2013 ACURA RDX Complaints

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Headlight Assembly. Yes, it is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Visibility at night is significantly diminished. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Car engine and body is in great shape. It is well maintained with approximately 101,019 miles. The low beam headlights have dimmed to the point the vehicle is almost undrivable at night. This is a well documented problem with other Acura RDX owners with the same model year. The manufacturer will not fix the issue and is recommending a replacement of the entire headlight assembly which is >$2,000. This is not a wear and tear item. I've never had to replace this type of equipment on any vehicle I've owned.

The headlights have become so dim that driving at night is unsafe. Replacing bulbs does not fix the problem. This is a design defect and is very unsafe.

Unfortunately, I am writing to report a dangerous situation that occurred while I was driving on November 3rd, 2021. This involved a safety issue that could have resulted in serious injury to me and other drivers on the road. As I was traveling on a very busy street in Miami, FL at a speed of 45 MPH, my steering wheel suddenly became very heavy and hard to turn which made me have no control over my vehicle. I eventually pulled to the side of the road almost hitting not only the car in front of me but a pedestrian on the sidewalk. I did not understand what was going on as I have never encountered this situation in my life. I then could not move my vehicle because my steering wheel was heavy, and then there were a lot of flashing indicator lights like “check power steering” and other codes. As I sat there, a bit in shock, I tried to move the steering wheel, but it would not move at all, so I had to have the vehicle towed because it was unsafe to drive. As I started to research what had happened to my vehicle, there were several reported cases re: the same issues with the electronic power steering (EPS) control unit failing while driving. There were several detailed customer complaints on Acura customer owners’ forums. In addition, I found several reported cases on Acura service bulletins, one of which was the service bulletin 19-021. This has been a frustrating and nerve wrecking experience. I maintain my vehicle by following the service/maintenance manual and have been a proactive vehicle owner by investing in the upkeep. However, this does not seem to fall within the purview of what I have ever experienced in the past and concerns me that my SAFETY was jeopardized, so that is why I am reaching out to your organization.

The front headlights have failed and now hardly illuminate the roadway at night. I brought the vehicle to the dealer and they polished the outside housing of the headlamp assembly, but that failed to remedy the problem. I brought the vehicle to a local repair shop, and they report this is a common problem with Acuras and they state that the entire headlight assembly needs to be replaced. The headlights are available to be inspected on request. Without adequate headlight illumination, this puts the operator, passengers and pedestrians at risk as they cannot be seen at night.

Headlights (low beams) are way too dim making driving in the dark impossible. Replacing bulbs and aligning lights did not correct problem. Driver in another car said headlights were barely visible on their end.

Headlights are very dim. Sometimes need to use high beams to see at night. From what I read on line, it is a common problem with the headlight housing on 2013-2015 Acura RDX. This is a serious safety risk and Acura should repair. I purchased the car used about 2 years ago and the problem has gotten worse

The low-beam headlights are so dim at night that it is extremely dangerous to drive. One can only see several feet in front of the car. I understand other years of Acura RDX's have a defect, and were subject to a recall, involving the reflective material in the headlight assembly. That material would degrade over time, making the lights dim. I have replaced the bulbs themselves, but that has not improved the situation.

the front low beam headlights are extremely dim. Can typically only see approximately 30 feet in front while driving. Any speed in excess of 25mph is dangerous. High beams work fine. there are no fog lights on this vehicle.

The reflective surface inside the headlight assemblies has delaminated. This effectively makes the headlights useless and creates a very unsafe driving condition at night. I reported the issue to Acura's national customer service number but they did nothing but record the call. This is a known issue with Acura as they have done recalls on other year and model combinations. This is clearly a very serious latent manufacturing and safety issue that needs immediate attention. A simple Google search will reveal many owners talkin about this on internet forums.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 ACURA RDX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT, THE LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO PROPERLY ILLUMINATE THE ROADWAY AND WAS EXTREMELY DIM CAUSING A VISIBILITY HAZARD TO THE DRIVER. THE LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE PRIORITY ACURA LOCATED AT 1701 S MILITARY HWY, CHESAPEAKE, VA 23320 WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY REFLECTOR WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.