Hi,

I ask a favour. Could someone with a good digital camera take a couple of snaps of the rear lamp cluster on their IS, and email them to me at david_perry@hotmail.com, or post them here?

I'm importing an IS at the moment, and the SVA is throwing up a few small quirks I need to get some background on. Jap JDM rear fog lamps are apparently different from UK ones, and I want to compare them.

Any help greatly appreciated!

the lamps are identical, its the wireing thats different

JDM have them as brake lites

Euro spec they are fog lights,

just re wire them as fogs and not brake

I failed my SVA 'cos they said that rewiring (which I did) wasn't enough.
The red cover/lens apparently is different, something to do with fog lamp intensity.

I'm not sure whether this is true or not, hence my request for photos to compare UK lamps with mine.

Your probably better off getting an aftermarket fog-light, as another member has done. It looks a bit cr*p hanging down off the bumper, but once you've passed SVA then you can look into sorting it out.. and you'll be able to drive the car in the mean time...

Hope Zaphod doesnt mind.. look under the bumper, you can see the light...

[img]http://www.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/albums/album01/car3.jpg[/img]

No worries Fidgits, my car came like this, I am the first UK owner the dealer put this on to pass SVA. I am thinking of wiring in dual filament lamps to the boot lights... low power for the brakes - high for the fogs.

[quote name='Jinja' date='Jul 5 2003, 08:17 AM']I failed my SVA 'cos they said that rewiring (which I did) wasn't enough.
The red cover/lens apparently is different, something to do with fog lamp intensity.

I'm not sure whether this is true or not, hence my request for photos to compare UK lamps with mine.[/quote]
My Altezza passed SVA without a hitch. The lamps are the same - they just work differently. - They act as night lights when headlights are on, or fog lamps when I press the switch.

See pics in my sig...

i can assure you the lens is identical whether its a fog or brake light

I don't think you can have brake and fog lights on a dual element bulb - it won't pass SVA. There is a minimum distance that is require between the two.

Also only the rear tail lights are low power (5W), both the brake lights and the fog lights are 21W. Even if you do the mods after the SVA you may still have problems with the MOT.

Also for the SVA you need an indicator on the fog light switch or dashboard to indicate the fog lights are switched on.

Spot on colin. We did the switch/re-wiring work, but the other reason I failed SVA was because of the Wattage difference in the rear lights, and I think because the lamp cover hasn't a suitable refraction pattern(?). This is coming to me 2nd hand from my importer, so I mightn't have that 2nd point exactly right.
We ordered parts from Lexus, so that's that taken care of. SVA crew will allow us a 2nd free test as soon as it's ready, since it's a visual only inspection.

Sounds like Kavey was lucky and I wasn't. It all depends on the bloke running the test I suppose....

If you want some boot fog lamps ..... search on ebay ...... lexus + boot ..... currently @ £1

[img]http://www.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/albums/album01/Chris_Shipley_7.sized.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/albums/album01/ifraz_Smoked_Lights.sized.jpg[/img]

[i]Like Mat said all lamps are the same wether they be Euro spec or JDM spec, it's only how they're wired up which is different[/i]

They may look the same but do they have the same len pattern? Not easy to tell unless you look at both together.

I had this problem when I was putting my Altezza through SVA last year as well. Aparently the inside layer of the rear fogs don't emit the light bright enough for the law over here. I failed first time because of that as well, but the SVA tester let slip a trick which I did. All you have to do is get some kitchen foil strip the back of the fogs and layer some foil on the inside of the lens. This way when the light is switched on the glow of the bulb bounces off the foil and emits the rays the bit further in order to pass U,K regulations. Also they want the rear fogs to work on an independent swicth. So I had to get that rewired to an individual swith which was relatively easy and then took it back within the seven day grace you have and retested it and it passed. Have a go at that mate, goodluck!

[font="Arial"][color=red]FFS.......the rear lens is the same whether its for fog or brake light, even the bulbs are the same.............how would i know.......oh, ive checked part numbers, im not saying it again....there the same bulb,and lens[/color][/font]

so if you have orderd new parts from lexus, you have just thrown money down the drain.

hello, rear fog light bulb is single element 21 watt wedge base bulb, tail/stop light bulb is two element 5/21 watt wedge base bulb, both available from halfords,cheers, gds