2015 Acura RDX Exterior Lighting

The low beam headlights have degraded over time and are now barely providing any light, making driving at night unsafe. This appears to be due to the degradation of the low beam assembly reflector. Replacing the low beam headlights with higher quality lights did not make any noticeable difference. This issue has been reported in numerous online chats for the 2015 Acura RDX.

The low beam headlights on my 2015 Acura RDX have become dangerously dim, to the point where nighttime driving is unsafe. The issue is not related to the bulbs. I replaced the bulbs with new, higher output units, but the light output did not improve. The problem appears to be caused by deterioration of the internal reflector bowls inside the projector housing. The reflective coating has degraded, resulting in extremely poor forward illumination and very limited projection distance

Bought this used on February 5th 2026 Low beam headlights so dim barely illuminating driving surface

Low beam headlights are so dim it is very difficult to see at night.

The contact owns a 2015 Acura RDX. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle, it was discovered that the front low beam headlights failed to adequately illuminate the roadway while driving at night, causing a visibility hazard for the driver. The low beam headlights eventually became inoperable, and only the high beam headlights were operational. Later, the high beam headlights became inoperable. The contact stated that the headlights no longer operated as needed, and the vehicle could not be driven at night. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the headlight assemblies needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,573.

The headlights on the vehicle are incredibly dim. I have tried replacing the bulbs; however, it does not fix the problem. When I ask Acura about it, they say, "you're just going to have to live with it." It is incredible dangerous driving when it is dark outside because you cannot see anything unless you utilize your high beams.

Headlights are dangerously dim, even with original equipment replacement bulbs.

The low beam headlights are dangerously low. Even after you replace the bulbs, the lights remain dim. The reflective coating in the assembly has degraded to the point where almost no light is visible while driving. I read where a recall was made for RDXs made during a specific timeframe in 2014, but mine was not one of them. I have ~97k miles on the 2015 RDX.

015RDX owner reported low-beam headlights are incredibly dim, making night driving unsafe. The outer surface of the headlight is not hazy and I suspect that it’s the the inner reflective coating (aluminum film) of the headlight assembly that has degraded substantially if not entirely. Acura/Honda must begin a recall for RDXs sold in 2015 and perhaps earlier. Acura/honda did recall RlX headlight assembly for the same reason

At night when I turn on my headlights, they turn on, however they do not reflect properly causing severe dimming and inability to see farther than 1-2 feet in front while I am driving. This is a severe safety hazard. Changing the bulbs regardless of halogen or LED does not improve. Many forums have this issue and it is too unsafe to drive at night putting myself, my passengers, and people on the street at risk. Mechanic confirms the issue.

I have not had an accident. The headlights on the vehicle are extremely dim. I drive with my bright lights on and they still are not very bright. I have changed the headlights out 3x since I bought the vehicle, in may 2025. They have been balanced by a repair shop owner and changed. I can not see more than 10ft ahead of me. I’m scared I will get into an accident is how dim they are. I read it has to do with the fillet or something on the inside of the headlight assembly and to buy new assembly is only wat to improve. Assembly’s cost $300 or more for just one side. This is a manufacture malfunction.

The headlights on my car are very dim, impeding my ability to see the road at night. I sometimes resort to using my high beams when there is no oncoming traffic. I am afraid I will not see an obstacle in the road. I noticed this problem several years ago and told the service department at the dealership about it. They suggested that they clean a film off of the headlights, which they did and it temporarily brighten the lights. Over time the lights returned to their normal dimness. I also had a blown bulb replaced in the headlight and mentioned to the mechanic about my dim lights. After looking at the vehicle he said the entire pair of headlight assemblies would have to be replaced to adequately fix the problem. No warning lights in the car signified this problem, but it was obvious that the headlights were dim while driving at night.

Gradually the low beam headlights on my 2015 Acura RDX became ineffective despite replacing the bulbs many times and cleaning the housings. I've taken the car to three different mechanics and none have been able to fix the problem. I can no longer drive at night with these headlights and will have replace the housings at significant cost. This seems like a manufacturer defect that should be recalled and replaced at their expense.

