Over the decades, Toyota has built a near-flawless reputation. It is known globally for crafting dependable, long-lasting vehicles. Its commitment to quality has made it a benchmark in the industry.

Honda stands shoulder to shoulder with Toyota, earning its own acclaim for producing remarkably reliable cars. Both brands are often mentioned together as symbols of automotive excellence.

Still, even the most trusted names aren’t immune to missteps. A recent Acura recall highlights that, despite their reputations, even Toyota and Honda occasionally hit a bump in the road.

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Because Driving in the Dark Is Hard Without Them

On April 23, Honda’s luxury arm, Acura, issued a voluntary recall affecting nearly 153,000 vehicles in the U.S. The recall targets MDX SUVs from model years 2014 through 2020.

The issue? Moisture intrusion can knock out the tailgate lights and exterior position lights. And yes—losing visibility like that is more than inconvenient; it’s a genuine safety concern.

• Nearly 153,000 Acura MDX SUVs are being recalled.
• The recall affects model years 2014 through 2020.
• Moisture can seep into the tailgate area, potentially causing electrical malfunctions.
• This could result in exterior lights failing, creating a significant safety risk.

Acura says the issue stems from an uneven sealing surface that can let moisture sneak into the hatch assembly. Once inside, that water can reach electrical components.

This kind of exposure can cause damage or even trigger a short circuit. As a result, some exterior lights might stop functioning altogether.

If the situation worsens and a related fuse blows, certain interior lights could go out, too. With exterior lamps out, especially at night, the crash risk increases significantly.

Don’t Worry—There’s a Fix for That

Acura has developed a fix for the moisture-related lighting issue. Dealers will inspect affected MDX vehicles and install a new fuse harness.

They’ll replace specific lighting components and reseal the hatch to prevent future water intrusion. As expected, all repairs will be done at no cost to the owners.

This isn’t the first time Acura has addressed the problem. A previous recall covered 2014 to 2019 MDX models, but the original repair may not have fully resolved the issue, prompting the automaker to include those vehicles, repaired or not, in this expanded recall effort.

Cruising around with faulty exterior lights isn’t exactly safe, but here’s the silver lining: no crashes or injuries linked to the issue have been reported so far.

Acura plans to begin mailing notifications in late May if your MDX is part of the recall. In the meantime, you can call 1-888-234-2138 or visit Recalls.Acura.com if you’ve got questions or want to check your vehicle’s status.

Source: Honda, TopSpeed