Gs450H Front Sidelight Bulb Replacing

[ZXSpectrum]

Hi All,

I will be getting my GS450H In a couple of weeks but the one thing that has always bugged me about the car is the normal yellowish front sidelight bulbs. They really dont match with the nice white hids that come with the car.

Anyway the question is a: Are they easy enough to replace with some nice white LED bulbs? b: What type of bulbs are they? c: Does the lexus have any fancy stuff that lets the driver know that there are bulbs out and will replacing the front bulbs with LED ones cause any issues with that?

Oh and if anyone has done it do you have a comparison pic?

Thanks

:)

[tonyricha]

Hi Paul and a warm welcome to LOC.

I thought exactly the same re yellow side light bulbs and so tried a pair of LED, it seems you need "error free ones" apparently because LED draw so little current they will upset the system so these error free ones have a small resistor which overcomes the problem and have worked perfectly in my 450h, as you say much smarter. Capless bulbs, plently on eBay at about £5 the pair.

Enjoy the new motor.

Regards Tony

[ZXSpectrum]

Much appreciated Tony. What type of bulbs are they? 501, 233 etc?

[tonyricha]

T10 W5W 501, quite fiddley to change but then mine blew several normal bulbs so well worth doing as these are supposed to be long lasting, the standard ones only look sad because they are sited in the main beam light unit so can be seen on dip all the time.

[ZXSpectrum]

Cheers matey.. :) found some slightly different ones that are SMD LEDS and nice and bright white :)

These ones http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2pcs-ERROR-FREE-CANBUS-W5W-T10-501-5-SMD-LED-SIDE-LIGHT-BULBS-UK-/290614270365?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Lighting_Lamps_Lighting_SM&hash=item43a9f5d99d

[coneybiller]

When I first bought my 450h it had a sidelight bulb out, but I had no warning on the dash! A friend of mine gave me a pair of "max power" ( :yack: ) LED's that he had kicking around, they work fine with no warnings and they aren't can-bus friendly bulbs! Kind of wondering if my 2006 GS450h even has a bulb warning system fitted! But hey ho

[Raj Rupra]

How on earth did you guys get your fingers down there to replace the bulbs? I took the plastic engine shrouds off the front and passenger side to replace a blown sidelight bulb and there was no way I could get to the bulb holder. Does the handbook assume we all have 10inch fingers made of titanium?

Any help greatly appreciated...

[tonyricha]

The bulb holder is about 10 inches long my only issue was turning it enough to draw the bulb out of the holder. Sorry cant remember exactly but it wasn't difficult just fiddley.

[Zotto]

Unluckily here in Ialy LED bulbs are not legal as replacement to W5W bulb, but there is another solution :)

Philips W5W Xenon Ultimate Effect have a higher temp and make a better light than standard W5W, even if probably they last less.

http://s.sbito.it/images/39/3910679765.jpg

[mr2lad]

I did exactly the same and changed yellowish looking bulbs for the canbus error free 9 SMD bright white...wow what a difference it make s to the look of the car at night.. Agree totally about them being fidderly n a pain in the arse to change

[KayCee]

I too want to change my sidelight bulbs but how do those clips release ive tried 3 and broke 3 i cant get the centre button to come up

Can anyone advise

Thanks

[mr2lad]

Lol you push the centre button DOWN ....

[KayCee]

Ye

Thanks for that I was trying to lift the centre button up but i figured it out

LOL

[KayCee]

I eventually changed the bulbs to the LED type and very impressed with them

I was wondering if anyone had used the leds for the indicators I know would have to be the ballasted type as they would flash a lot faster

Just a thought

Robert

[tonyricha]

No but fancy LED reverse lamp bulbs, screen image would be much clearer at night with brighter bulbs!

[tonyricha]

Go get one Paul, forget smelly fuel and diesel clatter in jams, enjoy the silence.There was a recall on 2006/7 models for valve springs and rear brake caliper issues but nothing to worry about.

I do believe mine is as cheap as a diesel to run,having averaged 35.1 over the last 166,000 miles with no faults and cheaper fuel. Ignore the scare mongers about batteries mine still charges and holds as well as ever. Not even re gassed the air con yet, still really cold.

Oh and no airport runs for the family with the small boot, result!

[nipperjam]

Just changed my side light bulbs to smd and must say have made the lights look so much better than the yellowish ones many thanks to those who put up which bulbs to go for