phillyman1998

There is not a lot of ambient lighting at all in the RDX. I do however love that the foot well has it for the front and passenger. I am curious if anyone here found a way to make them much brighter? Can I buy aftermarket lights and install them in the foot well?

SpaceBot

Same, I was hoping there were some good aftermarket options. You can use a marker to color them, or add a splash of color, but that's about it. You'd probably have to replace the bulb or some how detach them from the dimmer control so they always remain their brightest.

Ender519

The ambient lighting is basically non existent. I had an aftermarket system put in for a few hundred that lights up both front foot wells, under both front seats (for lighting back passenger foot area) and the storage area under the shifter. Controlled by Bluetooth and uses a fuse tap so no alterations to wiring to preserve warranty. They are on all the time though, it's not easy from what I know of it, to tie them to come on with the lights. At least not without splicing into things. Anyway it doesn't bother me as you really can't see it during the daytime and at night it's quite bright and satisfying.

Mustachio

You could wire in a simple rocker switch to at least give you the option to toggle the lights manually.

Ender519

Yeah but it doesn't bother me and I'd rather just have it on without manually switching it on and off. In the daylight, you barely notice it at all. Good idea for those that want that option though.

D Rivera

Ender519

Yep that's what mine looks like except I tend to keep it blue (color of the car). The brightness is on point.

dieboy

Nice looking aftermarket.
I had to redo my settings today. I did find buried in the menu some ambiant lighting options. There were some low to high settings. I changed it to high. It appears default is low.

JB in AZ

dieboy.....Please turn down the volume on your signature.

DrWoo

where did you find this setting? All I’ve seen is an interior lighting setting for the instrument panel.

scyzoryk_nyc

Ditto!

pmartone

‘Same for me. Can you please be more specific about how you increased the intensity of the ambient footwell lighting, changing it from the default of low to high?
(I have searched through the 649 page owners manual and cannot find those instructions.). Thanks.

Funz51

dieboy, I have looked high and low, system and developer menu, etc, looking for this setting you found.
please fill us in.

SpaceBot

Something in the service menu maybe? Accessed using the three finger touch on the pad?

kboo74656

I think he is referring to his aftermarket lighting he had installed. There is no option to change the lighting level for the ambient lighting that comes with the RDX.

dieboy

Sry works been a bit hectic.

I will go through it again and check. It wasn't wildly specific which lighting it was. It was for sure not the dash or control cluster lighting. It said something regarding ambiant lighting and a low to high selection.
I do have the exterior puddle lights (us model under carriage, and the door sill lighting. Also the advance package. Unsure if it matters, but manufacturers lock out really weird things nowdays between trim packages.
It was also mid afternoon when I adjusted it.ill look at it tomorrow night and get a pic. Also take a pic of the menu option.

The tech package I had as a loaner felt like it had brighter interior lighting also. Come to think about it. That was just recent while they were fixing a communication issue with my car and acura.
​​​​​​
That was the reason I was going through everything. I got it back and nearly all the settings were set back to factory. Locking, light timings, etc etc. So I was going thru every setting. Oddly our two cell phones were still attached.

Funz51

I wonder if we can get brighter replacement leds for the interior lights?
we would need to pull one and get the base matched to one online.

DrWoo

I actually crawled under the dash to look when I got my RDX 2 years ago, and it's not as simple as removing a bulb. If I recall, the leds appear to be embedded in a plastic housing and mounted to the underside of the dash.

dieboy

Its under the Auto Interior Illumination Sensitivity is where I found it.

After testing it, it doesn't seem to change the door handle lighting any brighter/darker. Infact, it didn't seem to do much between low and high. It does say with in the menu, dash/controls, but the photo is more of the top interior lights, not the dash.

I found some information in the service menu, its simply called "Illumination Step". Mine is at 21.

Logically, the first setting should be tied to the interior lighting at minimums. The thing I found in the service menu, also logically would refer to interior illumination, although it did not let me adjust the setting. I searched the web for what that 'meant' but didn't find anything. My dealer has 'one' technology guy, whom only works like three days a week. I'm having some issues with my backup camera on the display (not using the entire display, squishing everything in the 'left' portion). So I'd like to get a resolution on that, I'll bug him about the interior lighting also.

I took some pics of the interior lighting after changing the normal menu setting, and i'll post them, but it looks the same. Im honestly not sure at this point what that setting even does at all. When I changed it, i was in a pitch black garage, you'd think *something would have dimmed, or brightened....

Also .. I do videos for hobbys .. when I had the loaner Tech, i was taking some B roll for a video, and its to bad, all i did was an out the dash its really to bad i didn't get any interior shots .. I swear that Tech package loaner, was wildly bright at night, foot wells, door handles, etc.

Funz51

thanks for the info, but how exactly did you get to the 'Auto Interior Illumination Sensitivity' setting? developer menu? three finger service menu?

MT-RDX

"Auto Interior Illumination Sensitivity" is described (sort of) on pape 348 of the 2019 manual, found under Vehicle, Lighting Setup in the menus. I changed it from Min to Max and back, and I can's see where it does anything, but the manual only describes the sensitivity of the BRIGHTNESS of the instrument panel. I'll have to do more checking when it gets dark outside.
As for the footwell lighting, I agree there is next to nothing (mine is is a 19 Advance, US model). There is a small light under the bottom of the front doors, which with the stock bulb is visible only on a pitch black night. Replaced the bulbs with Logo bulbs (discussed at length in another post), they are much brighter. More footwell lighting would be a welcome addition.

JB in AZ

Maybe I'm weird....no maybe about it, actually! BUT, I prefer a dark cabin while driving at night. Allows for better vision of the road ahead. In fact, when I first got the RDX I wanted to turn off, or at least dim the lights over the rear doors.

Funz51

Auto Interior Illumination
Sensitivity
Changes the sensitivity of the
brightness of the instrument panel
when the headlight switch is in AUTO
position.
Min/Low/Mid*1/
High/Max

Nothing to do with interior lighting.
only the gauges.

JB in AZ

Right. I realized there was no way to dim the rear courtesy lights, without using a piece of tape (tacky, in more ways than one) I am used to it now.

dieboy

The illumination step level makes me think that it is *possible to adjust, just not something you can. As mentioned, i'm going to see if the acura tech 'tech' heh.. knows what that is about.

gballs

You can also try LED door sills. I'm having them installed right now with hopes they brighten it up a bit, but it will only be when the door is opened.

WunderWagen

Check out my post on this topic in the DIY section...

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-rdx-...pgrade-988958/

gballs

That's not bad at all.