Hiroshi12

iTrader: (1)

Ok, so here is my first post. I have a 1998 LS400 and there are 4 lights on the front bumper. Two are fog lights which come on with the headlights and the foglight switch on. Yup, got that...but what about the other 2? They don't come on no matter what I try! I thought maybe they were cornering lights which come on with the turn signals, but that doesn't work either. The odds of both of these lights being burned out at the same time is so unlikely that I haven't even pulled them apart to check. Is there a Lexus 'secret switch' somewhere? Thanks.

fixmiester

Quick answer: They are non-functional, due to failure to comply with safety standards. Search the forum and you will find more info.

Kansas

Toyota chose not to put the substantially deeper cornering light units of the Japanese market 98-00 Celsiors on the LS400's sold in North America and in a number of other markets.

The same holds true for the LS430. The Japanese version had corning lights and the North American version did not.

Maybe Toyota didn't want the LS400 to seem like a Cadillac!

You can see a brief demonstation of the Japanese market 98-00 LS400 corning lights in the video at the bottom of this Japanese language webpage: http://celsiorup.com/custom20/2107winker_position.htm

VanCityLS4

iTrader: (1)

Is there anything pre wired on USDM models for plug and play if you can get a bulb harness ?

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

nope but it wouldnt be overly difficult to wire it up as a turn signal or a cornering lamp. the more annoying part will be dremmelling the housing for the plug and coating the inside with reflective material so it projects outwards. more trouble than its worth in my opinion.

Kansas

The dummy housing on the U.S. 98-00 is only deep enough to accept a 5W bulb. There was a thread a number of years ago on this forum - which I cannot find - where someone drilled a hole in the back of the housing, used spade/spring type bulb sockets that were held to the light housing by friction. The sockets were then wired to the side marker lights on the sides of the bumper cover. They did not put out much light. The plastic back inside surface of the dummy light units are already coated with reflective material - or at least mine are. I thought about doing this mod but only poked a tiny hole through the center of where the light socket would go with a sharp instrument. I decided it was not worth doing the mod covered the hole with tape.

It probably wouldn't be all that difficult to wire up the Japanese cornering lamps to work on a U.S. model. I did a search and found them from a Japanese company for just less than $82 USD each not including shipping.

VanCityLS4

iTrader: (1)

Man you guru's are up late !

Yes it does sound like more trouble than it's worth. When I first popped these out during my fog light install I was thinking of tapping into the city lights (194 bulb) & having them come on with marker lights. It wouldn't be hard to dremmel the back side & have some 194 wedge harrness/socket put in place. I wasn't sure about light output or the look itself so I just left it alone. They would better serve as corner lamps I guess...

Hiroshi12

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the replys everyone! Guess it would have cost Toyota more to redesign the bumper so they left these "dummy" lights intact? Y'know come to think of it, I should have suspected something odd when I pulled these lights for access to the side markers and there was no wiring. Just didn't think of it at the time. What to do? Might try some LEDs wired to the (new) marker lights but that won't give off much light. I got some trim paint coming...might just paint them to match the bumper.

Kansas

Here is a previous thread which shows how much deeper the Japanese market cornering light units are which allows them to accept a much larger and brighter 21W bulb. https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...ghts-mods.html

ocr

iTrader: (2)

If you rilly want it to be functional, Just use LED's. They are simple to install, rilly small, and rill bright if you use the right ones. Oh ya, can't forget about them being cheap.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

bright LEDs are neither small nor cheap, regular halogen bulbs still have more output than cheap LEDs.

ocr

iTrader: (2)

I never said to just use only one LED. I was refering to filling it with LEDs, about 20 minimum.

Kansas

Well ... I thought the tutorial I remembered on how to put bulbs in these dummy light units was on this forum but I found it LOC after finding a hardcopy in a file: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums...ST&f=4&t=4299&

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

damn that's before my time

Lexkost

. It is a easy mod and you can buy the reflective spray at eastwood.