I bought my 19 year old daughter a 2009 Lexus IS 250 a few years back. I’m going to attempt to replace the headlights myself...yes, I’ve watched the videos on how difficult the low beams are to get to. I’ve never done anything like this... to a vehicle... I’ve fixed XBox Elite Controllers & replaced IPhone front and back glass screens, lol.
My first problem, quite embarrassing to say the least... I have no idea which headlights to order? When I go to order them it asks if they’re halogen, HID, capsule... I HAVE NO IDEA!? Can someone please tell me? I’ve tried to upload pics, but it says file is too large... help with that issue would be appreciated, too. She does have the AFS, or whatever it’s called where the headlights move when turning the wheel. This light is currently flashing.
Apologies for the long text, but I just joined and I need A LOT of help! Hopefully I can figure out this forum to see your replies after I post this thread...
- What king of headlights does she have, halogen or HID?
- What is the best budget brand to buy if I’m wanting them A LOT brighter? Currently they’re horrible! Very yellow and not bright. I would like them not yellow... either true white, possibly the blue tint if y’all think she would like that. Her car is dark blue... looks black in the shade.
- What fog lights do y’all recommend? Doing these myself too.
- And info on why her AFS light is blinking and if I can fix that when replacing headlights.
-How do I upload a photo for y’all to see it if the file is saying too large?
I REALLY hope I can find this thread to see your replies once I hit post...
Thank you for reading this novel!
Carey Brewer

 

For the AFS light, it might be the leveling sensor that's broken. Or maybe the AFS motor in the headlight housing is broken.

If the light beam is yellowish, it's halogen.

I recommend this LED bulbs, which will give you a white color. The instructions might tell you to drill holes and such, but you don't need to. Everything will fit into the headlight housing: https://www.xenondepot.com/h11-xtrem...pro?quantity=1

You can see a comparison of the brightness here: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/market/899921

 

Hello, hopefully the below helps.

If the car has a blinking AFS light - it has factory HID/Xenon's equipped. If the ballasts are okay and you need to replace a bulb - the bulb size you want is D4S. You cannot fit LED bulbs in a HID equipped headlight without splicing the wires to the ballast - just don't try this, it's not worth the time or effort as the result is very likely going to be worse than replacing it with another HID bulb.

The output could be yellow because the factory HIDs are rated at 4300k which is a yellow-white sort of color. If the headlights are damaged by the sun (and likely are) and are foggy/faded this makes the output even yellower. You can try get someone to restore/clear coat the plastic lens and this will improve the light output dramatically. I would do this first as it is much cheaper than replacing them altogether. You can buy bluer bulbs but I wouldn't go past 6000k (7000k if you are looking at Osram CBB)

If you really want LED's, I would go ahead with the Vlands. They produce a nice color and are decently bright, and are probably the better choice for aftermarket headlights (especially for light output).
They are probably just as bright as the stock HIDs with clear plastic lenses however the Vland high beam is nowhere near as wide or tall I feel as the stocks. You will also lose the auto levelling and AFS function - but this appears to be broken anyway.

I can't say why AFS is flashing - could be anything from sensors to the motor inside the headlight. Most people pull the AFS fuse located in the passenger foot well to kill the blinking light.

Nosurprise has linked one of the better LED bulbs to buy so you can probably buy a pair for your foggies.

 

Thank you so much for the info! I’m really having trouble figuring out this forum and how to find and reply... hopefully this is me replying! 😉
I like pulling the fuse idea... not sure which one it is, but I’ll figure it out. I feel like it’s probably blinking bc the last owner maybe took out the HID bulbs? They’re not yellow AT ALL... they’re white light. The owner’s manual says they’re HID with AFS, but it’s obviously not working and they sound like a pain. I just want the light out for her. I’ve not proceeded to pull the front left fender well off to try and access the wiper reservoir... 😑 I see it, but I’m not sure where the bolts, etc. are... any idea?
Not that it matters, but I am female and have never worked on a car before... lol... should I undo the battery before messing with all of this?
Thanks so much!
Carey

 

Supposed to say now have proceeded with reservoir... it leaks when I put fluid in it... like bad... all of it comes out...

 

The AFS could be blinking for any number of reasons as it relies on a few sensors. Personally I haven't run into any issues yet so unfortunately I can't begin to help there.

In terms of the fuse - I'm in Australia so I don't know if the fuse location is different but ours is in the left side of the car (which happens to be our passenger side) against the side of the car. The Fuse is called "HLP-LVL" on the fuse lid. You might need to Google a bit just to see where it is on the US variant.

Just follow some Youtube videos and pulling the front end off should be quite a simple process - be prepared to break some clips if you're not careful because the plastics are very brittle. It never hurts to undo the battery as the ballast is a very very high voltage device.

 

Yes, undo the battery before messing with the fuses.
I haven't touched the wiper fluid reservoir for my car as well, but I'm sure there's plenty of videos on youtube for it. I'd go look it up and send you a link, but I'm at work and don't get off until midnight and youtube is blocked here in my work computer and I don't have service on my phone as well lol.
But let me know if you can't find one and I'll go try to find one when I get off work.

 

A suggestion, the auto stores like OReilly or Advanced Auto will replace your bulbs for you, if you buy the bulbs from them for free. Good luck.

