The contact owns a 2014 Acura RDX. The contact stated that the headlights were extremely dim at night. The passenger inquired to the contact if the headlights were turned on. The contact used the high beam headlights while driving at night. The manufacturer was contacted through the customer complaint line. An independent mechanic confirmed that the low beam headlights were extremely dim. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
2014 Acura RDX: headlights failing or too dim
166 of the 245 complaints about the 2014 Acura RDX describe headlights failing or too dim.
- owner complaints
- 166
- of this car's complaints
- 68%
- typical repair cost reported
- $2,000
- typical mileage
- 88,000
- recalls
- 0
Is there a fix? No recall or service bulletin covers this area of the car yet.
Headlights failing or too dim by model year
What owners say
Head lights are so dim that I had to pull off side of road to see if they were even on. They were on, but absolutely úseles on dark road way because they are so dim thus making driving at night very dangerous. . Problem started about 85,000 miles. I cannot safely drive at night in this vehicle.
The contact owns a 2014 Acura RDX. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver’s and passenger’s side headlights were very dim. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the headlight bulbs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
The low beam headlight projector lens has degraded to the point of being extremely unsafe and therefore unable to drive at night. Repair for the defective headlight is costly and should be addressed by Honda/Acura as it is a HUGE safety concern. Acura recalled/replaced the defective lens on the 2014-2015 RLX model but has chose not to do so on the RDX with the exact same problem.
My main headlights became DIM after 7 years of ownership. I have gone to the Dealership and had BOTH bulbs Replaced with No Visible Improvement in the Brightness. Given the age of my car, I've also had the Lenses Polished to ensure there's no significant Film on the Outside. Again... No Improvement in the Brightness of the lights. I asked the techs at the Shop about the problem and they said they haven't seen any systemic problems. I'm concerned as this is a Safety Issue and my work does have me driving at night on occasion.
The low beam headlights on my 2014 Acura RDX are too dim to allow safe night driving. An independent service provider confirmed the headlight coating is causing a "cataract" type effect on the inside of the lamp. The bulbs were switched to brighter LED lights, but there is no significant improvement. It seems the next step is to replace the entire headlight assembly which would be an out of pocket expense of at least $1000.00. This is a failure of the low beam head light manufacturing which has made my vehicle impossible to drive at night unless the high beams are used.
Low beam headlights degrading. Car is unsafe to drive at night! Tried changing light bulbs but does not improve light quality. Dealer said it was an Acura issue. The problem has been getting progressively worse.
Low beam Headlights degrading from reflector delamination. Car is unsafe to drive at night. Changing lightbulbs does not improve light quality. Issue has been getting progressively worst each year to a point where the car is not drivable at night
I purchased this 2014 Acura RDX in 2016, a Certified Pre-Owned with original 28,000 miles, from Price Acura in Dover, DE. VIN # [XXX] . The car is very well maintained; garage kept and consistently follows the regular maintenance schedule. The current mileage is 143,968. I have voiced my concern to the Price Acura dealership regarding the ongoing issue with the headlights. The combination of heavy oxidation, internal condensation, and water seepage has gotten worse over time, causing very dim, unsafe low beams even after bulb/lens restoration. This issue is NOT normal wear and tear but is a defective seal or manufacturing issue. I’ve had to use my high beams to see while driving at night, but with oncoming traffic having to turn them off and on, not to impact other drivers, it is not safe. This issue has worsened, has negatively impacted my safety driving at night, most recent the driver side low beam headlight burnt out while I was traveling along back roads at night. After researching this issue, I learned this is a widespread problem and replacing the low beam headlight bulb is not the answer, and that the entire headlight assembly needs to be replaced, which I found is very costly. I am a loyal Acura customer with over 10 years of ownership. Given this widespread problem and my loyalty, I’m hoping for some manufacturer assistance, perhaps a covered repair, partial credit, or guidance getting help to cover this costly defect. Would you please advise of any cost effective service or potential solutions to resolve this known problem. As it stands, this issue has limited me to daylight driving only until this issue is properly fixed. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The headlights are unsafe with dim low beam projectors even after trying a couple sets of new bulbs. Here are the Part Numbers for reference 33100-TX4-A12 33150-TX4-A12 There is a significant safety issue requiring replacement of components that should not need replacing.
We are noticing what many others are with similar age RDX models - the headlamp assemblies are terribly dim leading to low visibility without using the high beams (not always possible). We have replaced the headlamps with really high output ones, with no real difference. The faulty inside of the headlamp assemblies are making it much harder to see at night, especially in rain or other bad weather. At highway speeds, we rarely see obstacles until we're right on top of them.
Acura RDX headlight problem, dimming headlights, which is a known issue according to the Acura dealership service department in Brentwood, TN. The Acura technician stated that this is often caused by delaminating reflector film, and flickering headlights, which can result from faulty relays or wiring. The dimming makes it hard to see while driving during sundown. Driving with the high beam on causes problems for oncoming traffic. Acura acknowledged the issue, and a recall addressed the delamination issue for some models, but not the 2014 RDX. For my models, Acura stated the internal reflector is damaged, and replacing bulbs will not help. The most effective solution is to replace the headlight assembly or the entire projector housing, which can be a costly repair.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2014 Acura RDX headlights
Is headlights failing or too dim a common problem on the 2014 Acura RDX?
166 of 245 owner complaints about the 2014 Acura RDX (68%) mention headlights failing or too dim. The model year with the most reports is 2015.
How much does it cost to fix headlights failing or too dim on the 2014 Acura RDX?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $2,000 (median of 27 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2014 Acura RDX?
There is no recall or service bulletin for this area of the car on record.
Other symptoms on the 2014 Acura RDX
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