meh66

I just bought a bulb yesterday at the local parts store and I know I paid way too much.. $83 for one. However, the dam light still did not come on. I had to move the screw from the fuse box to get to the headlight(driver side). I wanted to know if anyone can provide a circuit diagram as I am getting 12 volts at the fuse, but less than 1 volt at the connector( .06v) Do anyone know if that is correct?

Slvr surfr

iTrader: (1)

The Ls run hids so there is a tranformer that you have to take into consideration when you service that kind of system. It also can be a bit dangerous when playin with it live. If the fuses check out good then you either have an open circuit or the transformer/ballast is faulty. Input to the trans is about 12v but the out put range from 15k-25kv. woudn't use standard test light/meter/probe to diagnois the output. Special equipment is needed.

meh66

Thanks...I just read the output is that high. How can I test the bulb?

bigcory

the bulbs generally don't go bad to often. They do not utilize a filament, so there isn't much that can break. You do need to be careful not to touch the bulb with your bare fingers as the oil left from your body will create hotspots on the bulb glass.

It is most likely the ballast that is bad. Can you describe how the bulb stopped lighting up. Did it just completly stop one day? Light up/flicker then go off? change colors at all?

To test the bulb, you could install it in the working headlamp. That will verify the bulb is indeed working

meh66

Thanks bigcory. The bulb briefly light up/flicker and goes off. I am going to take that expensive bulb back. Do you where balast is on these cars and if I can get it after market or is that a dealer part.I would assume it could not be that far from the light.

LS430inDE.

Is your (drivers side) HID headlight out? I was unaware you could buy just the "HID" bulb, or any other portion of the HID assembly at a local auto parts store. I thought (for no specific reason) that we would have to get a HID "bulb" from Lexus. Again, I have no experience with this, but I thought when getting into HID problems, it's pretty much proprietary...meaning, you can't just go to the local parts store and buy a bulb, or ballast, etc.

Regarding your voltage readings at the fuse...was the fuse installed and you were reading ACROSS the fuse? If so, then a reading 0 volts indicates a GOOD fuse. If you take the fuse out, and put the meter leads across the terminals where the fuse was plugged in, you then should read 12 volts, or whatever the circuit voltage should be.

Again, not sure what our fuses even look like because I've never opened up the fusebox, but with the small buss rectangular colored fuses with the AMP ratings shown on the end of them, there is a tiny slit/slot on the ends. If you carefully place your meter leads on/in that slot and read 0 volts, then the fuse is GOOD. If you read 12 volts across the fuse, the fuse is blown.

Then again...if your HID's do dimly light up or flicker now, then it's obviously not a fuse problem. (The fuse is either good or blown, but never inbetween.)

Hopefully I didn't complicate matters..lol.

meh66

Yes was able to pick the bulb up at a parts store in the area. I do not think advance or autozone have it. I will call the dealer to see if the car is still under warranty..5 years old less than 35k. Does anyone know how to get the ballast out? BTW LS430inDE, I have an RL as well, but mine is a 96. I put an after Market Nav in that.