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Lexus Owners Club (USA & Canada) > Lexus Owners Club > Lexus LS400 / Lexus LS430 / Lexus LS460 Forums > 07 - 09 Lexus LS460 / LS460L
needone
Has anyone else noticced that 460 highbeams are yellower than the low beams and seem yellower than they were on a 430 and not as uniformly distributed as were the highbeams on the previous model. Car is not loaded, one passenger, no luggage and there is a noticeable unevenness (sp) in the lighting. I almost think there is a speed related intensity algorithm at work here because the symptoms seem worse on 30 to 50 MPH country roads, yet at road speed on divided highways the lighting seems better. I'll have the dealer check, but it seems that lighting should be good right out of the box.
Rx330driver
they are suppose to be better than any other low and high beam. The crystal around the lens is suppose to make it project farther. not sure about the yellowness though
blkls
QUOTE(needone @ Jun 25 2007, 10:01 PM) [snapback]248270[/snapback]
Has anyone else noticced that 460 highbeams are yellower than the low beams and seem yellower than they were on a 430 and not as uniformly distributed as were the highbeams on the previous model. Car is not loaded, one passenger, no luggage and there is a noticeable unevenness (sp) in the lighting. I almost think there is a speed related intensity algorithm at work here because the symptoms seem worse on 30 to 50 MPH country roads, yet at road speed on divided highways the lighting seems better. I'll have the dealer check, but it seems that lighting should be good right out of the box.


I have had to make two trips to the dealer to have the low beams raised and the high beams lowered--and I still do not notice any improvement. I still prefer the "old" halogen sealed beam headlight instead of the HID lights with the sharp cut-off...
needone
I think I had the HID in my '02 and I loved them! That gap you are trying to fill by raising the lows and lowering the highs is exactly what is bothering me. Is Metro your dealer by chance?
SW03ES
Sealed beam headlights? What is this 1987? wink.gif

I think the issue you're seeing is projector vs reflector headlamps. Your 02 had reflectors, the 430 from 04-06 has projectors as does the 460. Projectors have sharper cutoffs all around.
DArustik
I heard the lights actually move up and down as speed increases/decreases. These lights should be perfect and have not heard of them being yellow.
blkls
QUOTE(needone @ Jun 26 2007, 07:59 PM) [snapback]248441[/snapback]
I think I had the HID in my '02 and I loved them! That gap you are trying to fill by raising the lows and lowering the highs is exactly what is bothering me. Is Metro your dealer by chance?


Dealer is Lexus of Toledo
lexus trekker16
I agree that the head lights are unusual. The high beams are really high, too high. They illuminate trees etc. about 30 ft. off the ground. And there is a black, dark line between the space lit up by the low and high beams. The dealer says that the lights cannot be adjusted relative to each other. That is, the dim beams cannot be raised to meet the high beams and vice versa. "It is working within specifications". Where have I heard that before? Has anyone else noted this problem and/or soved it?
05silverls430
The high beams in the 460 are halogen, vs. HID for the low beams. Same in the 430. Halogens are noticeably yellow, compared to the white/blue light that HIDs produce. Completely different types of lighting systems. I'm not sure why the LS still uses halogen for the high beams. Even my 2004 Acura TL had "bi-xenon" headlights (high and low beam), although I think the same bulb was used for both.
blkls
The headlight arrangement is far from perfect in my opinion. I have experienced the problems as others have listed with no help from the dealer. The lights are not adjustable enough and the low beams are grossly inadequate for highway driving or driving in the "country".
needone
Well, my problem is solved. Due to some highway debris (a long story in itself) I had to have both headlamp assemblies replaced with new ones. The new ones are just what I had wanted. No dark band between the highs and lows and the dealer didn't even have to adjust them. Powering up the new assemblies made them "cage" and they've been great since.

I will say that at about $600 for each side I thought I was being taken - until I saw the assemblies themselves. There are several servos, a computer or two and probably 50 or more parts in each one. I'd hate to make them for the price they sell for. In any event, they do work. The lights are a bear to get to and there is a 2hr flatrate just to get to where they can be romoved. I would think that before long, a firmware change or something will be available to correct those lamps that don't seem well directed.
kmilani
QUOTE (lexus trekker16 @ Oct 18 2007, 08:25 PM) *
I agree that the head lights are unusual. The high beams are really high, too high. They illuminate trees etc. about 30 ft. off the ground. And there is a black, dark line between the space lit up by the low and high beams. The dealer says that the lights cannot be adjusted relative to each other. That is, the dim beams cannot be raised to meet the high beams and vice versa. "It is working within specifications". Where have I heard that before? Has anyone else noted this problem and/or soved it?


I have a 460 LS - purchased in California in July 08. The service manager at dealer in Calgary seems surprised that I don't like the headlights, but he hasn't had time to clearly see the lights (!) my problem sounds like yours, that is; a dark band between low and high beam and the high beams are aimed so high they are useless. I will have another discussion with dealer next week and hopefully he will treat me with respect and actually see the headlight pattern rather than dismissing it or claiming that if there is a problem, it is due to poor dealer preparation and therefore not a warranty item.

I'll take some photos tonite and post them.
cduluk
The LS460L uses the bi-xenon version of the LS460 headlight projector. The projectors look identical from the outside, yet in the L, there is a solenoid that pulls down the cutoff shield in the low beam projector when in "high beam mode", which adds more light above the cutoff to aid the halogen high beam projector.

Also the Taiwanese LS460 headlights use the bi-xenon version.
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