 

Thank you so much. Apologies I’m not replying fast... I do have my daughter’s Lexus half taken apart in the driveway... lol. I did remove the 7.5 fuse as the first reply suggested and it totally turned the AFS light off! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I’m not really sure what kind of bulbs/headlights the Lexus has... owner’s manual says HID, which I believe it has to have if it has/had AFS.... however, maybe that’s why the AFS light was on? The outermost lights, I’m guessing they’re the low/high beam... they’re a white color... and how do I know what kind of bulb/light is in there? Visually, there’sa round silver circle around the light... I haven’t tried to mess with those yet. I did swap the high beams out to LED... they’re easy to reach. Looking at the other bulb location... seems like they are easy to get to... may need to move the filter on passenger side... maybe not, but I don’t need to change them... they’rea white light and the LED’s I put in match. I WISH I KNEW how to upload pics here. And you’re right about the clips on the bumper! I broke a few off... *sigh*. I guess I have to buy a new bumper? Any suggestions? Should I go with exact same bumper, or a conversion? Reading in this group has giving me boogles and I’m starting to think I can change everything on her car! 😂 She likes pink... sorry guys... so interior lights are all PINK LED, puddle lights are PINK... those were easier than I thought to change... and now her fog lights are PINK! PLEASE, don’t say that’s bad for foggy driving... they’re so cute! I would post a picture... someone tell me how??? Anyway... the PINK fog lights look amazing with the driver side bumper hanging off because I broke it!!! :/
I have a mobile mechanic coming tomorrow to fix everything I’ve broke. It’s been raining here A LOT! I’m in Lantana, Texas.

 

I gave up the fight on the reservoir.., only because I broke a lot of clips off the bumper trying to “easily” lift it off after watching a YOU TUBE video... 😶 Didn’t work for me... I actually get slightly angry at the car when things don’t go smoothly... no one else





to blame and the car can’t speak... so.. 😉
I have a mobile mechanic coming tomorrow... I’m letting him install the new reservoir, try and put the bumper back on... I’m sure he’ll think I’m crazy after he sees the bumper... I’ll video his reaction... lol
I broke three nails on that bumper! 😑
How do I load pics on here?

 

I should for sure consider your suggestion! I’m positive I’m really racking up quite the bill messing with this car myself! I’ve broke the bumper clips, scratched the paint, and last but certainly not least... I tore a 1” rip in the bumper. 😑
Currently both front fender/wheel cover/flares are off... I removed them to take the bumper off. I actually TAPED the dang bumper up so no one sees it hanging off in the driveway until the mechanic arrives tomorrow. Also, there’s tape everywhere bc I taped every bolt I removed to its respective place so no foolishness goes on there... 🤣
I’m pretty sure this lockdown for the last year has loosened a few screws for me... I would never have thought I’d be ripping bumpers off a car! 😏
I’ve worked from home for 20 years... I’m an editor... however, I’m NOT USED to staying home! I’m an adrenaline junkie AND MISS all the adventures! I am going sky diving June 4th... off topic... don’t know the rules here and it’s a BAD occupational hazard typing/talking too much.
Nice to meet you... virtually... you’re a moderator?

 

I really wish I could follow these threads in order. My apologies, I WILL GET THE HANG OF IT!
I believe I was actually able to post pics... they uploaded... not really sure where they are. I did replace the fog lights, albeit with PINK!!! 🤣 Daughter’s wishes... anything for the princess. Kidding... she’s a sweetheart and hasn’t asked for any of this. It’s my boredom taking hold. She loves PINK and I’m pretty sure I have delivered on the PINK! She jumped up and down when she saw just saw the interior lights PINK. She hasn’t seen the PINK puddle lights or PINK fog lights... lol...

 

What were you trying to get to that the front bumper needs to come off?

 

Everything was perfectly fine on her car (except the AFS light, thank you for telling me to pull the fuse) and it looked great... until her windshield wiper reservoir sprung a leak... a bad one... fill it up and it came straight out. In my boredom I decided I could certainly replace this. Not so much... That bumper is STUCK on the car!!! It’s at both front corners of the bumper. I thought, hmmmm.... videos say you have to yank it a bit to release tabs... well, I CERTAINLY YANKED IT! 😶 Yanked a split in the bumper! I even have an entire set of pry tools... ordered from Amazon. That’s where it’s went wrong... me sticking pry tool in between seam where bumper was STUCK on in corners. I was very cranky at this point with that bumper, so... yeah...


broke it. The mobile mechanic is actually about to be here in the next hour. I’m very curious to see WHY that bumper is stuck on! The new reservoir didn’t arrive until yesterday afternoon. It was supposed to be here Monday. Here’sa pic of what I DID TO THE BUMPER... Can anyone tell me what kind of headlights those are??? Yes, the chipped missing paint by the crack in bumper... I DID IT ALL! :/
Also, some one told me to use headlight cleaner kit to clear her headlights... well.. they’re definitely more clear now... I did it last night... I messed that up, too!
🤣🤣🤣 I have to laugh at this point... lenses look great... kit came from Amazon... basically drill attachment kit with sandpaper... start with 1000 grit, then 2000... finish off with 3000... but the kit came with a white hair buffer thing... when I used that WITH Chemical Guys headlight restorer... I didn’t think that soft furry polisher would damage her paint, so I did touch all around the headlights about an inch or two while buffing on the Chemical Guys stuff... well... that area is now flat/matte looking!!! 😭 I really need to stop touching that car! Any idea how to get the area I made NOT SHINY... SHINY AGAIN?
Thank you all!
Carey

 

If you watch the video below, it shows you how to take the bumper off. At 1:20, you can see him taking the bolt under there out -- it looks like that part is ripped in your pic.