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2010 RX350 with AFS (auto-leveling & turning) headlights. VIN starts with a "2" because this seems to matter. Trying to troubleshoot headlight bulbs and which replacements to buy. As you can see in the top picture, the round dancing AFS lights (#2) on my car are on the inside. They have a low beam and a high beam when they're on. They're my only forward-shining lights. There are two other lights (#1 in the top picture) that have NEVER come on, regardless of how the switch is turned. But EVERY parts diagram i've ever seen (including at the dealer) shows the picture at the bottom, which has the little round dancing lights (#2 in the bottom picture) on the outside, and the bigger non-dancing lights (#1 in the bottom picture) on the inside.
Here's the questions:
1. I have this AFS system. Does that mean i also have HID lights or is this a separate option? Do i need to buy HID replacement bulbs?
2. What are the non-dancing lights (#1 in the top diagram)? Are these the daytime running lights? Low beams? High beams? What?
3. Any suggestions as to why my outside (#1 in the top diagram) lights never come on? Could be both burned out, but more likely fuse, right? I really don't know what fuse it would be, because i don't know what Lexus calls these lights. Besides, i've checked all the fuses and none seem to be bad. Is there some custom lights configuration that i might have set to turn them off?
Alas, when i took it to the local Toyota dealer, they told me they have "absolutely no idea" why those outside lights don't come on!
That style of dealer diagram (cartoon like) is not accurate as it is simply a rough illustration. What you want is the factory service part diagram that’s only found on certain websites.
Since yours starts with a 2 (Canada), try parts.lexus.com
Paste your full VIN in the search, then scroll down and select the appropriate Category until you find headlights. Then select any part number and open an attached diagram in the description.
Regarding bulbs #1, they’re either your high beams or DRLs. Turn your low beams on and push the stalk away from you to see if your high beams work. If high beams work, then it’s your DRL.
AFS comes with HID as far as I know. They don’t offer AFS without HID.
2010 RX350 with AFS (auto-leveling & turning) headlights. VIN starts with a "2" because this seems to matter. Trying to troubleshoot headlight bulbs and which replacements to buy. As you can see in the top picture, the round dancing AFS lights (#2) on my car are on the inside. They have a low beam and a high beam when they're on. They're my only forward-shining lights. There are two other lights (#1 in the top picture) that have NEVER come on, regardless of how the switch is turned. But EVERY parts diagram i've ever seen (including at the dealer) shows the picture at the bottom, which has the little round dancing lights (#2 in the bottom picture) on the outside, and the bigger non-dancing lights (#1 in the bottom picture) on the inside.
Here's the questions:
1. I have this AFS system. Does that mean i also have HID lights or is this a separate option? Do i need to buy HID replacement bulbs?
2. What are the non-dancing lights (#1 in the top diagram)? Are these the daytime running lights? Low beams? High beams? What?
3. Any suggestions as to why my outside (#1 in the top diagram) lights never come on? Could be both burned out, but more likely fuse, right? I really don't know what fuse it would be, because i don't know what Lexus calls these lights. Besides, i've checked all the fuses and none seem to be bad. Is there some custom lights configuration that i might have set to turn them off?
Alas, when i took it to the local Toyota dealer, they told me they have "absolutely no idea" why those outside lights don't come on!
We have the 2011 RX450h with the same headlight set-up. According to the Lexus' website and my VIN, we have "Bi-Xenon High Intensity Discharge Headlamps Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS)"
You have HID lights from what I can tell.
The #1 depicted in your photo is the DRL. You might have yours turned off in the NAV set-up under vehicle customization/lighting. Go into the NAV and you will see an option under lighting, DRL "On or Off" set it to on and then hit save. To test it (I just did it) turn your headlight switch to auto, in the daytime ;-) with the car on and make sure it isn't set to "DRL/off" on the switch. I have that option right on the switch. That #1 DRL light should now be on. You can change it in Techstream too, if you have that. I keep our DRL off by default. If you don't see the option in your NAV, you might have to get someone with Techstream to change it.
I'm having another issue, I'm researching. My passenger main low beam headlight will go off after it has been on for a while and then after the car is shut down and restarted it will come back on. It has been doing this for a for about 8 months or so. No faults in Techstream. Maybe the ballast or bulb? The main headlight bulb is, according to my VIN: Part Number: 9098120024
Supersession(s): 90981-20024; 9098120013; 9098120020; 9098120021; 9098120023; SU00302560
DISCHARGE HEADLAMP; FOR HEADLAMP, NO. 1. They are around 150 to 170 bux each, so I will wait until it goes all the way out!
You can buy OEM equal quality or brighter and better aftermarket HID headlamp bulbs for a lot less than the Lexus dealer charges. It is a D4S bulb. I think I paid about $70 each last time for Osram Nightbreaker Plus or some similar name.
You can buy OEM equal quality or brighter and better aftermarket HID headlamp bulbs for a lot less than the Lexus dealer charges. It is a D4S bulb. I think I paid about $70 each last time for Osram Nightbreaker Plus or some similar name.
