hey, i was following a friend driving my car today and noticed there wasn't a light on in the top red strip of either taillight.
is there something wrong with mine, or is there just isn't a bulb there.
also, where the orange is on the headlights; did any pre 97 es300s come with a bulb there?
hope you guys know what i'm talking about.

 

On my 96, when the taillights are on (non-braking), I just think the bottom strip lights up. The top strip comes on only when you brake. There is a bulb behind the amber strip for the turn signals. The 95-96 have the amber strip all the way across the middle level, whereas the 92-94 have amber on the outside half of the middle strip, and red on the other half.
Can't picture the 97-99 offhand, I think it's similar to the 95-96, with the amber strip running across the middle. On the 00-01, the middle strip is clear with amber bulbs for the turn signals.

 

no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

95-96 have no bulbs on the top red strip AT ALL!!!!!!!

only on the bottom. Lexus prolly realized the bottom provides sufficient lighting itself, I've noticed the 92-94's have incredibly glaring, cluttered taillight bulb allocation...too many lights on at one time...not necessary...same situation with gen 1 ls400's.
That's why they revised the bulb allocation for the 95-96 model year on the ES.

 

Xenon, you're absolutely right. I grabbed my spare 95-96 light from storage, and there are exactly 4 sockets. One on the amber part of the middle strip (turn signal), one on the clear part for the reverse lights, and two on the bottom strip for the brake lights/running lights. No sockets on the top red strip at all! I've never been behind my own car (don't usually lend it out), and it seems I'm behind 92-94s more often.