2015 Acura RDX complaints

The lights on my 2015 Acura RDx became so dim it was no longer safe to drive. I took it to my mechanic and he agreed saying he also felt it was a safety issue. I contacted the dealer as well as Acura and they were aware of the issue but said it was not covered under our extended warranty. The car has limited miles and we decide to replace the lights at a cost of $1859.42. The replacement of the lights has made a significant difference in the safety of the vehicle. The lights were so dim that cars coming in the other direction were flashing at me and I started to avoid driving it at night and took my husbands car. I have the lights available if they need to be inspected.

The headlights on the car are dangerously dim. The lights have been frustratingly dim for years (at least 5+ years since I’ve owned the car) but now I’m genuinely concerned for my family’s safety—they’ve continued to get dimmer and dimmer. The only way I can make it home at night is by using my brights. And even the brights present a dangerous situation for me and other cars on the road. I’ve been told by dealers that this is a known issue but they will not repair it for free without a recall — the fix is not as simple as replacing lightbulbs, it is easily $3,000-4,000 of labor and parts (the entire headlights need to be replaced). How can Acura / Acura dealers know about faulty, dangerous parts and refuse to do anything about it? Please intervene for the safety of my family. Further, I’ve read online about others in the exact same situation. This needs to be fixed and is tremendously dangerous. It’s only getting worse. Also, while the date on this complaint is today (4/16/2023), this has been an issue for YEARS.

Notice 2-3 years ago the low beam headlight is so dim, you cannot safely see at night. Even changing to new light bulb does not fix the problem. Dealer says this is normal but if you drive at night this is not normal. I found out this is well known issue with this generation of RDX that everyone is having the problem with. And I was told changing the entire light assembly housing is the only solution as OEM housing has a problem with reflector going bad overtime. I'm considering selling the car because of this safety issue but this will only put future buyer at risk and not resolving the safety issue.

The lights are too dim to safely drive at night and they are becoming even worse and are now so low that I must use my high beams to see at night. I have spoken to the dealer but the only thing they suggested was a new headlight, it did not make anything better.

The dim lights are horrible with about 20% of the correct or new car illumination of the street. I have replaced the low beam 3 times and I am not able to see the road with the low beam. This forces me to use my bright beams which is not safe. I have had a high energy bulb replace as suggested by the dealer and they are not helping. When you go the the service dept. at Acura and they l say, yes we hear this a lot. This is a real issue for safety. I have a case with Honda / Acura and they asked that I take my car to the local dealer for an evaluation. I did that and they kept my car for almost a month. No fix or repairs were made. The fix is a total replacement of the lights, wire system and lens cover. That is about $2000 and I should not need to pay due to this quality issue. I have a case number from Honda which can share with you if you want it. If you do an internet search you will see that this is a national problem and a recall from Honda / Acura need to be forced as they are not willing to fit the problem on their own.

Headlight low beam becomes very dim - almost not be able to drive at night. Went to the dealership. They quote me $1500 to replace both headlight assembly because the old ones are "not working". It failed state safety inspection!

LOW BEAMS VERY DIM. DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AFTER DARK WITHOUT USING HIGH BEAMS. MANUFACTURER STATES THAT THE REFLECTIVE COATING IN THE LOW BEAM HOUSING LOSES IT'S ABILITY TO PROPERLY REFLECT LIGHT FROM HEADLAMP OVER TIME. REPLACEMENT QUOTE FROM BRADSHAW ACURA (GREENVILLE SC) WAS $2,400. VEHICLE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT ACURA RDX 2013-2015 HAVE THIS DEFECT.

Headlights are extremely dim. Headlights replaced with no results. Dealer states faulty wiring and inner reflector

The headlights are very dim (barely any light at night) and the dealership stated the entire headlight assembly has to be replaced (over $2300 in costs). Apparently many of the same model and year RDX have the same problem.

The headlights do not adequately illuminate the front of the car.

