Is 300 Led Bulb Help

[SachinC]

Hi,

I have a 2002 IS 300 I bought a fortnight ago.

I noticed the brake light isn't working, could be blown.

Is it easy to change these bulbs - is getting to them quite easy from the boot?

Also, was wondering on doing a full LED change to get brightness and longevity.

Was thinking of doing the rear lights, number plate light etc...

Can anyone help?

Thanks.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

The cluster bulbs are easy to change, couple of screws thats all...the parcel shelf brake light is a bit more tricky and the number plate lights are a complete PITA to change!

I cut my index fingers to bits changing the number plate lights!

[noby76]

Hi SachinC..this link will help for the number plate light swap. interior lights are easy to do.

1. remove plastic cover
   
2. remove old or existing bulb
   
3. fit new LED buld
   
4. replace plactic cover :)
   

havent got round to doing my number plates yet tho...

http://my.is/forums/f64/is300-how-change-license-plate-lights-340802/

[SachinC]

Nody - thanks for the walkthrough. Looks like a mission!

A quick question, on eBay I can see a plethora of LED stop lights, indicator lights etc... Some ads mention an extra capacitor required. In your opinion, shall I stick with normal lights or should I go fancy and buy LEDs???

Cheers.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Hi SachinC..this link will help for the number plate light swap. interior lights are easy to do.

1. remove plastic cover
   
2. remove old or existing bulb
   
3. fit new LED buld
   
4. replace plactic cover :)
   

havent got round to doing my number plates yet tho...

http://my.is/forums/f64/is300-how-change-license-plate-lights-340802/

It's a lot more complicated than that.

Pull down the boot lining on the inside held by plastic poppers. Then unscrew the two screws holding the plastic trim to the outside of the car and the 2 screws around the boot lock holding the trim to the car. The plastic trim will come off.

Unclip the wires connected to the bulbs which feed through housings in the metal work. This is where I cut my fingers, be careful very fiddely and you need to push two plastic clips up through the metal work to free everything up. From the outside of the car pull the whole bulb casing away from the car, be careful, it needs a strong pull but too hard and you'll break it. Now you can remove the bulb and place the new one in.

Put casing back into hole, re connect the wires to the clips. Now you have to realign the plastic trim on the outside and screw it back into place. Now re aligne the boot lock and do up the screws. Place boot lining back with poppers and now your done.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Missed your link sorry....

Very stupid!!

[KentIS300]

Sorry for asking a silly question but I assume the 3rd stop light you are trying to change it is from a saloon IS300 and not an "estate" sportcross right?

[SachinC]

Thanks Chris for your input!

Can you someone answer the Q re: LED brake bulb, indicator bulb or for that matter giving the rear end of the car a full LED facelift?

Can I just buy LED lights, i.e. 501 etc... or should I just buy normal glass bulbs???

Ta.

[ChrisIS200SportTTE]

Number plate lights are straight swap 501's, not done any of the others on mine so couldn't tell you sorry.

[SachinC]

Ok Chris...I will wait for others to reply...

[noby76]

Nody - thanks for the walkthrough. Looks like a mission!

A quick question, on eBay I can see a plethora of LED stop lights, indicator lights etc... Some ads mention an extra capacitor required. In your opinion, shall I stick with normal lights or should I go fancy and buy LEDs???

Cheers.

Welcome mate! not sure about needing an extra capacitor as I have only done my interior lights and not the stop and indicators LEDs are the futrue so i would go LEDs if you can!! makes the car look more modern.

[SachinC]

I found these for my IS 300 stop lights: http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/ABD-7443HP-21/5W-54-LED-WEDGE-WHITE-and-RED.html

Shall I go for them?

[jomo]

Hi Sachin, i have just done the LED swap on my is200,

If you plan on changing the indicators you will need to swap the relay also as when you change to LED the indicators flash twice as fast (like you have a bulb blown), reversing lights are a straight swap but if you swap the brake lights you will get the waring light on the dash saying you have a brake light bulb out, to stop this from happening you need to remove the left hand boot trim to get access to a multi plug that has 4 wires going into it and cut 2 of them to blank this warning.

I cant remember which 2 wires but i think i have a pic some where.

So if your still planning on doing this here the style of blubs i used after trying a few before hand.

I used this style for leds/smds for the reverse and stop/tail and front indicators.

This style for indicators (rear)

And this is the relay you'll need.

The side indicators have these in them.

When you order the bulbs you need white for the front indicators and amber for the rears, and white for stop/tail as they sit in a red lens anyway.

Hope this of some use to you.

Hope this it of some use to you.

[SachinC]

Jomo,

Thanks for that valuable advice.

I'm not going to do it as I don't like butchering up the wiring - that would be the last thing on my mind as the car is original and I want to keep it that way.

What I will do is change the front side lights (501 LEDS) and do the same with the number plate lights and that's it!

Thanks again for your valuable advice.

[jomo]

Your welcome, the wiring can be reconnected to return it back to stock if you needed to, also you can swap back the relay making that stock too, as a foot note you can swap the side indicators to LED as they don't affect anything at all.

I see you point but every thing can be put back if you ever sell.

[SachinC]

Does anyone have an inventory of LED bulbs for the whole car?

I saw a post a fortnight ago buried deep in this forum but now I can't find it!

Cheers.