I searched the site and still can't understand why the "throw" on the LS430's headlights is such a short distance in front of the car. I read where some posted it's because Lexus decided to shorten the throw, especially on the driver's side, for fear of blinding oncoming traffic with our supposedly surface-of-the-sun HID lights.

Problem is, when you're cooking hard and fast through dark country you can only see about 100 to 150 feet out. And I'm sorry, fellow racers, that's not far enough.

Consider this: Took the GF's car out across the desert over the weekend from SLC to Wendover to see Pat Benatar (and yes, she still has about 3.25 of her original 4 octaves; blow-mind singer) and driving back in the dark I was seriously worried for our lives.

Bends in the road revealed themselves waaay too late to be negotiated safely. Animals crossing the road were standing there talking or whatever the heck it is they do in the middle of the road, and then, Bam! They saw us. The Three Stooges/Abbott and Costello which-a-way-did-he-go drill they did was equally hysterical and frightening. Meaning that these critters with night vision like Army Rangers didn't see us until we were on top of them.

Pucker factor +11.

We'd already had it in to the Lexus dealer in SLC, UT (and trust me, these boys suck; sales, parts, service - top to bottom the worst dealership I've ever seen regardless of make) and they said: "Uhh, we don't see a'nothin' wrong with cho' haidlights. Must be an electrical problem."

Thanks, Einstein.

Okay ... I ramble. But I ramble funny. No?

What the hell are we supposed to do? I saw some other posts from two years ago where the owner put pictures up showing a very similar issue to what we're experiencing. Which is a kind of odd 45 degree cutout on the headlight throw on the driver's side. Even if this is done for the reasons some have stated, that Lexus didn't want to blind anyone, that theory is blown out of the water when you have to run on high beams just to see the damn road!

And no, we weren't speeding. The posted limit running out there near the famous salt flats is 75 mph, and that's what we were doing.

And please don't say "just aim them yourself" The idea that I can find a truly level piece of ground and with a level wall on it just ain't gonna happen.

Anyone have any good ideas, or am I going to have to yank the light bar off my Blazer and mount it on the 430?

Doc

P.S. Also, what's the deal with the super weird hyper-illumination of the area in front of the car at roughly ten and two? I mean really, who the heck is looking that far to the side of the road while driving? We had lights like that on ambulances I drove, but they wouldn't turn on unless we were stopped on a scene.

Good gawd, I'm beginning to long for the days when all you needed to work on a car was a set of wrenches, a hammer, a couple of screwdrivers and a repair manual.

 

You ramble funny. Yes !

No answer to your questions but nevertheless, enjoyed reading them

 

Lexus owners have superhero powers, including x-ray vision. The headlights are merely to warn other drivers and conversing animals to skeedaddle.

On a more serious note, I've found the LS headlight throw to be comparable to and maybe a bit better than my last two modern Cadillacs.

 

Funny post!

I remember back when I rented a car over in England. It was a VW Passat. The height of the headlights were adjustable via a thumb switch to the left of the dashboard. It was a great feature.

All I can say is break out the owners manual and bring the car to a local garage that does inspections, I'm 95% sure that in the manual there are instructions for adjustment of the headlights. Regardless of the fact that they're self leveling.

 

here is a post from a while back on adjusting your headlights... pretty thorough...

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...eup-w-pix.html

 

it is easy to adjust your headlights manually using nothing more than a screwdriver.

 

hmm if you cant find a level ground with a level wall. why dont you find level ground and use the back of car as a reference point to how high to adjust it. since the cutoff is sharp enough you should theoretically be able to line it up. also have you thought about hid foglights? they help light up the road even more.

 

... who replied; especially Keith. I don't know why the page Keith linked to didn't come up in my search last night. It sure wasn't listed under the "headlights and small scared animals" parameter I used.

Hah!

Damn, this is a great group of car owners, ain't it?

All the best and cheers!

Doc

 

Here is what you need to re-aim LS430's headlight which easy enough.

1st- You will need a ratchet & a 10mm socket


2nd- Park on a flat surface in front of wall with headlights on.

3rd- Behind each low beam headlight there are holes, stick the ratchet socket into the hole and turn to adjust the desired height. This will also adjust both low and high beams at the same time, that's it you are done.

 

You are very welcome and yes, this is the best group around.

 

SC - I has same issue coming from driving my 99 RL (that had the best set of lights I have ever seen) to the fancy LS lights which are actually pretty poor in contrast.

When I first got the 06 LS and we were driving it back from Chicago it was actually scary how bad the front light throw was (even with supposedly auto adjusting headlights). Going 70 mph on 2 lane roads with the LS lights bouncing up and down and almost always way too low. One of the first things I did was take it to dealer and have them adjust - they did adjust them but it was still way too low most of the time.

So eventually I adjusted both sides myself up few clicks and it got better, not great but better - and I am also used to the shorter throw now. To make them great on front throw you will have to raise them so high they will glare and annoy oncoming drivers.

The cut off on these is so bad that raise the lights so you can see oncoming street signs at a reasonable distance then they are too high and will blind oncoming drivers. A well designed projector lighting system will have a notch in it to illuminate street signs (like my RL did btw).

And yea the LS lights do a great job of uselessly illuminating the far side of the road - wish they had done a better job of lighting up whats up front instead.

I love the LS but I will always miss the lights in my old RL. But thats the only thing I miss compared with the LS.