Once again one of my headlight bulbs has failed. The Lexus appears to have quite an appetite for them - probably 6 months since I last replaced them.
They are the slightly less common H11 bulbs which appear to me more expensive.
Last time I bought Halfords all singing all dancing super bright bulbs as they were BOGOF so it made them the same price as the standard ones.
So, any recommendations for replacements, and has anyone any experience of the LED replacements on Amazon?
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I use this place for bulbs, known makes and very quick delivery, and after using them a few times, the last time they sent me a discount code for 10% off all future orders (probably a year ago, not yet needed - sid's law !)
No experience of LEDs
www.powerbulbs.com/
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I did consider cheap LEDs for a recent bulb failure (Focus maybe, or C'eed) but there seemed to be some doubt whether it would work, way too techie for me to understand though. I came away with the impression that some might work and some wouldn't. That was an indicator though.
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Don't know where you got the last ones but I would think that origial Lexus bulbs would be more reliable. H11s are £14.64 each which doesn't seem too bad.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Lexus-Light-Bulb-H11-90981YZZAK-/252480143894?hash=item3ac8fd4216
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How are you handling these bulbs when you put them in? Touching them with bare hands can cause halogen bulbs to fail prematurely
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CG - thanks for the link - I had no idea there was a lexus parts store on ebay.......however, its thrown a bit of a curve ball.
Under my model there is the one you linked to plus
tinyurl.com/hrygl6f
tinyurl.com/ht7zlte
tinyurl.com/hjs39wr
Think I may need to find the lexus part number for a headlight bulb to check the correct one.
Regarding fitting I never touch the bulb, and in the case of the H11 its easy to not touch the glass as they have a large electrical connector you can hold
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I've had a set of these in my Golf for years now, might not be the ultra bright things that people go for these days but I've never had to change them and I have auto-lights so they are on and off a lot.
www.osram.com/automotive/light-for/longer-lifetime/index.jsp
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I had a headlamp fail on my Lexus 430 fail a few years ago, £89.99 for the replacement discharge lamp and only stocked at certain Halford branches.
Replaced the Lex with a Jag XF, this takes ordinary halogen lamps that only last about six months, my theory is that speed humps eat filament lamps, maybe.
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There is a trade off between light output and durability, the choice is yours.
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If you are saying that LED lights are less powerful then I think you haven't seen the latest generations of LED lights.
(Not headlights I know, but I replaced some older LED downlighters in the hall with some new ones and they are much MUCH brighter than the original halogen ones. Almost too bright.)
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From my understanding, fitting LED bulbs into headlights without projector lenses is just like fitting an aftermarket HID kit. The beam is scattered everywhere and all you end up doing is blinding everyone else, not to mention not actually being able to see where you're going because the light output isn't focused onto the road.
The latest aftermarket LED lights generate a lot of heat. Hence they've got massive heat sinks on the back of them, as well as cooling fans. Sometimes so big that you're not able to fit the bulb covers back into place.
If it were me, and the Lexus has projector lenses, I would consider fitting an aftermarket HID kit. I did this on my old Vectra-C as it was eating dip beam bulbs every 6 to 8 months. Bumper off job to replace the offside bulbs. Granted I did have a HID bulb failure after 2 years, but the replacements lasted until I wrote the car off (4 yrs later). Went through every MOT without any issues. It's only if you've got automatic headlight beam height adjust and headlight washers that they've got to work. The tester cannot fail something that isn't fitted. Providing the beam alignment is correct, and the lights aren't too blue (don't go over 6000k), then it won't be an issue.
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Blah blah, when I had a Lexus, blah, blah. But the point is that when I did, the main dealer would replace any bulb for free, you just took it down there.
The second point is, my Volvo dealer still does. You don't even pay for the bulb.
Does your dealer not do this?
When I say bulb, I know I probably mean lamp, to forestall any nitpickery.
Edit maybe I should say my Volvo dealer DID, the one time I had a failure, although I don't recall which bulb it was. Perhaps they don't do all, or all the time, or for everyone, I admit.
Worth an ask though.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Fri 2 Dec 16 at 06:23
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>>..... then it won't be an issue.
Has the insurance company been advised/asked re fitting totally unapproved lights ?
Maybe a possible accident claim unapproved in the event of these being found.
To date I have not seen any feedback on this.
Loads and loads of posting on Jaguar X type sites re fitting HIDs
X Types have poor dipped beam lights but do have projector lenses.
Same responses as VxFan lists but that cheap ballasts should be avoided.
Only additional recommendation ( on X types) is not to fit higher wattage 55W HIDS as the relays and wiring may suffer so it would be back to the past world of fitting a new feed from the battery and a beefy relay.
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>> Has the insurance company been advised/asked re fitting totally unapproved lights ?
I notified mine and there was no difference in the policy price. Besides which, the headlights were approved to take HID bulbs as they were exactly the same units used for factory fit HIDs. Only thing missing were the auto beam height adjusters and washers. The latter were easily retrofitted, but hardly anyone bothered.
>> Same responses as VxFan lists but that cheap ballasts should be avoided.
There is a highly recommended company on ebay called London Color (might be colour) who sell countless HID kits to Vectra-C drivers at reasonable prices.
>> Only additional recommendation ( on X types) is not to fit higher wattage 55W HIDS
People often make the mistake that a 35 watt HID bulb isn't bright enough because their original headlight bulbs are 55 watt. But it's the luminescence that's the important bit.
A 35 watt 6000k HID bulb will emit approx 3200 lumens.
A standard 55 watt halogen bulb emits approx 1100 lumens.
i.e a 35 watt HID will produce approx 3 times the amount of light that a 55 watt halogen bulb will.
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VxFan
That is my understanding re output of 35/55 HIDs. 55W are in fact a lower rating (so as not to confuse Joe Public they are listed 55W.) They have sort of failed on that one.
Even with normal bulbs some X types melt the plug for the bulb so fitting ceramic replacements is another minor mod
>>I notified mine and there was no difference in the policy price.
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Interesting. The first reference I have seen re advising the insurer.
>> Besides which, the headlights were approved to take HID bulbs as they were exactly the same units used for factory fit HIDs.
The X type needs a complete light unit change for that part of the mod to be legal.
>> Only thing missing were the auto beam height adjusters and washers. The latter were easily retrofitted, but hardly anyone bothered.
No X type owner has even considered self leveling. It is so complex and requires sensors plus a new steering column with sensor, electronics, looms etc.
I am very surprised Vectra is so easy to retrofit.
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There are a couple of other options, drive within the capability of your lights and / or Specsavers. :-)
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>> Interesting. The first reference I have seen re advising the insurer.
I was covering myself so the insurer couldn't wriggle out of paying because of any unknown modifications.
>> No X type owner has even considered self leveling. It is so complex and requires
>> sensors plus a new steering column with sensor, electronics, looms etc.
>> I am very surprised Vectra is so easy to retrofit.
I did say "the latter". i.e some people retrofitted the headlight washers. The self levelling is complex on any car.
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>>I did say "the latter". i.e some people retrofitted the headlight washers. The self levelling is complex on any car.
Time for a visit to Spocksavers :-)
My X type came with pop up headlamp washers. It has an extra washer pump higher up in reservoir and is auto activated IIRC when the lights are on and when every six activations of the windscreen wipers has been detected.
Not read of any retrofits.
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Lexus - Headlight Bulbs - stan10
