I installed the Philips 921 into my 2013 MDX. The stock bulbs fit deeply into the socket housing, but the LEDs don't fit deeply into the housing and it looks like I'm going to find the bouncing around the inside of the taillight at some point.

Has anyone else bumped into this?

 

I don't think anyone has found a good solution to improve the existing back-up lights on the MDX? I just added an external $15 Blazer C8020 Back-Up light from Amazon to my 7-pin hitch harness and called it a day.

I tried TGP T15 High Power Super White Cree Chip 5W Q5 Projector LED Reverse Backup Light Bulbs 2004-2013 Acura MDX, Amazon, $18, waste of money.

I did the 2001-2013 Acura MDX Backup LEDs, White (pair), Sold by: Diode Dynamics Automotive Customization, $75, at little better since this pair have 3 long LEDs on the side of the projectors but; again, a waste of money because of the MDX back up light openings are too small, too high, and point slightly upwards and out.

The $15 Blazer is working the best for me:

 

That Blazer looks like a good idea in theory, but looks too phallic for me in person. The dick in my car is behind the steering wheel. HA HA

I gave up on improving the back up lights before I started for the reasons you mentioned, but installed the LEDs for whatever bump I could get for the short ticket price. I am not psyched about how the bulbs fit into the socket though.

 

I also installed the Philips 921 bulbs in my MDX; fitting was tight. I am probably going to remove them as I think the lighting is worse than with the halogens.


to bad, as I was thinking to install the LED fog lights x-treme vision from Philips as well.


Did you seen any improvement?

 

I've only driven during the day since the install so I can't tell. I would think an unshrouded bulb would be better than covered like the Philips is.

I also installed LEDs in the door bottoms and outside of the color they are just as useless as the stock bulbs.

 

The reason why the Bulb Philips is covered is a very good one.. Instead of focusing the light outwards in a very inefficient way like pointing it back and hope that the LED is powerful enough? they decided to use the Housing as a mirror, The point is metallic for heat dissipation..





The way the LEDs are pointing back in an angle make them focus the light from all the housing backwards... Unless you get an LED more powerful and hence more expensive than the 921s there is no way in hell the Halogens put out more light, At least in my case the Philips 921 are 3x more bright than halogens and at least 2 times brighter than the previous LEDs with lens point that supposedly had 20W



What fails of all this mumbo jumbo of reflection is the fact that our Reverse Housings are pointing to the HORIZON which is very stupid in its own way if you are trying to light up the reverse camera but I get why they did that... If the light was pointing down only the guys with back up cameras would find it useful but the guys without it would not see a damn.. Pointing to the horizon is for the guys that need to look back to where the light is going to be.

 

Thanks Skirmish!

Do you have any problems with the Philips bulbs falling out of the socket over time? My Philips fit but did not sit deeply into the socket like the OEM bulbs did.

 

Nope mine fitted so snug that they didn't want to sit in the base at all hahah.
Perhaps you stopped because you felt too much resistance, mine had to put a lot of force to go all in it wasn't easy.

Let me go take a picture brb.

 

Yes here it is and its still tight as hell...

 

THANK YOU for the pics. That's how mine is fitting.

I appreciate the effort! If you were closer to MA I would buy you a beer.

 

No problem bud!
Yours is loose even after going all the way in? I check the other side and its glued to the base not giving a single millimeter of movement.

 

Not loose, but I didn't get that warm and fuzzy feeling that it was in "enough". I was comparing it to the OEM bulb though that seemed to socket fit in the housing.

I'm on the East Coast and still at work (CPA life before Ape 15, yo!) but will take a peek tomorrow on the way to the drop the kids off at the bus stop.

 

My solution:





Before:


After:

 

Slim, I saw your handiwork while researching the subject. I have a trailer hitch in the way and am not as brave with a soldering iron as I am with a wrench.

 

I always wanted to do something like that to my MDX; but, insert smaller LEDs into the rear MDX's bumper. I'm a little chicken because if it looks like crap, I just jacked up my MDX.


Sample of lights I was thinking about. Not 100% sure if these are back-up lights or rear facing driving lights for off road?

 

Offroading for sure:

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/le...-lighting.html