Lexucan

Yes, the Lexus stereo in the 2nd generation ES300 (not sure about newer models) has an "anti-theft" security system which will lock out the stereo if the car's battery is disconnected. When that happens you need to re-enter your three-digit (owner programmable) pass code to unlock it again. If you have never programmed the code into the stereo, then the anti-theft feature may be turned off by default, in which case, you should be fine when disconnecting the battery. However, if you bought the car used, a previous owner may have programmed it, in which case, you'll need to know that three-digit code. The easiest way to determine whether or not the anti-theft system is active, is to watch the radio display as you turn on the ignition key. If you see "SEC" displayed in the radio's LCD screen for a few seconds when the car is turned on, then the anti-theft system is active and a code will be required to unlock the stereo after the battery is reconnected. If "SEC" does not appear in the display for a few seconds when the car is turned on, then the anti-theft feature is not active. If you find that the anti-theft system is active, but you don't know the security code for it, you'll have to take the car to a Lexus dealership and they can reset the system and get your stereo working again....for a price. I have no idea what the cost is to do that, but you can be sure it's probably more than $10.

13xus

http://cgi.ebay.com/10pcs-286-Wide-A...item3358e0dc43

IM TRYING TO ORDER NOW BUT I COULDN'T FIND THE T1.5, I FOUND THIS 286 WIDE ANGLE LED FROM JP_2002 SO WILL THAT FIT ???

Lexucan

The socket size you are looking for is T 1 3/4 but those LEDs from JP_2002 should fit.

tuan92129

http://cgi.ebay.com/20-x-White-LED-D...item3efb708d5c

Anyone know how wide the light distribution is for the smds?

RA102723

I have the same issue with the Toyota 90069-98004. The glass is narrow at the base and the bulb wiggles. What did you end up doing?

Lexucan

If the bulbs are fitting loosely, you should be able to adjust the two wire contacts at the base of the bulbs (making them into a "V" shape) so that they fit more snugly into the socket bases.

RA102723

I'm trying out your solution. Are you bending the contacts in the receptacle (base)? I bent a couple inward at the top and it seemed to help. But the bulb can still wiggle sideways.

These bulbs are narrower in width than the original, and have a long, narrow neck. That what keeps them from nestling down into the receptacle like the originals.

13xus

hey man, your cluster looks really nice can you tell me where did u buy those bulbs, can you send me the link please....thnkssss

13xus

hey lexucan, do u think can i buy a new sockets for those bulbs can u help me please cause i just done it and only half of the cluster working, if i have any chance ill post the picture later on, thanks.

13xus

this is wat happened to mine, after replacing the led bought from ebay, anyone can help please!!! is the problem from the bulb or the socket???? or something else

Lexucan

It is quite likely that you just have the polarity reversed on some of the LEDs.
Check the write-up on the first page and you'll see a photo with the proper polarity (+/-) marked for each socket. Another possibility is that you received some bad LEDs. Do you have any spares that you could use if some of the ones you installed are not working? The third possibility is the sockets, but this is not very likely.

13xus

wat do you mean spares,you mean like a tester or something,if right can u tell me where i can buy those pleasesss,many thankd

Lexucan

By "spares" I meant extra LED bulbs, or in other words, more LEDS than the 8 you need for your cluster backlighting. If you have extra LEDs, remove the one/s that aren't lighting up and try another.

13xus

how can i know if i plugged the LED bulbs into the sockets correctly, because i couldn't see any proper polarity mark on the LED so how can i find out which is (-) and (+) on the LED bulbs? or the socket? do you have any pics to explain that will help alot many thanks......

RA102723

To allow for the narrow base of the Toyota 90069-98004 bulbs I did the following:
1.Bent the wires of the bulb outward to form a V.
2.Bent the contacts in the bulb holder inward to apply pressure on the bulbs
3.Placed a dab of Blue Silicone RTV Gasket Maker on the lower curved portion of the bulb before inserting the bulbs into the holder. I wanted to remove any potential jiggling of the bulbs in the holders when on the road. I wanted to use silicone so that if in the future I needed to replace a bulb I could remove the material without damaging the holder. I went for the Permatex 6B because it can withstand high heat (on the bulb), good to 500 degrees F, and because I had an unopened tube on the shelf ;-).

Everything is working now, and I am most thankful to those who have gone before. A very special thanks to Lexucan for the great instructions.

Like others, the most difficult task was getting the 3 wiring harnesses detached. They had been coupled for 15 years and didn't want to break up. I had reasonable success using needle nosed pliers to hold the release detent in while using a flat knife blade to separate the connectors. I did have to take a couple attitude adjustment breaks along the way.

'96 ES300