The low beam lights are almost none existent. We bought he car used two days ago (3/10/23) and we drove for the first time at night and had not light visible. Car's behind were casting more light. We had to use our high beams to get home. I checked and all lights are working, high, low, running, turn, fog, etc. No bulbs are burned out. I have replaced the bulbs with OEM. No change.

The one headlight is very dim and it makes seeing on the road not as visible.

The headlights on this vehicle are so dim it is unsafe to drive at night. Was told by the dealership that it’s a common problem with this vehicle where the inner film oxidizes and degrades the coating. This issue happened on another model and was recalled and fixed. It is terrifying to drive at night, especially with my child in the car. I live in an area with deer and the lights are so dim you cannot even see in front of you. Someone is going to die due to this issue. If you Google this issue EVERYONE is complaining about it. According to Acura it would require me to pay approx $2500 for them to fix this issue. Again, not having working headlights is an extreme safety issue. This not only affects the one driving, but others can’t even see me on the road. Especially now that street lights are not really common anymore, it is impossible to see at night. Please issue a recall for the headlights to be replaced before someone gets hurt. Especially children who ride in this vehicle. This issue makes this vehicle dangerous, unsafe, and impossible to drive at night.

Headlights malfunctioned - they would turn on but lighting was very dim. The headlights were so dim while driving that driving in the evening became dangerous because they did not sufficiently illuminate the road so I could not see well. There was almost no difference in terms of improving visibility at night while driving between having the headlights on or off. That’s obviously a hazard for me and other drivers. When I brought the car to the dealership for inspection and repair, the Acura dealership mechanic ran diagnostics but prior to running them said he knew the problem was most likely due to deterioration of the reflective coating not an electrical issue. He said he sees many Acuras like mine coming in after 5 years with the same headlight problem and advised us to have the headlights replaced elsewhere to save money because the dealership charges $4,000 minimum for this repair. Diagnostics were fine, mechanic’s assessment was correct that the problem was premature deterioration of the silver reflective coating used in the headlights. This defect doesn’t cause warning lights to come on, the car can’t tell if the reflective coating in it’s headlights wears out. I noticed for a short while that the headlights were a bit dim and thought the exterior of the lights needed cleaning, but then it suddenly seemed like they weren’t working at all one evening. I actually got out of the car in my driveway one night to check if the lights had turned on - standing outside the car th

I had taken my vehicle to the dealer because I was having a very difficult time at night seeing with my headlights. The dealer determined that both of my font headlights assemblies were extremely dim and needed to be replaced. I found the dealer to be very irresponsible and i informed them that this was a major accident waiting to happen since my driving was impaired by the dim headlights.

The vehicle headlights are dangerously low for night driving regardless of how new the bulbs are.

Both low beam headlights are very dim. Replacing the bulb does not increase brightness. Reports from internet are saying it’s because the reflective material oxidizes and no longer reflects. Extremely dangerous to drive at night.

My headlights have become dangerously dim once my car hit 100K miles. Despite cleaning the lens and changing the bulbs, I still can hardly see at night time. I regularly have to use my brights to be able to see the lines or curbs. Dealership wants to charge close to $3,000 for repairs and cannot seem to provide a plausible reason why my car after having no accidents and is well kept and maintained is having this headlight problem. It is a significant safety concern. I drive home from baseball practices with my 2 young sons at night and need to be able to see the road!

From initial purchase, the headlights never seemed bright enough and often at night it appeared as though they were not turned on at all. Nearly 3 years after owning the vehicle, research online revealed a systemic issue with the headlights. Local dealership quoted replacement cost at over $3,000. Safety impact was reduced visibility in low light situations, and pedestrians/other drivers were unable to clearly see the vehicle approaching in low light situations. Other owners indicate the same issue: https://www.carproblemzoo.com/acura/rdx/2015/headlights-problems.php Manufacturer issued a very limited recall for this issue which did not include my model: https://hondanews.com/en-US/releases/statement-by-acura-regarding-headlight-recall-2014-2015-acura-rlx A class-action suit is pending regarding this issue: https://chimicles.com/acura-rdx-dim-headlight-class-action-investigation/ There were no warning lamps nor messages in the vehicle to indicate the malfunction.

