HID bulbs

[OldTrout]

My car had a major service yesterday at Lexus Swindon at the end of its Lexus warranty. (As advised here I have extended the warranty for a further two years.) They reported a failed bulb on the nearside dipped headlight. They offered to replace it but warned me the bulbs were expensive at £71. Remembering a discussion on this forum I said I would do it myself.

The forum discussion mentioned a Toshiba bulb which now seems unobtainable. HIDS4U in Southampton have in stock: Philips D4S XenEco Xenon HID Bulb 42402 for £66, Osram original Xenarc for £35 or Osram Night Breaker unlimited Xenarc for £55.

What should I buy and any tips on replacement?

John

[messi]

Try rockauto because I'm sure they sell the Philips oem bulb and is a cheaper, but I'd advise replacing both 

[OldTrout]

Thanks messi. Looking for a pair then!

RockAuto can do a pair for £109.46 + import duty and VAT I assume with 1 - 2 week delivery from USA.

Xenons4U in this country have a pair for £110 with free delivery of about a week.

Car Rover have https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rover®-Xenon-Headlight-Replacement-light/dp/B012SCGAVA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1472211725&sr=8-2&keywords=Philips+D4S+bulb which would be £36 for a pair! (Free Prime delivery tomorrow for me too.) Are these lamps any good? They are so much cheaper?

 

 

[Z28DUNC]

Does the bulb come on then go out or is it completely dead? If it does come on for a short time I would swap the bulbs over, worked for me.

[OldTrout]

Good tip Z28DUNC,  thank you.

Now the car has come home (having had the back end swiped whilst parked at my wife's work) I have just been to check. The bulb flickered a couple of times and has now stayed on! However I suspect having some bulbs ready to swap in might be a good idea.

So back to the question of what to buy.

[OldTrout]

Thought I would try Z@*DUNCs tip of swapping bulbs over this morning.

But how? Looked on forum to see if any hints anywhere about how to access the bulb but I can't find anything.

How do I do it please?

 

 

[OldTrout]

Have I got this right?

The headlight is accessed under the bonnet behind a transparent, finned cover as in photo 1 (for offside light). This twists off revealing the bits shown in photo 2 (taken with mirror).

I assume the HID lamp is the  one roughly in the centre of the photo and might be released by pressing down on the wire clip at 2 o'clock and twisting holder anti-clockwise.

The nearside light is a bit more awkward: I removed the washer filler pipe first and hands smaller than mine would be an advantage.

Once removed I assume normal precautions i.e don't touch glass and lights have not been on for 24hrs but still be careful with connections.

Am I right so far?

[Z28DUNC]

Yep that's the job. You twist the connector off the back. Theres a spring clip that that holds the bulb in place which is fiddly. Undo that then carefully take the bulb out. 

[Britprius]

There are two clips. One at ten oclock "almost hidden in the picture" the other at two oclock. Each has to be pushed inwards then sideways away from the bulb. the clips will then swing freely towards you "they are joined hinged at 6 oclock" freeing the bulb. This just pulls out.

John

[OldTrout]

Thanks guys.

Now to find an assistant with small hands.....

.....and possibly buy some bulbs.

John

[Britprius]

I bought a pair of cheap bulbs on eBay "about £13 the pair" and these have given excellent service. My initial reasoning for buying these was if they only lasted a year they would still be cheaper than the Phillips bulbs.

John 

[OldTrout]

Thanks Britprius for encouragement over bulbs. The price range is astonishing. Given that my fitting charge is zero, the lower cost ones make sense.

I have just ordered a pair on eBay for £16 from UK seller with 99.6% score, which should be delivered by Thursday. There were lots cheaper from the Far East but with indeterminate delivery times. My wife is still waiting for something she ordered from China in March.

[OldTrout]

Replaced both HID bulbs this morning. Procedure is straightforward enough although access very limited and if you have big hands it is harder. Once you know exactly what the construction is, it is much easier. You need first to twist off the covers shown in my top picture and on the nearside it is easier if you remove the washer tank filler tube. Undo one 10mm bolt and the tube will pull off.

1) Twist to unlock the bulb connector (direction is on the top) and then pull off. Tuck it to one side.

2) Release the two clips which hold the bulb flange down and swing out of the way. 

3) Remove the bulb.

4) insert new bulb without touching the envelope. It only sits down in the fitting in one orientation; the bulb envelope support pillar goes it the back of the housing.

5) Hook the clips under their notches holding the bulb secure.

6) Push on the connector onto the bulb base and twist to lock.

 

I replaced both bulbs although only one was going on and off. Replacing the second was much quicker since by then I knew the construction. I can easily imagine that a Lexus dealer would levy a hefty fitting charge. It is not a five minute job. I could probably do it again (whist I still remember how) in 30 minutes from opening to closing the bonnet. 

I found that the bulb holder can rotate from side to side. This I assume is the way the beams follow the road which answers my own question about which lights move: just these. The other main beam lights do not move.

