First mod to our new 2010 MDX is going to be brighter reverse lights. The backup camera is worthless at night even with the brightness cranked to maximum. I live in a rural area with no street lamps and it gets pretty dark. There is zero visibility thru the rear tinted window so the backup camera is a necessity. So far after about 3 weeks of ownership this is the only complaint I have with the MDX.

My TL has quite possibly the best backup camera on any vehicle I've ever used. Not sure how Acura managed to put such a poopy camera on the MDX, oh, and in case you're wondering they didn't improve it at all for the 2014+. We had a 2015 loaner and at night it was just as worthless.

I'm thinking of going with these - anyone try them with success? I have ijdmtoy DRL LED's on my TL and they've been fantastic.

 

I think it is the camera and its poor low light performance causing the problem. I have similar back up lights for my 11 MDX from Amazon:


It really didn't make that much of an improvement. The back-up lens on the MDX is too small, kinda points upwards, and the narrow lens doesn't provide a good coverage with higher output back up lights.

They do make integrated license plate LED strips that put out tons of lights you have to hard wire into the back-up lights. I'm too much of a chicken to do this mod.
http://www.vleds.com/new-lpf.html
http://www.vleds.com/lpf-921.html

 

Second that. Two different sets of LED lights in our MDX reverse lights and the night camera performance improved only marginally each time. The location of the reverse lights does not help the camera - the lights are too high up.

 

Well that's a bummer but thanks for the input! Guess I'll try to park pull-thru when I go out at night and maybe install some super bright runway lights alongside my driveway I guess no car is without faults

 

yeah the reverse light upgrade is 99% cosmetic. I'm not sure why they didnt use the same camera that the 4g TL's have. That one almost seemed like it had night vision compared to the crap one on the MDX.

 

I finally gave up on replacing the backup bulbs and wired a regular driving lamp to come on when my I hit reverse. Significantly more light than the stock backup bulbs, and targeted at the ground like I need it to be...

-Mojo

 

I have the trailer hitch with harness. I've been looking for light that plugs into the harness and turns on in reverse. Is your system plug/play or required some splicing?

 

I spliced mine and used a simple relay. 12v power was easy to get from the rear fusebox, but I couldn't locate a reverse wire in the bundle, so I ran a wire up the left side C-pillar and tapped into the driver reverse light.

Here's a shot of the wiring:
-Mojo

 

Here's a quick diagram of how I wired the relay if anybody is interested... I should probably pack all of these up into a a DIY since we are all looking for better backup lights.

-Mojo

 

Nice mod bro! That should definitely be its own thread, I think a lot of people have complained about the crap backup camera. I don't have a hitch so I'll see what I might be able to rig up but your solution looks like a clear winner!

 

I agree that swapping to LED backup lights will not put out a lot of light.. They are more for "catching the eye" b/c of their instant on/off functionality and the sharp cool white color.

I've swapped all the MDX's exterior lights to LED, including the signals.. Just matches the brake lights better, more modern and of course is very eye catching on the road.

 

Never had a real issue with the visibility of the camera though, maybe I've always been in well lit areas.

 

Why didn't you use the reverse light power source from the tow harness? It's already there, switched on in reverse and isolated.

 

Unfortunately simple reason: I didn't buy the wiring harness for my Advance when I put the (aftermarket) hitch on since I only use it for hauling bikes/cargo carrier.

-Mojo

 

Bad mojo...a nicely written up DIY would be a nice "sticky" for this addition. I have an LED light i want to put under my hitch but was trying to figure out the easiest way to tap the reverse light. i too have an aftermarket trailer hitch harness but it does not have the reverse light wiring. paying $150 for the OEM wiring harness was obscene.