Burned out headlight epidemic?
02-01-11, 06:03 AM
#16
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Mine went out last month and would not stay on for more than a few seconds. I bought a pair of Harrison Toshiba bulbs on ebay for $19.99. Works great and warm up color doesn't look like cheap chinese bulbs. (extremely blue warm up)
02-01-11, 06:24 AM
#18
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I have a feeling that this will be the next Lexus recall - bad ballasts. We should all file a complaint with NTHSA and have them look into this for this is a serious safety issue. This appears not to be isolated problem to the GS, but the IS as well.
I can understand the bulbs eventually burning out but the ballasts I believe should last a whole lot longer than they appear to do which is about 4 yrs, at least for my GS. I replaced both bulbs (OEM bulbs) at the same time due to the driver's side having gone out. Everything worked great for about a week, then one night coming home, both lights at the same time quit on me. Thankfully my fog lights were on so I can still see some of the roadway and that there was a lot of street lights overhead where I was driving. I turned off the lights and turned them back on, which the lights did come back on but only for a few minutes until they went out again.
Because I did not want to try and chase down the problem, let alone the expense of chasing the problem (a couple hundred to a couple thousand), and the multiple recalls that are pending on my GS that the dealership at the very earliest could not schedule me in until April, and my GS is far removed from the warranty (61k on the odo), I decided to trade in my GS on a MB E350.
I can understand the bulbs eventually burning out but the ballasts I believe should last a whole lot longer than they appear to do which is about 4 yrs, at least for my GS. I replaced both bulbs (OEM bulbs) at the same time due to the driver's side having gone out. Everything worked great for about a week, then one night coming home, both lights at the same time quit on me. Thankfully my fog lights were on so I can still see some of the roadway and that there was a lot of street lights overhead where I was driving. I turned off the lights and turned them back on, which the lights did come back on but only for a few minutes until they went out again.
Because I did not want to try and chase down the problem, let alone the expense of chasing the problem (a couple hundred to a couple thousand), and the multiple recalls that are pending on my GS that the dealership at the very earliest could not schedule me in until April, and my GS is far removed from the warranty (61k on the odo), I decided to trade in my GS on a MB E350.
Last edited by MadDawg350; 02-01-11 at 06:33 AM.
02-01-11, 06:53 AM
#19
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WOW...you know I was just about to ask the same question. I have a 07' GS350 | Nav | ML package and my drivers side HID is out. So, I purchased the Garax 6000k HID's. Just waiting for them to come in.
02-01-11, 07:19 AM
#20
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This is really ridiculous. My passenger side lights "burnt out". Actually when I turn on the headlights, the light stays on for about a second, then turns off. Other days, the light will operate as normal, but the passenger side headlight will shut off after 5mins or so..What's going on here? I don't think it's "burnt out" in the true sense since it will turn on, but it just won't stay on!
I just hit around 52k and am past my warranty! I thought these things were suppose to last for many many years!! I hear the bulbs are a pretty penny too!
I just hit around 52k and am past my warranty! I thought these things were suppose to last for many many years!! I hear the bulbs are a pretty penny too!
Last edited by OhOneWS6; 02-01-11 at 07:24 AM.
02-01-11, 07:23 AM
#21
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I have a feeling that this will be the next Lexus recall - bad ballasts. We should all file a complaint with NTHSA and have them look into this for this is a serious safety issue. This appears not to be isolated problem to the GS, but the IS as well.
I can understand the bulbs eventually burning out but the ballasts I believe should last a whole lot longer than they appear to do which is about 4 yrs, at least for my GS. I replaced both bulbs (OEM bulbs) at the same time due to the driver's side having gone out. Everything worked great for about a week, then one night coming home, both lights at the same time quit on me. Thankfully my fog lights were on so I can still see some of the roadway and that there was a lot of street lights overhead where I was driving. I turned off the lights and turned them back on, which the lights did come back on but only for a few minutes until they went out again.
Because I did not want to try and chase down the problem, let alone the expense of chasing the problem (a couple hundred to a couple thousand), and the multiple recalls that are pending on my GS that the dealership at the very earliest could not schedule me in until April, and my GS is far removed from the warranty (61k on the odo), I decided to trade in my GS on a MB E350.
I can understand the bulbs eventually burning out but the ballasts I believe should last a whole lot longer than they appear to do which is about 4 yrs, at least for my GS. I replaced both bulbs (OEM bulbs) at the same time due to the driver's side having gone out. Everything worked great for about a week, then one night coming home, both lights at the same time quit on me. Thankfully my fog lights were on so I can still see some of the roadway and that there was a lot of street lights overhead where I was driving. I turned off the lights and turned them back on, which the lights did come back on but only for a few minutes until they went out again.
Because I did not want to try and chase down the problem, let alone the expense of chasing the problem (a couple hundred to a couple thousand), and the multiple recalls that are pending on my GS that the dealership at the very earliest could not schedule me in until April, and my GS is far removed from the warranty (61k on the odo), I decided to trade in my GS on a MB E350.
02-01-11, 09:02 AM
#22
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But is it the ballast or the bulb? While I admit I've never had a HID bulb go out on any other Lexus I have seen them out driving around. If I have to buy a bulb every 4 years or 80k miles or whatever that isn't an issue to me. Now if we had transmissions failing left and right, that would be a huge cause for concern to me.
02-01-11, 11:53 AM
#24
But is it the ballast or the bulb? While I admit I've never had a HID bulb go out on any other Lexus I have seen them out driving around. If I have to buy a bulb every 4 years or 80k miles or whatever that isn't an issue to me. Now if we had transmissions failing left and right, that would be a huge cause for concern to me.
very true about the transmissions. glad its very uncommon if at all on these GS's
02-01-11, 01:55 PM
#25
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This is exactly what happened to me. Passenger side is a little purpleish..now the light fails to stay on for more than 1 second. Taking my car into the dealership this Friday for recall work (spring valve replacement). Will talk to them about the light since this has been an issue for the last 6months. By the way, the lady on the phone told me there is yet another recall for the GS on some fuel sensor/leak....Goodness gracious!!
02-02-11, 05:53 AM
#26
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I'm sure the dealership would have looked at the problems I was having with the lights right away. The excessive delay in scheduling service is for the value spring recall.
02-02-11, 07:41 AM
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02-02-11, 01:15 PM
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02-03-11, 04:23 PM
#29
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Did most of you guys repplace the headlight with the stock 4ks? or did you go wtih the 6k? i wonder how much of a difference in price this will be. the only problem is if i replace it with the 6ks, i'd have to replace both sides..
02-03-11, 07:43 PM
#30
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my car i had to replace the passenger side ballast,, put new bulbs in, and it had the same problem,, so i kept the original bulb in there, put a used ballast on and now it works fine,, too bad now once in awhile the driver side will shut off after awhile, now i have to look for another used ballast,, new cost wayy too much