cduluk

That's the wrong bulb. You need to match the other one... Philips D2R 4300k. BUT, the bulb you got should "fit". Try making sure the notches in the bulb base line up.

Jeez, that sounds like SOO too much work, i don't think i'm "that" serious at least not at this point... I don't think i could get enough business to overcome the extra costs, and i also don't think i'd have enough time. Even at it is, i have to set aside time for my own car (which hasn't been washed since temperatures were in the 70's around here; a long long time ago) with school and everything. I guess it'll remain a dream for a little longer. <_<

Living in the Northeast, i do have to agree with what they claimed to be popular vehicles around here. WAY too many SUV's here IMO... Jeeps are beyond popular for some reason. I guess it could be because of the snow, but still...

Thanks guys Believe me, i'd LOVE to put myself out there somehow and do this for others, but the issue of liability scares me do death. I know it's easy to make mistakes working with technical stuff like this, and well, on Lexus', they're always expensive ones. I know if i screw up my own car it's OK, but if i did it to someone else's it wouldn't go too well. A few summers ago i did set up several eBay auctions for the early Lexus ES/SC cluster repairs, and it worked out REALLY well (modifying the burned out/flickering needles and changing the backlighting to LED's etc) but it was cut short when i got a threatening lawyers letter from lextech. Apparently they had a patent for any "repair" of those Lexus clusters. Had it checked out, and they really do! So, i had to shut it down! I really love doing this type of stuff and i'm getting better and better as time goes along. There's no greater feeling than being good at "something" even if it's a bit "odd"...

maybe this one? http://autos.aol.com/article/what-people-drive-where/

I am REALLY scared to see the 2012 GS... If they screw it up like they did with the 2010 RX or HS/CT200h, then i'm gonna be upset. I don't like where the styling is headed...

I really like the GS450h. If it weren't for the Rx400h i would have looked into the GS450h instead. Now that i have a hybrid, i don't think i'd like going back to a regular car...

They may have replaced the evap core with an identical unit, one that would flake just as the first. They're supposed to replace it with a newly designed one, one that shouldn't flake. I still have the paperwork from when they replaced mine. The TSB number is L-SB-0032-08. The replacement core number is: 88501-48171.

I agree, i could never drive a car without HID projectors after having them on the Rx400h...

Close! http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=67549 Unfortunately the clock on the center console is a VFD (not LCD) and there's no way to convert it unfortunately

It especially looks good when the car is first started or shut off, when it displays the “LEXUS HYBRID DRIVE” logo. The whole project took less than an hour to complete, most of the time wasted on removal and installation of the cluster. The end result came out PERFECT and I’m more than happy with it. It’s VERY easy to read in sun and at night, and the anti-glare finish matches the original 100%. I really like the white/blue look better than the “grainy” white/black. I’m half debating on doing this to the radio LCD too! But I’ll need a bigger sheet of the film, as it’s a wide LCD… So tell me what you guys think! :)

After this was complete, I installed the LCD back into the cluster and fired it up!!

After the films were removed, I placed the new film over the LCD to find the position it needed to be attached. You’ll notice that at various angles the shade will change color! When I found the right angle, I cut out a piece of the film and attached it to the LCD screen. The film has a sticky backing, you just need to remove the protective layer. I then removed the top protective later, which protects the anti-glare side.

When it arrived, I took the gauge cluster apart and gained access to the center info LCD. I then started removing the factory polarized film(s) on TOP of the LCD.