The headlights on my vehicle became extremely dim. I kept changing the bulbs and there was no improvement. It was very dangerous at night and my wife wouldn't drive the vehicle because she was unable to see the road as the lighting was so dim. I scrubbed the exterior lenses with clarifying kits. I changed the bulbs again and again. Finally I went online and found a forum that said this was a common problem due to age of the headlight components. I still don't understand the science behind what happened but when I bought and installed two new headlights for $483 (purchased on Amazon) it was literally like night became day. Serious to God, I'd say my headlights are now 10x-20x brighter. WHAT I BOUGHT -Evan-Fischer EVA1350809140651 Features: Pair, Halogen, With bulb(s), Clear Lens, Driver Side and Passenger Side -Direct Replacement Headlight Compatible with 2013-2016 Acura RDX -Replaces OE Number: 33100TX4A11, 33150TX4A11 & Replaces Partslink Number: AC2503123, AC2502123

For at least 3 years starting in 2019 the headlights have been getting dimmer and dimmer. I had to use the high beams to see at night. Polishing the headlights did not help nor did changing the bulbs as it's the projector lens that has to be replaced.

Headlights are so dim that it is unsafe to drive at night. I filed a complaint with Acura and then, per their instructions, I had the dealer do a "discovery". They charged me for the evaluation and then declined covering the reparation. They want to charge $2300 to replace the entre headlight housings.

Low beam headlights do not supply enough light to see the road. Have tried many headlight bulbs and no change in visibility. Brought vehicle to Prime Acura and was told that the housing needed to be replaced, was told i would be responsible for this. This occurred when automobile had 75-80k miles. I am forced to drive with high beams at all times in order to see the road.

The original low beam bulbs (halogen) melted the cover making visibility abysmal. I’ve replaced the bulbs with a LED option, and still very low visibility. There is seemingly no difference between the headlights being on and being off.

The contact owns a 2015 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the low beam headlights were significantly dim, preventing the contact from properly seeing the roadway ahead. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that several passenger’s in the vehicle had inquired whether the low beam headlights were on while the contact was driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the bulbs were replaced several times; however, the failure persisted. The dealer informed the contact that it was a known failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

I have had to replace both the driver side and passenger side headlight assemblies in this vehicle. This a defect with Acura RDX and should be recalled. The Acura dealership confirmed the headlights were dimmer than the daytime running lights and would not pass inspection. I replaced the left headlight in 2018 and the right one in 2022. Even after costly replacement, the lighting is still very dim and unsafe for night driving.

The headlights grew very dim over the last couple years. I replaced the bulbs and it made no difference. Finally, this winter, they got so dim that I couldn't drive it at night, anymore. I took it to repair shop to see if something was wrong with electric system, and they found no problems, just little light coming from the headlights. I went on line and found lots of people having same problem with the 2013-2015 base model RDXs. My repair shop looked into ordering them but OEM lights were on backorder - vendor said they are in heavy demand because of dimming problems. The bulbs are fine, just the chroming/reflective surface inside headlight assembly oxidized and lost reflectivity. $2000 for dealer to replace. $1300 just for the assemblies! That's 10% of the car's value. It is obviously a manufacturing problem and the results in a very dangerous situation at night when the lights appear to be working but are giving off little light. I have talked to other RDX owners I have come across and they had or are having the same problem - and are faced with same $2000 bill for what is an acknowledged problem and should have been justification for a recall. Dangerous situation from know manufacturing defect. I read that the 2013's were recalled or being fixed for free with enough complaining but nothing for 2014&2015s. I called dealer and they said all that could be done was to replace the entire assemblies and Acura isn't covering the cost or even offering a discount. No warnings - bu

The issue is with the driving lights asembly since 2 years ago my driving lights are not providing enough light to drive the vehicle i am forced to have the high beams on. I have changed numerous bulbs to no avail. At this point i am driving and cannot see infrond of me. This is dangerous to my family and pedestrians that cannot see my car or me see them.

