Side Lights

[Dean8788]

I have the bright white dipped lights as HID's but the side lights look a bit feeble as they are a yellow tinge colour, is there a certain bulb I can replace them with to turn them a brighter white? But I want something that will be reliable and durable as well, if that combination is viable?

[aly-g]

Hi Dean, for your front side lights you should fit LED bulbs, they give out a nice white light, I fitted them to my car and got rid of those dingy yellow bulbs, I got them from eBay item number is. 311143964496,

Allan

[ChumpusRex]

Most of the chinese bulbs are of poor quality. I've used several sets over the last 2 years (which should give you an idea of how long they last).

I had some of these, most recently: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T10-501-W5W-NEW-MODEL-interior-WHITE-LED-8-SMD-5630-CREE-Q5-bulbs-LADA-/181155853919?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2a2dbaf65f. They fell apart after 9 months (wires fell off due to poor quality soldering). They were bloody bright though - see picture.

I've now switched over to the Philips x-treme vision LED "5x brighter" ones. These aren't as bright as the eBay LEDs, but are built to a visibly much higher quality, while also being much smaller so that they fit better. The philips ones are available in 3 colour temperatures - 4000k: similar to the OEM HIDs, 6000k: pure white similar to aftermarket HIDs and 6700K: white with a blue tinge.

Search google for "philips x-treme vision w5w led". You pay for the quality though.

[is200 Newbie]

Hi Mark

Seem quite a lot brighter to the stock ones fitted on the car - are they (the Phillips ones) easy to fit - any need to take half the car apart to change them over ?!

[johnatg]

Just remove the front and both side engine covers (not the main one over the actual engine). The parking lights are dead easy - just twist into the back of the headlights. No other bulb is quite as easy!

[normski2]

Exactly so..simples!

[Dean8788]

Are they road legal and will they fail an MOT as side lights? Was looking at these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PHILIPS-X-TREME-VISION-LED-W5W-T10-4000K-BRIGHT-WHITE-TWIN-/231217852306?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item35d5a86f92

Will they throw any errors up?

[johnatg]

They are not actually Canbus type, so they might cause errors or flash or something. Or they might work. Not road legal, but I doubt there'd be a problem for MoT (or anything else)

I bought these: eBay item number 321462335826 - Canbus compliant, no errors, look brilliant (pun intended!) - MoT next week or so!

[ChumpusRex]

LED side lights are not road legal. However, no one really cares, and you'll get through an MOT fine.

Lexus don't put "bulb failure detectors" in their cars, so any bulb will work, as long as it will physically fit. Many German cars have bulb failure detectors installed, and these give errors or warning lights with LEDs installed. You don't need "CANBUS compatible" bulbs

[is200 Newbie]

Are these the ones you have used?

eBay item number 231217852306

[ChumpusRex]

Yup. Those are the ones I got most recently.

They work nicely. A fair bit brighter than the stock bulbs, but nowhere near as bright as the cheap Chinese bulbs.

[Ishaq]

I got these - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301255531477?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D301255531477%26_rdc%3D1

Be warned very very bright - I love it!!

Cheap and delivery took around 10 days - High quality item for the price no problems at all for past 2-3 months.