LS40 1st gen headlight questions
#46
Lexus Test Driver
I think Extreme HID's are the same kits sold by Xenon Depot. I have an Extreme HID kit in my 08 GX470 (4300k, not bi-xenon) and havent had any problems with them over the last 15 months. They are Phillip's bulbs made in Germany.
I got confirmation that my kit got shipped today. I'll verify where the bulbs were manufactured when I receive it and post it here. The components, other than the bulbs, look the same as the kit I bought for the GX.
I got confirmation that my kit got shipped today. I'll verify where the bulbs were manufactured when I receive it and post it here. The components, other than the bulbs, look the same as the kit I bought for the GX.
#47
Lexus Test Driver
Nice nice. The digital ballasts look like a good feature.
My buddy has had an HID kit on his Jeep Cherokee since about 04 and one of the bulbs JUST went out.. Must be nice to never have to replace headlights! lol
My buddy has had an HID kit on his Jeep Cherokee since about 04 and one of the bulbs JUST went out.. Must be nice to never have to replace headlights! lol
#49
Retired
iTrader: (32)
D4R and D2S is for the newer projector headlights. the older LS400s use just regular old bulbs since the LS line was not introduced with a projector until 2004...kinda dumb since it was the flagship and the lower models were equipped with projectors in the earlier years...ie. 92 ES300...DUAL projectors.
#52
Lexus Test Driver
I'll take some before and after pic's guys and post them here. I have Sylvania Silverstar Ultra's in now so it should be a good comparison between the two. Kit is supposed to show up tomorrow, so with any luck I'll get them installed on Friday night.
#54
Lexus Test Driver
So the Extreme HID's (Bi-Xenon 5000k) showed up this afternoon for my 91LS and I installed them. Below are some before and after pic's. The before pic's are with Silverstar Ultra's. The lights are at a distance of 35 feet from the door in all four pic's.
The order of the pic's are:
1.) Low Beam Before...
2.) Low Beam with HID's...
3.) High Beam Before...
4.) High Beam with HID's
The order of the pic's are:
1.) Low Beam Before...
2.) Low Beam with HID's...
3.) High Beam Before...
4.) High Beam with HID's
#56
Lexus Test Driver
The HID's are kind of like the Clint Eastwood movie; The Good, The Bad and The Ugly...
The Good:
1.) The amount of light that the HID's throw is significantly more than the Silverstar's. Definitely worth the upgrade.
2.) The wiring harness is well made.
3.) The ballast were well constructed (on the outside anyways).
The Bad:
1.) The fog lights won't come on anymore. When you turn on the fog lights, the HID high beams come on (wtf!).
2.) When you put the high beams on, the high beam indicator doesn't light up on the instrument cluster anymore.
The Ugly:
1.) The HID bulbs are made in China. I'm assuming the balasts, relays, etc... are as well. I was expecting bulbs that were made in Germany.
2.) The ballasts were larger than I expected. I got them to fit okay but it was a bit tight.
In Summary:
Personally, I wish I had spent the additional $60 ($199 total) and purchased the VOLT bi-xenon kit from Xenon Depot. If the cost of the kit is really high on your list, I'd save some money and take my chances with one of the $80(+- plus shipping) kits available on EBay and not spend $140 for this kit. You'll probably end up with similar Chinese components anyways.
A Pointer:
When attaching the ground wires on each end of the harness (a separate ground on each end of the harness for each headlight), use the Lexus ground's already in use high up on the inside of each fender. Just to be sure you don't have any grounding issues. On the passenger side, I tried to use a bolt on a bracket that bolted into the fender that supports the MAF sensor because it was a little further forward than the Lexus ground. I ended up with a bad ground from that bolt and initially the passenger side HID wouldn't light up. Once I moved it to the ground bolt being used by Lexus, it lit up.
So, how do I get my Fog Lights and High Beam Indicator Light back!!!??? I think I know what's causing it. When the kit is installed, it only has one relay on the drivers side that plugs into the 9004 bulb connector on the drivers side OEM harness. On the passenger side, the old 9004 bulb connector isn't plugged into anything anymore. I taped it up with electrical tape and tucked it away. I'm assuming I need to ground one of the pin-outs on that connector, or something similar to that in order to complete the old circuit on that side. This must be a common problem on any of these kits that only use one relay. The instructions that came with the kit were useless.