Hey guys, :) Just finished a new project for the Rx400h and just thought I’d share! One of my recent projects involved modification to the gauge cluster, changing the “ring” color from white to blue to add to the Lexus blue “HYBRID” color scheme. Here’s what it looked like before: And here’s what it looked like after: Although a great improvement, I knew I could make it better. In the various Toyota/Lexus models, the gauge and info LCD screens have varying colors and shades. Some have black lettering on a white background, like this: Some have white lettering on a black background, like the Rx400h or Toyota Avalon: And some have white lettering on a blue background, like on the Rx300 info screen: Personally, I’ve always found this “white on blue” look very appealing, and I knew it would look PERFECT in the Rx400h gauges if it could be done. BUT, I always thought the LCD’s were made one way from the factory and couldn’t be changed—until now. :whistles: I never really understood how LCD’s worked, so curiosity got me searching the Internet for information. I came across a site that explained how LCD’s were created, and I learned what components are required to make them work. When looking at a standard LCD, I always thought the black numbers and what not were made of a pigment, or ink—somehow shifted around into shapes of letters or whatever. But in fact, there’s NO colored pigment at all! Wikipedia has good info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_crystal_display An LCD consists of two pieces of glass, which have “liquid crystal” particles sandwiched between them (think of tiny-tiny pieces of glass). When electricity is added to certain parts, the crystals shift their position, reflecting light sort of like a prism. Then on each side of the glass, a sheet of “polarized” film is applied, which controls what light enters and leaves. I also learned that what determined the shade of an LCD (either black on white, or white on black) was in fact the alignment of the polarized film, NOT something within the LCD itself. All one needs to do is rotate one of the polarized films, and the LCD will invert. Here is another site that explains how this is done: http://mygshock.com/wiki/How_to_convert_a_plain_DW-5600_LCD_to_a_negative_display With some further research, I also discovered how Lexus created the “white on BLUE” LCD! I used to think that there was blue pigment in the LCD, but in fact the LCD itself is NO different from any other LCD screen. If you just rotate one of the polarized films at an angle between “white on black” and “black on white”, you will get the “white on blue”!! With this new knowledge I decided to use it on the Rx400h. I purchased a sheet of linear polarized film online, from http://www.polarization.com/polarshop/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=32&osCsid=9df712636e71b781c9ec1c246cd3efa4 I got a 6”x10” sheet of “PFSC _ AG/HC - Polarizer with antiglare, hardcoat and adhesive” for $24 as it has the anti-glare coating (which is needed). I couldn’t wait to get it (as this was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving) so I had them send it to me Fedex Overnight. Yes, the shipping cost more than the film, but it was worth it!

Ah, that's what i figured... I also found out that the display in the mirror isn't LCD or LED display, but something called a VFD (vacuum florescent display). Apparently it takes a LOT of voltage unlike an LCD or LED display. Definitely not something i want to tamper with. I just recently finished a new project, which lead me to look at every LCD in the car... Can't tell you what it is yet (gotta get some pics and write up a tutorial) but it's gonna be a good one!! Guaranteed someone else on here is gonna have to do it- it's THAT cool. B)

What do you mean when you say you have the "upgraded" HID lights on your Rx300? Did they come that way from the factory? Or did you modify/add them? The 01-03 OEM HID version headlights are pretty good. They're the "reflector" type and use the Philips D2R 4300k bulb, the brightest out there. HID bulbs do however lose intensity over time, and after 8 years of driving they're probably at the same intensity level of a halogen bulb. You may want to replace them. And where did you read the 04+ headlight are bad? The 04-09 Rx330/350/400h HID projectors are some of the BEST in existence. It's a completely different design from that on the Rx300. It all depends on how the beams are "aimed". They're aimed pretty low as to avoid blinding oncoming drivers. You can lower the beams via several adjustment screws behind the headlight. Same goes for the 01-03 Rx300... You may want to try that.

I would buy a pair of 01-04 Gs300/430 HID headlights and do a swap. The reflectors in your headlights are designed for halogen bulbs so you can't just install an HID kit. You won't be able to get the auto-leveling to work but it will look OEM. Just make sure they have the ballasts with them...

Do you find a decrease in wind noise with the bars removed? I know some people have had success eliminating some wind noise this way.

You rank it as low as a top 5?... I would think it deserves at least a top 3 stupid status. This was an engineer that had to much time on his/her hands. Paul Haha, maybe you're right.. It's pretty stupid!

Did they tell you the part number of the replacement part?

Open the hood and see if you can reach your hand behind the directional bulb. Not sure if you need to remove any parts to gain access to it... If you can feel the back of it, twist the socket counterclockwise, then pull out.

Hey guys, If i look closely at the interior rear-view mirror LCD (which normally displays a compass indicator) of my 2008 Rx400h i can see a tiny "degree" sign and F and C, which i believe represent Celsius and Fahrenheit. Is there a way to get this LCD to display the outside temperature instead of the direction? It appears the LCD is ready for both... I looked in the manual, but the only page on the rear-view mirror is on p300 and its for the compass... I also checked the back where it lists programmable features by the dealer and it didn't seem to be in there. I would LOVE to have this display the outside temp as it gets annoying when passengers always ask what the exterior temp is as they cannot see the center gauge cluster display or feel like toggling through the various nav menus to see it. Thanks for any input! BTW this is for my 2008 Rx400h.