The vehicles headlights are too dim to view the road and pedestrians when driving.

Our 2015 Acura RDX started experiencing diminished lighting on low beam around 75000. We are currently at about 95000 and lighting is nearly nonexistent. In order to see the road at night, the lights must be on high beam. I discussed this issue with my local Acura service center and they advised that the only fix is to replace the entire headlamp at a cost of about $800 per light. Our car is available for inspection at any time. The photos show the Acura in my garage next to my Hyundai. The Acura is on the right and Hyundai on left. Both have lights on low beam. The second photo is just of the Acura.

It is extremely difficult to see at night without having to use my bright lights. The low beams are useless and poses as a hazard to the driver and the driver of the approaching vehicles. I have replaced my headlights and I have purchased fog lights as an attempt to fix the problem but it still did not fix the problem. These additional costs were well over $500. I am requesting that Acura correct this problem before I or someone else gets hurt. [XXX], Owner, Phone number [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The low beam headlights on both sides are too dim to drive on at night. I’ve had blubs replaced to the highest quality bulbs, but the issue is with the reflective coating on the headlight assembly. This was confirmed by the dealership. If a saftey inspector ever saw my car at night they’d never pass it. I have been pulled over by a cop telling me my lights are not on, but they were ( he let me go, I do not have documentation). The dealer recommended complete replacement of both light assemblies. Dim lighting first appeared around 50k but has gotten progressively worse. The dealer report and quote attached was at 76k. Their determination and quote for new lights is on page 6. My concern is that even with full assemblies replacement, the replacements will result in bad light. Other posts only show where people have replaced the assemblies only to find the same bad lighting. I have no problem spending the money if I knew it would fix the issue. The assemblies themselves seem built or designed defective. I’m at a loss for what to do.

From what I have learned, the halogen low beam bulbs deteriorated the reflectors to the point it was noticeable around 60,000 miles and lights are now too dim to drive the vehicle since about 80,000 miles. Full headlight housing replacement is required to remedy the problem. I was driving in the rain on a dark highway when I was unable to see the roadway and had to travel with my high beams with oncoming traffic. The dealership confirmed the degraded reflector problem. There were no warning lamps or messages related to the dim lights. It sounds like an identical problem to the Acura 2014-2015 RLX which was recalled.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Low beam headlights are dim. Available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I cannot properly see during night time driving. I almost crashed into a highway retainer wall. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Yes. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No.

The low beam headlight reflector has deteriorated and makes the vehicle unsafe to drive at night

Low beams so bad you cant see 10 feet ahead; in fact, the low beams from a car behind me will brighten the road in front of me more so. i replaced both bulbs, twice. Acura says this is over $1000 to replace both light assemblies. Other cars cant see me and i cant see other cars, or pedestrians! Progessively works since 2018

The front headlights are dangerously dim. It is all but impossible to see the road at night. Using the brights puts others at risk. This problem was diagnosed by the dealer as buildup inside the plastic light covering. The car is only 7 1/2 years old and is a premium brand. No warnings whatsoever. The lights were not great when I bought the car, and it has only gotten worse. If there is a defect in the manufacturing of the protective shields, I feel this should be the dealers responsibility, not mine. Total cost to me is $920. I do not feel this should be my responsibility.