Low beam headlights became very dim, making it unsafe to drive at night. Only solution was to replace entire headlight housings, costing $2,285 (would have been $4,000 if purchased original vs aftermarket housings)

Headlights have become very dim, to the point where it is dangerous to drive at night and high beams need to be used for most of my nighttime driving. Exterior of the headlights have been cleaned, but the issue is with the lights themselves. It is a hazard, as I cannot see properly at night while driving. This has been a problem for at least one year.

Low beam daily headlights do not illuminate properly forcing you to use high beams constantly because you can't see the road at night. Dangerous for driver of vehicle and major hazard for cars you pass because you are using your high beam headlights all the time.

Left headlight low beam has become progressively more dim over time and although it appears functional, it's not actually lighting the roadway. Have replaced bulbs and cleaned/buffed headlight assembly with no improvement. Had entire headlight assembly replaced with used headlamp assembly and replaced bulbs, but no improvement. 2014 RDX head lamps have been recalled for the same reason. Driving at night is difficult and dangerous.

The headlights on the vehicle are VERY dim, so much so that driving at night is really not safe. At any point I have a passenger in my car while dark, they always ask if I have my lights on. On roadways at night, I have to either ride behind someone else to have the road lit in front of me OR illegally drive with the high beams on. This has been an ongoing issue for a few years but I only realized recently what a real safety hazard this is when others have brought it to my attention. I have read quite a few posts that others are also having similar issues with the 2013-2015 RDX base model (the 2014-2015 Acura RLX vehicles were recalled due to the potential delamination of reflective film inside the headlights and I suspect this is a similar issue).

Purchased car with ~96k miles. Drove at night and had extremely low road visibility due to lighting. Replaced the bulbs to a high lumen LED, did not increase lighting/visibility. My research finds this to be a known issue with a refractor found behind the headlight lens within the headlamp housing.

The headlights on this vehicle are terrible. Have to drive with brights on at night or cannot see. I replaced with better bulbs but no improvement. I have been told this is a common problem on these vehicles and the only fix is to replace the complete headlight assembly. I was told by dealership this was approximately a $3000 job.

The headlights on this vehicle are very dim and it is dangerous to drive at night. I require my daughter to drive with the high beams on since the low beam lights are hardly functional. I've had the lights replaced at a cost of $500. This did not help the situation. The lights have failed inspection and I'm faced with having to replace the lights again for an additional $500 just to pass inspection. This fix will not resolve the issue. From what i've been able to research online, this is not an isolated situation with 2015 Acura RDX vehicles. It appears to be a result of a defect in the entire headlight assembly part, which is a significant cost to repair. I'm concerned for the safety of my daughter having to drive this vehicle and the safety of other drivers due to her needing to use her high beams more often than typically required. I contacted Acura USA and was told there were no recalls and that i needed to manage repairs through the dealership. This is an obvious safety issue that Acura should resolve.

I recently purchased this vehicle used, and just drove it at night for the first time. The low-beam headlights are extremely dim, to the point that it was difficult to tell if they were even turned on. This made it very difficult to drive in the dark, and I nearly went off the road as a result. The vehicle has not been inspected by a dealer, service center, or other party, but I did confirm that the headlights were operating, but remained dangerously dim. No warning lights or messages came on to indicate any sort of problem.

The contact's owns a 2015 Acura RDX. The contact stated that the front headlights had become dim, which made it difficult and unsafe to operate the vehicle while driving at night. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was notified of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V792000 (Exterior Lighting); however, the contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

I purchased a 2015 Acura RDX used for my kids to drive. A year after owning it, I noticed the headlight output was poor. Things came to a head when my 16 year old son came home and told me he felt unsafe driving. The car currently has 120,000 miles on it. I tried multiple headlight restoration kits and several replacement bulbs but nothing helped. After digging deep into various forums, I learned the root cause is the deterioration of the reflective material inside of the headlight housing. I called multiple locations to determine the cost to have them replaced and learned it would be around $3,000. I then called Honda for assistance and was informed they would not offer any. I was ultimately forced to purchase and replace the units myself. I have never experienced this in my life and after owning 20+ cars believe this should have been a recall paid for by Honda.

Headlights are so dim, it is dangerous to drive in the dark. The only solution is to purchase new headlight assemblies. $1,000+. This is a known problem amongst owners of the same vehicle. Driving with the dim lights is equally as dangerous as driving without lights on.