Thanks. I am editing the video but it's 63 mins long, it will take a while to get it all done. I will post a link here once the rear light bar video is done for sure.

 

It looks like Lexus has taken your rant and the multitude of similar ones to heart and completely reworked their ambient lighting feature. While one most likely won't see it on ES models until a complete redesign with the new "19EPF V2" electrical platform, the new platform's "Thematic Ambient Lighting" looks like Lexus is trying to catch up to competitors' ambient lighting offerings. Northside Lexus's Melissa O'Connell's video starting at the 29 second time mark discussies the basic differences/changes in the Lexus electrical platforms including "Thematic Ambient Lighting" :

 

Thanks for the video. It was interesting. I'm glad to see/hear when the manufacturers listen to us Common Folks. After all, we are the ones that are buying their products and keeping the stock holders happy!

The Big 3 (Stellantis/FCA/Dodge/whatever, GM and Ford) all have people reading/on the forums that ask and answer questions, which I find a good way to get to know what the people want. I don't know if Lexus does that or not but I think that they should.

It would be Silly of Lexus to keep their current ambient lighting setup when going to an EV platform. It would be embarrassing on their part and I'm glad that they're revamping it.

Thanks again for the info.

 

I got my full installation video down to about 45 minutes. Enjoy

 

I like it.
How’s the fit and finish?

 

Pretty good so far. Only thing to nit-pick would be the alignment between the left tail light and the center piece. If you were pretty OCD it would bother you. Otherwise no issues yet.

 

<Deleted>; My bad; lots of videos already posted

 

Thank You for taking the time to make and post this! I was just thinking about this the other day and was going to ask about it.

I just watched the video and I Appreciate that you explained everything so that even I could understand it. I also like how meticulous that you were at running the wires because I'm the same way. You have some nice trim tools too and I'll have to get one of those tools that pull the plastic rivets straight out.

Great job and Thanks again for the video! I Appreciate it!

 

what do you attach the red wire to if it's not a hybrid, where the battery is in the back?

 

Run the wire to the battery which is under the hood.

 

That's going to be a long wire in the harness. Although I like the mod, I would stay away as I had modded my Audi with the carplay mod and they almost voided my entire warranty and they for sure took their hands off the battery warranty and I had to pay for the replacement.

 

I've got this piece sitting on my garage counter and have had the same exact thought. Lexus seems to just look for reasons NOT to honor their warranty (at least that's what Our dealership seems to do).

It's a Very Cool piece but having a warranty is a little higher up on the list of important things in a newer, electronically laden car. It's too late for me to return it and I should've put a little more thought into it first. In the words of Homer Simpson: DOH!

I do Thank LS500Fan for the Fantastic instructional video though because He made such a Good video that it made me think that I could install it myself!

 

It hasn't damaged my car yet it's been 3 months today that it's been installed.

I have noticed one intermittent "bug".... sometimes my backup camera tells me to clean the dirt from the lens, sometimes it works fine. The lens is clean. I am thinking of disconnecting the backup lamp wire on the trunk lid to see if it's just electrical "interference".

Yes you do have to take some electrical (warranty) risk by installing this or anything really. I also have a dash cam that taps into the rearview mirror wiring, a radar detector power wire in the same place, aftermarket ambient lighting, and a CarPlay adapter hooked up to the USB. I am testing out the electrical system quite a bit LOL

 

When the Audi service saw the car play module connected, they made such a big deal of it. I asked them to ignore it and inform Audi Warranty to replace the battery and they said that it is illegal and that they have to report everything and anything after the factory will void the warranty, especially the thing that draws current.
I had told them that when the car is shut the car play isn't running. nothing worked and my car was put out of warranty. I was ok with it primarily because there wasn't any thing left for the warranty to address and it was expiring anyways.

I've read on this forum somewhere that a simple car tint done wrong voided the person's Lexus warranty.

I also asked Al-Futtaim (the Lexus dealer here) to disable my seatbelt chime and for that too they couldn't do it. I eventually had to buy Techstream and the cable to get it done.

 

would I be able to use a fuse tap instead of connecting it into the battery itself? sorry for the bugging. not too familiar with electrical/wiring and hoping to figure everything out before I take everything apart.