jiboom

My Bulb Out warning light keeps coming on when I press the brake pedal-I have checked and rechecked every light outside the car all work-changed the 3rd brake light bulb even though it was still working-checked the brake fluid level-am I missing something obvious that I don't know about-it's driving me crazy-any help greatly appreciated.

ATLs460

There's a module in the trunk area that is very common to need a re-solder. It's easy to do. Look in the FAQ in the stickies.

bob2200

I seem to recall that some people have reported the problem being with the float sensor for the brake fluid level. I think I recall that the test is unplugging the float sensor.

ATLs460

Low fluid won't cause the "bulb out" light on the dash. This will illuminate the red "BRAKE" light instead. These are two separate lights.

salimshah

At times the problem is not stated properly and at times it is interpreted incorrectly.

Does the warning light come on, the first time the brake is applied after turning the ignition from off to on? If so then there is non-standard current flow in the brake light circuit. One has to get the right wattage bulb(s) and all 5 [5th door high, 5th door sides and tail sides]. Erics99RX mentions module in the trunk. If you have a trailer hitch, that can cause a problem too.

Salim

driver1988

same with my RX. brake light bulb only comes on when you step on the brake at start up. Seems like a common Lexus issue. i got this on my GS too.

salimshah

It is not a Lexus issue. The thing is telling you that one (or more) of your brake filaments is broken or about to break. Have a person stand behind and see which one is not lighting up correctly.

I would also suggest that get a quality bulb which has the same rating as specified in the handbook. or give lexus few extra dollars and buy it from their parts dept.

Salim

lexus4us

Unrelated to the break pedal, my console warning indicator is lit denoting "rear" light is out but all the rear bulbs work.

salimshah

There is out of 'normal' range current being sensed in the tail light circuit. If all the tail light bulbs are lighting up then at least one is not drawing the right current. You can try replacing one bulb at a time till the warning light goes away. You can make an educated guess by visually seeing which bulb is extra/less_than bright.

Salim

lexus4us

Will give it a try. Thanks

dbarber45

I recently purchased a 2001 Lexus RX 300 with 82,000 miles on it. First Lexus. I have experienced several issues since bringing the car home and this forum has provided me with a treasure trove of insight about some of the more common issues. The rear light failure warning has been illuminated on my instrument panel and is constant. It is on from the time I turn the ignition key on to the time I turn it off. I checked (or had the wife) check all the brake and tail lights and as you would expect, they all appear to be burning. Tonight I will check more closely to see if I can detect if any are brighter or dimmer than the others. Thanks to all who share their expertise and wisdom on this forum. I think I will be using this forum quite a lot.

hypervish

Welcome to Club Lexus!

Be sure to check the center third brake light.

salimshah

Sometimes the problem is in description and some times it is in understanding ..

Brake out warning comes on the first time you press the brakes after starting and remains lit till the ignition is turned off.

Tail light out comes one and stays on once the lights are turned on (just make sure the stalk is not set to auto for lights).

In either case, each circuit needs to be energized.

Lastly, if you bought the car and it had the problem ,, there is a chance that the right rating bulb(s) may not have been installed.


Salim

driver1988

every single bulb works and are new. In fact, Lexus dealer robbed me by fixing this light for $80 only to have it come back on 2 months later.

salimshah

I sense the frustration, but luckily you have a consistent fail .. which means that 99.99% it can be fixed. There are not too many combinations that you have to go through. So if it bothers you, patiently go through the fix. If the dealer fixed the problem, you have 1 yr (please confirm) warranty on their work and it would be lot easier for you to make the case as they replaced ALL bulbs.

Salim