Ok, this is an attempt to lay this issue to rest. It seems that there is vast misinformation out there on the IS's rear lamps. Here is what I've found, and shared on Two threads. I am trying to combine it to one thread to make it easier, and perhaps attract the attention of someone who actually has the right answer, maybe some picture or diagrams or some PROOF.

I thought I found proof that the taillamps were LEDs yesterday on the press release of the new IS from Lexus. I posted this link (http://pressroom.lexus.com/Releases?p=2&criteria=%2BIS) which has the specs on it and lists LEDs. I am a bit skeptical of this sheet because things can change. For instance, the list does not include knee airbags, and we know the IS has knee airbags.

After some more debate, I decided to call the parts rep at Lexus of Norwood in MA. The parts guy stated that he thinks the IS has LEDs, then proceeded to check his information and came back and told me they were NOT LEDs - they use standard bulbs.

I propose that a couple others of you call your service Reps or Parts Reps and ask them to look it up. Let's get this settled once and for all.

It's not an opinion - it's a fact as to whether the IS has LEDs. Please post your factual information only, not what you think. I've done both, and have been wrong and I still don't know!

 

if this helps, i disassembled the center light housing while i installed my spoiler (curiosity). there was a bulb plug for the reverse light, but no bulb plugs for parking/brake lights. i did see something that resembled a circuit board. FACT: i only saw one twist on bulb plug on each assembly. Bulb plugs are not small, so they are not hard to miss.

 

some please put pictures that will definately solve this issue

 

After asking my dealer, they told me that the taillamps are LEDs, as a safety feature on the car.

 

By dealer, do you mean a salesman, service writer, technician or what?

They might have read the same product release information that Lem144 linked yesterday. Unless you are talking to a parts guy with an exploded diagram in front of him, or a service guy who has actually had one apart, I'd be leery.

 

salesman or parts/service dept? salesmen can sometimes be confused....trust me I used to be one.

what dealership?

 

Both the service dept. and a salesman. In fact, the salesman mentioned it very early on in my first test drive. I think that the LED reference is also included in the big IS brochure, but I don't have a copy with me right now.

It was a dealership in Massachusetts (not Norwood), but I can't disclose the name.

 

Why cant you disclose the name? It's not in the brochure. It's not on the website either.

 

How about reading your owners manual or popping out one of your lights? The time you have spent researching could have already solved this conspirocy.

 

Agreed. Sharing dealer experiences, both good ones and bad ones, is very helpful to people deciding where to purchase and service their cars.

 

I dont have my car yet =) It comes in May

 

They aren't standard bulbs. They're LED's. Not your typical LED (they're a bit different as they don't leave trails like Infiniti's and Cadillacs do ) but they light up like LED's... no warm up or cool down on the filament, it's either on or off

 

If you look at the brake lights CLOSELY, you can see the individual LED's (they are not as numerous as on G35, unfortunately). The response time is noticeably shorter. On my RX330, neither the brochure nor the owner's manual lists LED brake lights (except for RX400H). On inspection, one can see a center bulb (parking light) surrounded by a cluster of LED's. LED's are the future of lighting and will be found on more vehicles to come, including the front parking lights and direction lights, as well as the headlights. I wish Lexus had used LED's for the front markers, too.

 

They're FAR less annoying to drive behind, however

That'd be cool. The Kia Amanti is currently the only car I know of that offers LED front markers

Edit: Add the new Porsche Turbo, but still... a Kia? Come on, that gets another

 

I'm still not buying the arguments. I'm sorry, I've just heard too much conflicting information. If I werent at work I'd call 5 different parts/service guys to see what they all say.