at dark these days. On Monday Oct 2 I was driving home in Naples Florida at 8p and realized I could hardly see the road if there wasn't street lights aiding my view. Then on one stretch of road where there are not street lights and no other cars driving beside, I realized I cannot see the road at all unless I drive with my HIGH beams on . So I drove home on HIGH beams the entire distance and made it safely. I'm not sure of whether other cars could see me or not at night, so I know that this is a safety issue. After researching this problem online I quickly found conversations regarding how common this problem is on the RDX around 100k miles. Well, now it seems I'm hearing and reading this everywhere the more I research. I called the dealer service and they want about $1500 to replace my 2 entire headlight kits. This is ridiculous price gouging when I don't have that kind of money and I have to drive unsafely or with high beams on at night which could result in a traffic ticket for doing so. I definitely believe my low beams are unsafe to drive at night and that they got worse overtime, not just overnight.
My front headlights have gradually become so dim my car is unsafe to drive at night. I have had them checked and they are on - they have become so sim it is dangerous. This is an ongoing issue - I am posting the date that I had a friend in the car who kept asking if my lights were on and was freaking out that we were driving without lights.
Headlight assembly has failed, reflective material has deteriorated and the low beam is now so faint it is not safe to drive at night. can isnt even 10 years old and cant be driven at night due to headlight failure
The low-beam headlights gradually dim over time. Dim headlights can pose a safety risk, preventing drivers from seeing a safe distance ahead. This is not very safe to drive the vehicle at nighttime, my fear and the safety of my family to continue driving this vehicle. Acura should voluntarily recall the 2015 Acura RDX, due to defective headlights. 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. Light output of 2015 Acura Rdx is very low due to bad foil in projector headlights. I have swtiched bulbs but that did not make much different. This is a safety concern.
The car's low beam headlights do not safely illuminate the road in front of you. Honda/Acura has acknowledged a recall on other models of the Acura but they have not recalled 2015 Model RDX automobiles for this problem. The headlight's illumination is unsafe and pose a serious risk to all traffic. This problem forces the driver to illuminate high beams to see the road surface at night even when other traffic is traveling onward to the vehicle. This poses a serious safety risk to both parties.
The low beams are so dim that I have to drive only during the day and if I get stuck driving at night, I have no choice but to use my high beams. This is a safety issue because I am constantly paying attention to adjusting my lights as to not blind other drivers rather than all around driving. I have had several near misses for head on collisions. The first in 2019 from unintentionally blinding the oncoming drivers. Since then the lights have grown much worse. I am unable to see wild life and pedestrians, curbs etc. I have a job that requires me to work after dark during fall/winter. I have changed the bulbs and refurbished the lamp covers. This has not helped. I then did research and found that many 2013, 2014 RDX have been recalled due to the same issue and the 2015 RLX. Please help us 2015 RDX drivers to drive safely by instituting a recall on the faulty head lamp casing that has been recalled in other years and models.
The cover of front headlights are all foggy. This makes it difficult to see at night and does not put out the light like it use to. This is on both headlights and the vehicle is under 9 years old and kept in the garage. There are several posts like this with same issue for the 2015 Acura RDX. This is a material flaw and should be recalled. Issue started happening in 2019.
The low beam lighting has been dimmed even replacing with new light bulb doesn’t fix it it’s hard to drive at night
The contact owns a 2015 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the low-beam headlights were very dim. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V792000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 99,500.
I purchased the vehicle used on July 4, 2023. I've noticed that the low beam lights are very dim to the point they are a safety hazard. My daughters both have Honda CR-V models and both of their low beam lights are much brighter than mine. I looked online, and there are a lot of people with the same issue. I took it to the dealer, and they said nothing was wrong with it. However, there is definitely something clearly wrong with it because you can barely see to drive at night. The high beams work fine, but I can't drive around with high beams all of the time.
The headlight reflectors are so bad that it has become dangerous to drive in the night. The dealership agreed that its Acura's defect for that year and asked about $2500 to replace the whole headlight unit. No use in changing just the bulb.
Low beam headlights are extremely dim. It is not possible to drive at night on any roads that are dark. Replaced the light bulbs, had it polished, nothing works.