The Good:
1.) The amount of light that the HID's throw is significantly more than the Silverstar's. Definitely worth the upgrade.
2.) The wiring harness is well made.
3.) The ballast were well constructed (on the outside anyways).
The Bad:
1.) The fog lights won't come on anymore. When you turn on the fog lights, the HID high beams come on (wtf!).
2.) When you put the high beams on, the high beam indicator doesn't light up on the instrument cluster anymore.
The Ugly:
1.) The HID bulbs are made in China. I'm assuming the balasts, relays, etc... are as well. I was expecting bulbs that were made in Germany.
2.) The ballasts were larger than I expected. I got them to fit okay but it was a bit tight.
In Summary:
Personally, I wish I had spent the additional $60 ($199 total) and purchased the VOLT bi-xenon kit from Xenon Depot. If the cost of the kit is really high on your list, I'd save some money and take my chances with one of the $80(+- plus shipping) kits available on EBay and not spend $140 for this kit. You'll probably end up with similar Chinese components anyways.
A Pointer:
When attaching the ground wires on each end of the harness (a separate ground on each end of the harness for each headlight), use the Lexus ground's already in use high up on the inside of each fender. Just to be sure you don't have any grounding issues. On the passenger side, I tried to use a bolt on a bracket that bolted into the fender that supports the MAF sensor because it was a little further forward than the Lexus ground. I ended up with a bad ground from that bolt and initially the passenger side HID wouldn't light up. Once I moved it to the ground bolt being used by Lexus, it lit up.
So, how do I get my Fog Lights and High Beam Indicator Light back!!!??? I think I know what's causing it. When the kit is installed, it only has one relay on the drivers side that plugs into the 9004 bulb connector on the drivers side OEM harness. On the passenger side, the old 9004 bulb connector isn't plugged into anything anymore. I taped it up with electrical tape and tucked it away. I'm assuming I need to ground one of the pin-outs on that connector, or something similar to that in order to complete the old circuit on that side. This must be a common problem on any of these kits that only use one relay. The instructions that came with the kit were useless.
Last edited by JimsGX; 07-02-09 at 09:59 PM.
#57
Intermediate
My kit wired right into the battery for power and used the two positive leads in the original connector (one side) to run the relay that powers on the ballasts. The positive lead for the high was used to power the electromagnet that switched to high beams.
Sounds very similar to your wiring. I'll see if I can find my original diagram that came with the kit. I do vaguely remember wiring a ground from the original right side connector to the fender ground.
My fogs and dash indicator worked just fine with the wiring configuration that came with my kit.
The one thing I see that is different with your kit is that the high beam pattern looks very similar to the low beam pattern. I actually had to look twice because they were so similar. Either the high beams are too low or the low beams are too high it seems.
Sounds very similar to your wiring. I'll see if I can find my original diagram that came with the kit. I do vaguely remember wiring a ground from the original right side connector to the fender ground.
My fogs and dash indicator worked just fine with the wiring configuration that came with my kit.
The one thing I see that is different with your kit is that the high beam pattern looks very similar to the low beam pattern. I actually had to look twice because they were so similar. Either the high beams are too low or the low beams are too high it seems.
Last edited by dfkd; 07-03-09 at 08:32 AM.
#58
Lexus Test Driver
That's what I'm thinking I may need to do, run a jumper wire off the ground pinout on the original 9004 passenger side connector that isn't in use anymore, to ground. Thanks for checking for me.
#59
Lexus Test Driver
My HID bulbs don't have the dome cover on the end of them like yours do. They shift mechanically, but the ends of the bulbs are exposed like a fixed HID. That's why the beam pattern doesn't change I believe. I went for an hours drive last night and I didn't have anyone flashing their lights at me.
#60
Lexus Test Driver
Oh boy I def. don't want this kit anymore hahaha
It definitely looks good! But, not as plug'n'play as I'd like. Too many problems for me.
Silverstar FTW hahaha
It definitely looks good! But, not as plug'n'play as I'd like. Too many problems for me.
Silverstar FTW hahaha