Low beam headlights reflector screen failure. Cannot see road when low beams are on at night

This problem only applies to the base model of the 2015 Acura RDX because Acura installed Halogen Headlight bulbs, only in the base model, they get too hot for the reflective finish on the inside of the headlight assembly. The heat ruins the finish so there is very little reflective properties to cast light out in front of the car. You cannot see very well in the dark with low beams and cannot see at all when it is raining.They have fixed this problem on other models of Acura cars but not the RDX base model. Lots of complaints on chat rooms about this problem. I had to put LED lights in my fog lights to see in front of me.

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? I drive a 2015 Acura RDX. I was driving on I-5 south with no overpass above me at the time and my sunroof suddenly imploded. It sounded like a gun or bomb going off and I looked above to a hole in my sunroof and glass everywhere. It is available for inspection at Acura Bellevue. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Yes, the sudden noise and glass breaking going 60 miles per hour on the freeway would have easily caused an accident. It was raining and nighttime as well. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Insurance hasn't sent a rep out yet, but via pictures and research they are investigating. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No, they will not take responsibility although there are multiple accounts of this happening on Hondas and Acuras, there is currently class action suit in court. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? None. Not a single sign.

My headlamps have become dimmer and dimmer. I changed the bulbs and the fuses are good as well. I checked online and discovered many online forums where others who own this model year Acura are experiencing the same thing and indicate the only resolution is to buy new headlamps. This is unacceptable that the consumer should have this burden placed on them because the manufacturer chose poor quality parts. This is extremely unsafe to drive with headlights that you can’t see anything at night with. HUGE safety risk that Acura needs to address.

The silver reflectors on the low beam headlights are very oxidized to the point night driving is very dangerous. I’m not referring to the clear plastic headlamp that often gets cloudy after many miles, but the actual low beam reflectors. Replacing the bulb is ineffective as it’s the reflector at fault. Cost to replace is $1,600. The is a well known reported problem 2013-2015 RDXs.

The HID low beam headlights on this car failed. The reflector is defective, per the Acura service manager. The only fix is to replace the entire headlight assembly. $2,300. Acura refuses to issue a recall, even though they have recalled another model in the past for headlight issues. This is a true safety issue that makes driving the car at night treacherous. Someone is going to get hurt or killed.

The contact owns a 2015 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving at night, the headlights were failing to illuminate properly. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that he replaced both headlight bulbs; however, the failure recurred, and the driver’s side headlight was unable to illuminate more than 50 feet ahead of the vehicle. The contact stated that the hi-beam headlights were used while driving at night. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the front headlight assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V792000 (Exterior Lighting); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 55,000.

On our base model 2015 RDX the low-beam headlights go dim after a couple of years. From what I've read this is due to the reflective bulb housing deteriorating in headlight assembly over time. New bulbs do not fix the problem. We have had the headlight assembly replaced once and the problem started all over again after a few years. The car is completely unsafe to drive at night. Acura has issued a similar recall to the RLX in the past but still has not acknowledged this same issue with the RDX and has yet to issue a recall. Please help.

The headlights are so dim you can not tell if you have them on at all. I have spent $400 on new bulbs. With all the complaints about the headlights, why hasn’t this been addressed. I almost ran over a pedestrian two nights ago. It is so dangerous that I can not drive my car at night.

The contact owns a 2015 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving various speeds, the low-beam headlights were significantly dim. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had worsened, causing her to drive with the high-beam headlights activated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the headlights needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that she had to pay out-of-pocket for the repair because the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

Low Beam headlight are very dim at night and very unsafe to drive. I have to drive with high beams so I can see which makes it unsafe for other cars. I replaced bulb with no improvement. I read many cases of this online. Acura needs to have this recalled to replace headlight assembly.

My low beam headlights barely put out any light.

Headlights are too dim. This poses a safety risk while driving at night. I contacted the dealer, only requesting a price of replacing the bulb (before I researched it is more than just the bulb). I was informed that this is a known issue. No one inspected it. There are no warning lights. I would like to file a complaint so a recall can be issued and owners do not have to pay out of pocket expenses for a known issue.