The headlights of the RDX have grown very dim. In 2022, to pass inspection, the mechanics had us change the lamps. While they passed us for inspection, I noticed very little difference in light output. This weekend I nearly hit an under-lit bicyclist, while battling head-on lights in a bit of drizzle. In these conditions the forward light from the RDX headlights is non existent, leaving the driver to discern the glare and shadows. Really the light output is unsafe in any conditions even pure darkness. The reported cause is the deterioration of internal reflectors due manufacturing flaws. While I can no longer drive the vehicle without putting replacement lights on it, I will happy to send my old headlights to NHTSA so they can dissect and see the manufacturing flaw. Hopefully then, a recall can be made. Please let me know where to send them!
Front Headlights are very dim, making it impossible to use without using the brights. Bulbs have been replaced to high intensity, and it still does not help. According to my mechanic and on-line forums, the problem is the reflective material inside the headlight assembly. Other models of Acura's have been recalled for this, but not the above model. It is getting very dangerous to drive and we do not want to spend the money for two new headlight assemblies when this is a defect in manaufactoring
The headlight housing is insufficiently opperating and is losing power and not providing safe lighting - it is exceedingly unsafe. this is a common issue among 2015 RDX when doing a search
Headlights are so dim after almost 100k miles. I replaced headlights and they’re still dim. so dim i can’t drive my car at night. went to the dealership and they said others have complained w this issue but no recalls yet. they have to change the entire bulb which would be over $2000.
Since 2020 the headlights on my car have gotten dimmer, to the point that it does not even look like they are on or illuminate anything at night. If I have to drive when it’s dark I have to rely on my high beams when it’s safe to use them on the road. I have changed lightbulbs and cleaned the exterior of the headlights as suggested by dealership with no change. The only remaining option I was told was to pay to replace the headlight setup/pieces for $800-$1000 each. When I have had my headlights inspected I am told there is no recall for this issue, but every person has noted that they are extremely dim and it is a common problem with my model.
Low beam headlights do not provide enough light for night driving. Just purchased a used Acura RDX with 100k miles for my daughter and I do not feel that it's safe to let her drive after dark. This appears to be a known issue with the RDX ranging 2013-2015 and I'm surprised to see there have been 0 recalls for this obvious safety issue. Hope this writeup is the one that tips the scales to force a recall.
Low Beam headlight is extremely dim. You can't even tell they are on in pitch darkness. This may be due to the reflector housing deteriorating.
Headlights do not reflect more than 3 feet. The headlights “pass” inspection but provide no use.
The headlights are very dim. The bulbs have been replaced and still are dim. This isn't due to oxidation on the headlight cover they are clear. Based on similar reports it seems to be a component in the low beam assembly that oxidizes the reflector and as a result replacement bulbs don't fix the issue. The problem keeps getting worse to the point that the headlights are almost useless for seeing where you are going. The actual part appears to cost about $60 but Acura won't replace that they will only replace the entire headlight assembly which cost about $700 each.
Headlights are dim. Visibility is very low. Acura acknowledges issue but says customer has to replace whole headlight system at a cost of approximately $2000
Low beams have dimmed to an unsafe level due to oxidation of the reflector. Replacement of bulbs with the brightest option made little difference. Dealership acknowledged it is a common problem.
Low beam headlights have become dim to the point where they offer no visibility. This has been a progressive decline in the low beam lights. I now use high beams as much as possible for safe travel. This is a problem experienced by many Acura owners with no help from Acura except to offer a costly replacement of headlight assemblies.
The daytime running light is dangerously dim on one side. Changing the headlight doesn't fix the issue. The housing is defective it's failing to reflect the light outward causing dangerous visibility issues.
The low beam lights have completely degraded making the car basically inoperable at night. It has been gradual but is now at the point where I am constantly being flashed by other drivers to put on my lights even though they are on. The daytime running lights are brighter! The output from the low beams has been so poor that I have to rely on street lights as well as the headlights of other cars when on the highway. Now I HAVE to use my high beams to operate my car at night and early morning. It is horrific to drive in fog and snow as high beam use is impossible. I have replaced the bulbs, had headlight restoration and replaced the halogen with LED. NOTHING makes a difference. I will not allow my teenagers to drive the car at night and I will not buy another Acura. Through internet research, I have found many other owners of the 2015 RDX with the same experience.
