Headlight complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The factory-installed LED Daytime Running Light (DRL) system on my 2019 Acura RDX has failed. The passenger-side DRL is completely inoperative, and an authorized Acura dealership documented that the driver's-side DRL is beginning to fail as well. The affected components are available for inspection upon request dealership has declined to provide further documents and American Honda Moto Daytime Running Lights are a safety-related exterior lighting system designed to improve vehicle visibility to other motorists. The failure of one DRL and the developing failure of the second DRL may reduce vehicle visibility and create a potential safety concern. On July 3, 2026, Cerritos Acura inspected the vehicle and confirmed the condition. The dealership's written diagnosis states: "Recommend passenger headlight assembly due to daytime running light out. …
Auto high beams appear to turn on when there are light colored vehicles in front of the car. This issue does not appear to be isolated to our vehicle: https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-RDX-problems-fixes-458/auto-high-beam-not-advertised-975370/. My wife indicated she had experienced this multiple times before. I experienced it just yesterday going about 20-25 MPH on a one lane road witth a white car in front of us and cars coming in the other direction!
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 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.
See attached letter for details. Incident date below reflects the VIN I currently own, when testing identified the safety-related defect. Accident details from previous same model. The same headlamps were the subject of the July 14, 2014 NHTSA Acura ILX Electrical & Lights Recall: 14V323000 on the 2013-2014 Acura ILX model. Yet, Acura continued to use these headlamps and failed to rectify the defect across its model lineup. Instead, the inherently faulty engineering, material, and manufacturing was destined to slowly degrade the reflective surface of the projector cup and lens under the heat output of the low beam halogen bulb that was, by Acura design, the automatic daytime running lights that remain on whenever the engine is running.
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 contact owns a 2013 Acura RDX. The contact stated while driving at night at an undisclosed speed, the headlight bulbs illumination was extremely dim. The contact stated that the brightness of the headlight bulbs was not adequate for driving. The contact stated that after the second replacement of the headlight bulbs, the front passenger's side headlight was dimmer than the driver's side headlight. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed, and the mechanic determined that the daytime running light on the front passenger's side of the vehicle needed to be replaced. The contact stated the headlights had been replaced twice. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that she was responsible for replacing the headlamps out of pocket. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Acura RDX. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the headlights failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the headlights were dim, causing the visibility to become impaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with failed delaminated headlight housings. The contact was informed that the headlight housings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic testing. In addition, the contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.
Frequently asked questions
Which Acura RDX years have headlight problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2015 (343), 2014 (163) and 2013 (89) model years. Headlight complaints make up 83% of all complaints for the 2015.
Is there a recall for Acura RDX headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for any Acura RDX model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Acura RDX headlight problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 81,000 miles; 18% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the headlights (24 mentions), followed by the headlights › bulbs (2).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.