Hi all, thanks in advance for any help. I've used this forum a lot over the year, but typically my questions have already been answered and haven't had much need to post.

The passenger low beam on my 2011 RDX is flickering. At a couple of junctures, it has gone out entirely but come back in after I switched the lights off for a moment. So, I imagine it's the ballast? Ordered one relatively cheap on Ebay and am now prepping to swap it out.

I've done basic DIY on my car, fluids, filters, batteries, fuses, etc. But I've never really messed with the body/moldings. Having done a lot of PC case repair, I know that often things can be engineered to come apart easily, but fitting them together again can be a real pain. I've looked at the limited online documentation/videos on this, so I think I know how to go about this. But any tips would be appreciated. I have a few specific questions:

1) Is there a cheap/free service manual anywhere? I was able to find a 2007 service manual, will that mostly apply in the case of the 2011?

2) I gather it comes apart easily, but is getting everything back together a major pain? Are there built in grooves/guides to snap things back together or is this more art than science?

3) Seems like a lot of cabling to disconnect? Do I just yank on these or is there anything special to keep in mind?

4) The ballast came with an ignitor attached, should I replace both? I've read that replacing the igntior isn't super straightforward?

5) Will disconnecting the battery negate any voltage risk? Or is there any latent charge I need to be wary of?

Thanks again.

 

Well, didn't get much help but thought I'd share a bit for posterity's sake:

• If you're having problems and have any reason to suspect that it isn't the bulb, buy all three parts (bulb, ballast, and igniter). That'll save you a ton of time waiting for parts and having to take off the bumper several times to try each part. In my case, the igniter was bad and replacing the bulb (and perhaps reseating the igniter) actually worked briefly, but it gave out within a day.
  
• Yes, you need to take off the bumper to deal with the low beam. I don't see how you could possibly work with it otherwise. Just not enough room to get your hand in there and even just replace the bulb.
  
• Taking off the bumper is easy, but that video on YouTube sucks. I found an old service manual which showed me where the clips and screws are for the bumper and where they are for the headlight. Takes probably 30 minutes your first time, and 15 minutes thereafter. I wouldn't bother disconnecting the fog lights, I just set the bumper on a box.
  
• The clip towards the top of the headlight (next to the screw) is a different/special size. Don't lose it. Though, I'm not sure how much it's really adding the structural integrity.
  
• Buy a pack of clips before you start, they're like 5-10 bucks on ebay.
  
• God help you if you have an igniter problem. First off, you need an extra-long igniter. Many listed as the correct part number on ebay are not long enough to thread through the headlight. I had to look for one that specifically mentioned it was longer.
  
• Once you have the right part, threading the igniter is a huge pain. The headlight does not appear to come apart and threading it through requires long, slim fingers, a great deal of patience, and a little luck. It can be done, but I can see why a mechanic might charge a ton for this entire endeavor. OR they might just give up and tell you you need a new headlight unit. But yes, it is possible to do and if the igniter is your only problem, you can fix it for 50 bucks.

Good luck and eff Acura for making this such a needlessly difficult problem.