Low Beam headlights have degraded to the point of being unable to see the road and have to use high beams to drive at night.I have replaced the low beam bulbs with no improvement .The problem seems to be the low beam bulb capsules that the bulbs are in that have some type of reflective coating that has deteriorated.I see Acura has recalled the 2015 model RLX for this same problem. I have searched online and there are many posts about this headlight problem with the 2015 RDX .There has to be a recall on the RDX also as these vehicles are unsafe !
Main head lights are not giving enough brightness to see the road. Visibility while driving during night is very hard and can’t see clearly an object which is at 5 to 6 feet distance also. It’s a 2015 Acura RDX AWD base and there are many complaints online in different forums also about head light visibility issue. I gone to Acura dealer but their suggestion is to cleanup external plastic headlight cover and change lights which is not resolving the issue. Head light brightness is detoriating day by day. Please take action appropriately as there are many 2015 Acura RDX with the same issue and without proper head light brightness leads to improper driving which leads to accidents and it’s a safety related issue.
Around 80,000 miles my headlights seemed to have become quite dim. I have changed out the head lightbulbs twice, 2nd time to the brightess bulbs available to buy. No change in brightness. I bought a kit to clean the outer surface lens still no change in brightness . They headlights are so dangerously dim it doesn’t look like I have headlights on. Also anyone who gets in the car with me always says “you need to turn your headlights on” & I say “ they are on! “ Basically I have to drive around with my brights on in order to see at night and my brights look like everybody else’s regular headlights when I’m next to other cars . I took my car to the Gillman Acura dealership in Houston where I purchased my car to have them look at the lights and they told me that the lens cover is degraded and cloudy over the lightbulbs and the whole headlamp would need to be replaced. I was told the light lens has degraded and become cloudy because of the sun light reflecting into my headlights and also because of sun reflecting off of buildings into my headlights where I park for long periods of time, to which I replied” I park in the garage and where I work, there’s no reflection coming off of the building! I’ve had many cars throughout my life and this is has never happened before ….they told me it would cost $2200 to replace both of them ! I recently decided to look online to see if other people were having this problem and I read where many people have complained of the same problem with thei
We have been having issues with very dim headlights in our vehicle that has presented numerous safety issues. From our research this seems to be a global problem with these headlights and something needs to be done about it. It is not safe for us or those around us to have to drive with our dim lights or with our high beams on to compensate. We have also filed into a class action lawsuit for resolution to this issue as stated below this is why we are contacting you. Thanks for your assistance with this matter. You previously contacted us about dim headlights in your Acura RDX. Thank you for contributing to our investigation. Our law firm is continuing our investigation of the defect and potential class action claims. Because dim headlights present a significant safety issue for drivers and pedestrians, we suggest that you may want to submit a safety complaint to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index, if you have not done so already. Doing so will help create a record of safety complaints about this issue, and help ensure that Acura is aware of the scope of the problem. We will keep you apprised of any significant developments in our efforts to achieve a resolution for consumers. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. [XXX] LLP [XXX] Direct: [XXX] Fax: [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The headlights on this vehicle are defective. They do not project light and over time deteriorated to a point where you cannot see when driving in the dark. NOTE, this is not a result of the bulb as we went to great expense to twice change it out with new bulbs. The first time we used an OEM new bulb matched what was originally installed with no improvement. After that, we tried a newer style LED bulb with about a 10% improvement but we still could not see to drive at night. After extensive online research, we found a significant group of posts of many people having the exact same problem. And then we learned what the actual problem was. The lens coating, that reflects and focuses the light from the bulb was defective and failed, thus changing the bulb to a new one had no positive results. After contacting Acura as I know many others did from reading online, they still refused to take responsibility for the defect. Our only solution was to replace both lighting assemblies with brand new, non-OEM ones at significant expense. Adding up the cost of new bulbs, labor, new light housings, and more labor, we had over $1,000 of costs involved.
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NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
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