GS - 3rd Gen (2006-2011) Discussion about the 2006+ model GS300, GS350, GS430, GS450H and GS460

AFS Motor

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-27-14, 11:00 AM
  #1  
stiles17
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
 
stiles17's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default AFS Motor

Does the AFS motor control the left and right hand movements of the projector only? Or does it control the up and down leveling as well? Or is it both?

Thank you!
Old 01-27-14, 11:18 AM
  #2  
IXI187IXI
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
 
IXI187IXI's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Philly
Posts: 8,386
Likes: 0
Received 19 Likes on 12 Posts
Default

left and right

Lexus AFS Info
Old 01-27-14, 12:49 PM
  #3  
stiles17
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
 
stiles17's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by IXI187IXI
left and right

Lexus AFS Info
Thank you very much! That bit of info literally saves me half of my problems. One last question: what makes them go up and down when I turn on the headlights...does this have its own motor too?

You're the best and this info is helping me greatly.
Old 01-27-14, 01:14 PM
  #4  
IXI187IXI
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
 
IXI187IXI's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Philly
Posts: 8,386
Likes: 0
Received 19 Likes on 12 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by stiles17
Thank you very much! That bit of info literally saves me half of my problems. One last question: what makes them go up and down when I turn on the headlights...does this have its own motor too?

You're the best and this info is helping me greatly.
theres an auto leveling sensor that does the up and down (appear to be #15)

guess the ballast is what controls it
Old 01-27-14, 02:24 PM
  #5  
stiles17
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
 
stiles17's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by IXI187IXI
theres an auto leveling sensor that does the up and down (appear to be #15)

guess the ballast is what controls it
Fascinating really. I don't understand it but it must be the ballast that controls...something. I would think there would be some motor or mechanical device that actually moves it up and down but I've had the projector apart now and it only moves side to side. Very strange. No clue as to what is moving the bulb or the reflector.
Old 01-28-14, 07:23 AM
  #6  
jamodeo
Instructor
iTrader: (1)
 
jamodeo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Hinsdale, Illinois
Posts: 802
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
Default

The device moving the lights up and down is number 13. It moves a lever forwards and backwards to adjust the vertical pitch of the light. I actually have one of those motors lying around somewhere from a long time ago when I took the housing apart lol.

-Joe
Old 01-29-14, 08:00 PM
  #7  
BinaryJay
Pole Position
 
BinaryJay's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Toronto
Posts: 3,154
Likes: 0
Received 14 Likes on 13 Posts
Default

IMO both of these features are the dumbest stuff ever, if it ever breaks on me I hope to god I am able to somehow force the lights into a neutral position and ignore that it's broken.

AFS is particularly useless... the auto leveling at least looks cool when you start the car at night.
Old 01-29-14, 11:21 PM
  #8  
stiles17
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
 
stiles17's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Okay, I think I have the whole world figured out now. J/k. But I'll see what I can do this weekend as I have all of these parts arriving from eBay. Dealer wanted over $500 for the whole lot...$88 on eBay with shipping. Go figure.

Attached are photos of the motor/gearbox which adjusts the pitch (the one with the **** at the end) producing the up/down movement of the lights.

The other motor/gearbox is flat and bolts underneath the projector and is responsible for the swivel movement. In one photo you can clearly see the gear which fits into the bottom of the projector. If you have ever taken one of these projectors apart you might remember seeing this. This male gear inserts into the female counterpart in the projector.

My hope...my hope is that I can get to the swivel gearbox by taking out the HID ballast enough so that I can get access. There are "only" three bolt or screws which hold this onto the bottom of the projector. I say "only" because what sometimes we think is a two-minute project turns into a weekend of hell.

I hope this helps anyone who has had binding issues with their AFS due to their swivel motor/gearbox dying. When I get the sucker apart I try to get some real good pictures with my Nikon D7100. The iPhone won't cut if for this as I'm only going in there once!

I'll keep this updated with pics. This is for my 2010 GS350 AWD but I am positive it works for several other cars such as the IS series and GS series from other model years and engine/drive train configurations.

Cheers,

Stiles
Attached Thumbnails AFS Motor-afs-motor-for-up-down-movement.jpg   AFS Motor-afs-motor-for-up-down-movement-side.jpg   AFS Motor-afs-motor-for-up-down-movement-side-2.jpg   AFS Motor-afs-motor-for-left-right-projector-movement-bottom-facing-ground.jpg   AFS Motor-afs-motor-for-left-right-projector-movement-top-bolted-to-projector.jpg  

Old 01-29-14, 11:30 PM
  #9  
stiles17
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
 
stiles17's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by BinaryJay
IMO both of these features are the dumbest stuff ever, if it ever breaks on me I hope to god I am able to somehow force the lights into a neutral position and ignore that it's broken.

AFS is particularly useless... the auto leveling at least looks cool when you start the car at night.
I have to admit the headlights do look cool when they go up and down on start up. I had this hot girl in a late model IS pull up next to me in a parking lot and she just kind of sat there after she shut her engine off. She could have parked anywhere but she parked right next to me.

I couldn't help myself but steal a glance (or two, just out of curiosity mind you) and I swear I was supposed to make some sort of conversation. Then my wife walked out of the store toward the my car and the girl with the IS made her headlights do the cool thing and off she went.

Kinda weird and I told my wife about it. She said I was more than likely imagining things. She's probably right and I wouldn't have struck up a conversation anyway (really!) but I did find it odd with her parking right next to me when there were about 100 other spots to park.

It's about the only time I can think of where it would be semi-appropriate to tell a girl she has nice headlights
Old 01-30-14, 12:14 AM
  #10  
stiles17
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
 
stiles17's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

People might also find this info useful:

In a left-hand turn, the left headlamp will pivot up to 15 degrees (the right-hand headlamp remains pointed straight ahead) and in a right-hand turn, the right headlamp will pivot up to 5 degrees (the left-hand headlamp remains pointed straight ahead).
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Lveyolfe
IS - 3rd Gen (2014-present)
0
01-23-18 12:38 PM
jdmsupra
LS - 1st and 2nd Gen (1990-2000)
2
10-06-12 12:22 PM
Superjatt
Performance & Maintenance
2
12-13-09 03:28 PM
nn432100
Car Chat
1
08-10-07 07:58 AM



Quick Reply: AFS Motor



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:02 PM.