Neither of the old (Philips) bulbs was blackened. (My church has a bank of HID lamps and these bulbs are blackened when they need replacing.) Hope this does not mean that the high voltage bits were the cause of the problems.

[Britprius]

None of the HID bulbs I have replaced have been blackened in use. One had blistered the glass envelope otherwise they looked fine. This goes back over the previous 3 cars I have had.

I have yet to have a ballast failure, but if that happens it will be replaced with a cheap version available in conversion kits.

John 

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

I had my headlight bulbs in and out several times during the week, as one side was completely dead (going in on Friday for a new headlamp, ballast and bulb & fitting - £937 - luckily warranty covering it).

I managed to swap my left & right bulbs back and forth twice, and changed both my front indicator bulbs to chrome ones, all in less than 15 minutes from opening the bonnet, taking off the engine bay covers, moving the washing inlet (10mm socket) and then putting back together.  

Nobody needs to pay Lexus to change the bulbs - it's a 10 minute job once you know how.  Screw off the plastic cap, undo the spring clip (same as every other car headlight), take out bulb, clip spring back in, screw on cap - job done.  On the passenger side you need to undo 1 bolt, but otherwise the same.

I managed to find a pair of the OEM Phillips ones for £125 delivered online, but could by Osram's and a few other makes for about £35/£40 a piece.  Lexus quoted me £69 + VAT for the bulb alone.

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Going to replace all my other bulbs this weekend, once the new headlight is in on Friday (and eventually the HID bulb when it goes on the drivers side, which Lexus are not touching).  This includes:

Fog lights to HB4 LED

Side lights (front) to LED

Main beam to HB3 Osram Ultimate upgrades

Reversing bulbs to LED

Rear indicators to chromed yellow bulbs

Puddle lamps on mirrors to LED

 

Already done the front yellow indicator bulbs.

 

Should brighten & modernise it all up :)

[Britprius]

22 hours ago, Diesel Do Nicely Brian said:

Going to replace all my other bulbs this weekend, once the new headlight is in on Friday (and eventually the HID bulb when it goes on the drivers side, which Lexus are not touching).  This includes:

Fog lights to HB4 LED

Side lights (front) to LED

Main beam to HB3 Osram Ultimate upgrades

Reversing bulbs to LED

Rear indicators to chromed yellow bulbs

Puddle lamps on mirrors to LED

 

Already done the front yellow indicator bulbs.

 

Should brighten & modernise it all up :)

The puddle lamps on my GS450H same year are LED's. The only lights that are not LED are head lamps, front side lamps, fogs, and interior vanity mirrors.

John

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Thanks John - will check that out.  I can probably use those bulbs for something else.  Forgot about the interior vanity bulbs - will get them sorted too (any idea what bulb they take?)

Are the fog lights and the reverse lights LED's too?  The indicators are definitely standard bulbs as I have already changed them.

 

[Britprius]

The bulbs by the vanity mirrors are the festoon type.

I will check on all the rear lights, but having installed a tow bar recently with the electrics I am reasonably confidant they are LED's. The wiring to the rear lights is very thin flat form cable reminiscent of computer hard drive cable, and terminated in much the same way.

John 

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

Cheers.  Will have a look this weekend when I pull the rear lights out anyway to clean.

Pretty sure the tail lights are LED's but the indicators are standard bulbs.  Think the reverse bulbs were too (quite a few threads on upgrading these to LED's and being much better at night and for the reversing camera).

[KentIS300]

I had used for my Honda Legend when I needed to replace the Xenon flickering lights with a pair of these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Philips-Xenon-X-treme-Vision-D2S-Xenon-HID-Car-Headlight-Bulb-Single-Lamp-/262090277719?hash=item3d05cc4357:g:uJoAAOSwA4dWH62V

 

I managed to find them back in May 2 for £65 the pair and they had brilliant performance. I always go for Philips bulbs on my cars.

[KayCee]

will you not require a LED Flasher unit for the flashers as i tried it once on a OMEGA and the lights flashed as tho a bulb was blown if it doesnt i am changing mine to L:ED

Robert

 

[Diesel Do Nicely Brian]

The bulbs I have used for the front AND rear of the car are chrome finished standard bulbs that flash orange but look invisible when looking at the actual lights (switched off).  I think LED's would cause the issue you mention, unless you bought Canbus Error Free ones (which are the ones I have bought for the other lights).

[PCM]

I use Osram Night Breaker Unlimited Xenarc.

They certainly improved the lighting quality on my RX.

[Britprius]

I am considering changing the dip HID D4S bulbs, and the ballasts to D2S. Although an older system they give out more light. These run at around 80 volts the current being roughly halved at the bulb, against 40 volts for the D4S.

I consider along with others the dip beam on the GS450H poor against other vehicles I have had. Going from main beam to dip with oncoming traffic out in the countryside causes almost total loss of vision.

John