ng123ray

hey there everyone... i've had my ES350 for about a year now.... and i now wish to change some of the lights... nothing is wrong with them i just want something brighter and whiter... give the ES a little bit more attitude. i've already converted my halogen lights to HIDs. i've been researching for light bulb sizes but im a bit confused on what size bulbs go where. i've already checked out sylvania.com and have the list printed out for bulb sizes for the ES350. i just want to change my day time running lights bulbs and my high beams. does anyone know this stuff better than i do? Perhaps you can shed some light on this(no pun intended). thanks

ng123ray

also i've been reading up on the angel eyes thread... it sounds like a good idea... but i want to see how that comes out first before i lean towards getting them...

07LexusGuy

Your high beams and daytime running lights are one in the same when it comes to the bulbs that they use. In the ES350, it is a 9005 bulb. I notice that regardless of what bulb I use in there, having the DRL turned on, the bulb eventually ends up getting a yellow/tan collor buildup on its tip.

ng123ray

o thanks for the info

dipesh90

you said you converted your headlights to HID, but doesn't the ES350 already come with HID?

07LexusGuy

Actually, HIDs are an option - some base ES's come with Halogen bulbs (very rare). Its just more common to see HID as part of a dealer package.

ng123ray

yea.. lucky me... =/

toneman

FWIW--I replaced each of the two front corner/marker 194 bulbs w/ a SMT single-LED bulb; these LEDs are whitish to the point that they make the factory HID color on the ES look yellowish in comparison...and are quite a bit brighter than the filament 194 marker bulbs they replaced.

I also replaced the factory 9006 driving light bulbs w/ Sylvania Silverstar replacements...primarily because I had a pair lying around after having removed them from my last vehicle. I would consider using the Sylvania Ultra bulbs if I can find them on sale (IIRC they typically retail for $50 a pair, vs. $40 a pair for the Silverstars)

07LexusGuy

I was thinking to make my own 194 using Luxeon K1 LEDs but that's turning out to be more trouble than its worth since I need to fabricate heat sinks and a socket for all the trouble.

What manufacturer makes the 194 white LED that you replaced your corner lights with?

toneman

You got PM...

garsarno

My experience with changing over bulbs is not to forget to change the wiring harnesses (pigtail connectors) to heavy duty versions as the OEMs will melt over time. Went to Hoen bullbs in our former Lincoln LS and Mercury Mountaineer vehicles. Needed the HD versions as the OEMs melted after a few months.

toneman

Wouldn't that typically be recommended if you were replacing the original OEM bulbs w/ higher-wattage ones? I mean...if you replace an OEM 55w bulb w/ an aftermarket one that's rated at the same wattage--the only ways I can see such an aftermarket bulb melting the OEM harness is if said bulb's wattage rating was misrepresented, or if the bulb itself was poorly designed/manufactured (in which case, one shouldn't even consider using it at all).

Now I can't argue that your situation wasn't justified in upgrading the harnesses, but in my case I had replaced the OEM 9006 55w halogens in my GMC Yukon w/ Sylvania Silverstar 9006 55w equivalents, and the "looks like 18-gauge wire" OEM headlight wiring harness still looks intact (i.e., no brownish burn marks around the harness plug, etc.)...even after a year.

garsarno

Your right. The output was higher / hence the melting and bulb failure.