Hello. I'm new to this message board (it's my first, be gentle ;) I have a '90 LS400, I guess fully loaded for the time, minus the CD changer (parents didn't think CD's would catch on, go figure). I like to do small-time mods myself, and my project is as follows: The lights behind the clock and temperature controls went out, and after my Lexus dealership told me it was a $600 replacement, I fooled around and found out it was a 15 minute job with about $20 worth of bulbs to replace... Anyway, that was fine, and everything looks great. My only problem now is that a light behind my radio went out. I ended up soldering a new bulb in place, and it works! However, the wattage on the bulb is too low. I tried buying the similar bulb that Lexus carries to replace the seat heater lights, but it's not nearly as bright. Does anyone know where to find those bulbs so I don't have to buy a new radio to replace these lights? I'd love to completely re-do all the lighting behind my dash (all the green is faded compared to the new bulbs), and I'd appreciate any suggestions on where to find these bulbs. I've tried radioshack and custom electronics stores which sell the bulbs that go behind the seat heater buttons which cost like $.60 each... Help!

 

I have replaced my dash lights when one of them went out. I used the stock LS '91 bulbs. Although, the lighting is not very bright, I made it Yellow/Orange (Fits much better with my CD player backlight). All you have to do is to take the rubber surround from the bulbs and install them as they are.

I dunno why you were soldering things down, I just plugged them in a stock slot and they worked.

Orange backlight is a little brighter then the green one. If you need a bulb, I can send you the one I used if you want.

P.S. Welcome to CL

 

First off, thanks for the welcome I replaced the lights that you were talking about with the stock green, and it looks a lot better than the bulbs after 12 years of fading. I wanted to stick with the stock green, so the little rubbers I used were not a problem since I grew up on the color Also, the bulbs that you were referring to are plug-and-play bulbs. The bulbs behind the radio face require you to completely take off the face of the radio, then seperate the circuit board from the plastic cover. This exposes bulbs that are hard-wired to the circuit board (that's where the soldering came in). I wanted to find *those* bulbs. They are the smaller size bulbs, but Lexus only carries the lower wattage bulbs of that size. I wanted to find the same bulb that is hard-wired into the radio (I'd like to keep the stock radio).

 

the biggest online bulb shopt is http://www.bulbman.com/ i get all my bulbs from there. bulbman carry a lot of oem bulbs


Good luck

 

Thanks for all the info. I *might* just replace all the A/C bulbs to get a refurbished look (maybe even LED's? nah). Does anyone know if any particular make/model/brand receiver matches the car perfectly. I'm in love with the current look of the radio and I want to keep something very similar. I also had a question for some people who replied. Where did you put the HID kit that you installed (I've seen them in the spot where the fogs go...) and how did that all work out... also, where does one find the rubber caps in different colors to change the color of the dash? I've looked all over for those and I only found them from Lexus in green (and they're not cheap either).

 

As I read through these posts, I was wondering, could anyone post the part numbers for the bulbs they used as replacements for the Stereo. I have an 91 LS400 and I did an upgrade on the Air Control Module, but now all but one or two lights are out on my stereo. I would like to order the bulbs before I take the stereo apart. If you could just list the part numbers of the new bulbs and maybe the quantity of them you had to use I would be grateful. I need bulbs for:

The Factory Stereo (the only light that is on in mine is the right side LCD display light and the CD button), the Traction Control Button and the Heated Seat Buttons (the led still works when I push the button on for the heated seats, but finding the button in the dark is hard.

Thank you very much if you can and will help me out. Even if you can share where ordered them from that would be awesome. - Gary.

 

There is a discussion of this topic that gives all the details, but you can purchase the exact bulbs from pioneer electronics. I have a 96 ls400 and it has 13 bulbs and the cost was like $10.47 each from pioneer so i am currently trying to find the bulbs elsewhere.

 

I am not sure if the nakamichi radios use the same bulbs as the pioneer radios

 

I am not sure but i think your bulbs are soldered in. When i sent mine in to have the aux installed they replaced two bulbs on display for $15 bucks. Have you tried taking yours apart?