It was Osram Nightbreaker Laser, 66440XNL. They claim 200% brighter. I don't know about that, but they are brighter bulbs with better visibility. I got them from HID Concept.
It was Osram Nightbreaker Laser, 66440XNL. They claim 200% brighter. I don't know about that, but they are brighter bulbs with better visibility. I got them from HID Concept.
read the fine print. The 200% is a comparison to the "minimum legal standard". they probably are not any brighter than the standard HID bulb. Marketing 101!
The standard bulb has a color temperature of 4100K. These have a temperature of 4500K. Not much difference.
I agree, You can save a lot of money and probably see just as well by just getting one of the other D4S bulbs they have. When I got these bulbs I was hoping to see better, but agree it was probably not worth the extra $. Any new bulb would have improved vision at night as they do fade after time and miles.
We have the 2011 RX450h with the same headlight set-up. According to the Lexus' website and my VIN, we have "Bi-Xenon High Intensity Discharge Headlamps Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS)"
You have HID lights from what I can tell.
The #1 depicted in your photo is the DRL. You might have yours turned off in the NAV set-up under vehicle customization/lighting. Go into the NAV and you will see an option under lighting, DRL "On or Off" set it to on and then hit save. To test it (I just did it) turn your headlight switch to auto, in the daytime ;-) with the car on and make sure it isn't set to "DRL/off" on the switch. I have that option right on the switch. That #1 DRL light should now be on. You can change it in Techstream too, if you have that. I keep our DRL off by default. If you don't see the option in your NAV, you might have to get someone with Techstream to change it.
I'm having another issue, I'm researching. My passenger main low beam headlight will go off after it has been on for a while and then after the car is shut down and restarted it will come back on. It has been doing this for a for about 8 months or so. No faults in Techstream. Maybe the ballast or bulb? The main headlight bulb is, according to my VIN: Part Number: 9098120024
Supersession(s): 90981-20024; 9098120013; 9098120020; 9098120021; 9098120023; SU00302560
DISCHARGE HEADLAMP; FOR HEADLAMP, NO. 1. They are around 150 to 170 bux each, so I will wait until it goes all the way out!
Ftime, we have a 2010 RX 450h with a similar issue. I can't make those outer lights come on for anything, including turning on the DRL option as suggested. The bulbs have continuity but no juice going to them. Are you aware of a relay or fuse for them?
edit-Found that the cited lamps are for the daytime running lights and that they don't come on while the parking brake is engaged.
Last edited by AlexZ; 01-23-22 at 11:31 AM.
Reason: found new information
Thank you all for your suggestions.
This setup did in-fact have HID lights, despite the dealer telling me no.
I replaced the bulbs with 35W Osram D4S Cool Blue Intense Xenarc aftermarket bulbs and am happy with them after adjusting the beam direction a bit.
As for the Daytime Running Lights (DRLs):
The reason i said they never came on was because (like a sensible person) the parking brake was on anytime i was in the driveway trying to figure out the switch and lights configuration. That the DRLs are linked to the parking brake makes as much sense as having them linked to the whether your phone is Bluetooth-linked. Completely asinine.Additionally, i discovered the parking brake / DRL connection only applies when the car starts initially. If you take the parking brake off, the DRLs come on. But if you put the parking brake back on, the DRLs stay on. Even more asinine.
The DRL configuration in this model is found at:
Setup>Vehicle Customization>Light Settings> Daytime Running Lights - This is set to "On".
Here's what i found regarding the rotary switch at the very end of the headlight/turn signal-stalk [from top option (1) to bottom option (4)]:
(1) Headlight Symbol facing left with downward beam lines: Headlights On; Running Lights On; DRLs Off
(2) Two headlight symbols facing away from each other: Headlights Off; Running Lights On; DRLs On (after parking brake released)
(3) "AUTO": Headlights Auto; Running Lights Auto (i think); DRLs On (after parking brake released; and until headlights come on, at which point the DRLs turn off)
(4) "DRL OFF": Headlights Off; Running Lights Off; DRLs Off
Unfortunately, have still never been able to get the fog lights to come on unless i'm actually underway. and even then only when the low-beams are on.
If anyone has any suggestions for drop-in fog-light replacements that actually have more lumens than the interior dome light, i would love to know about them.
For the fog lights try the H11 to H9 bulb conversion. Google it as there are many threads on many forums as a lot of folks have been doing it for years to get brighter bulbs. H9 bulbs are much much brighter.
The drawbacks are that the H9 bulbs don't last as long, but the good part is that Philips H9 bulbs are cheap on Amazon.
I like to use the Bulb Zilla Harness adaptor which makes installation easier. Then you only have to clip off part of the middle metal tab on the bulb which takes about a minute. https://www.xtremediesel.com/bulbzil...transplant-kit
12-22-21, 11:16 PM
2010 RX350 AFS/HID Headlight Confusion
