2008 RX 225K

Yesterday I discovered my left rear marker had been "love tapped" by someone at some point recently. It was in holding together but fairly cracked up. Being an unseasonably warm day I decided to see how difficult it would be to remove / replace as I doubt the weather will be as cooperative when I get the replacement. I looked up the thread here. There is some sheet metal back there which is visible only to someone ducking under the vehicle. I bent some out of the way to aid in getting to the 10mm bolt and once out I bent some more to ease getting it back in.

Given the age and mileage I am looking to low ball this unless there is a strong reason to go OEM. I'm starting with eBay and working my way up. What has me curious is that many eBay vendors show three different types even with the year range specified. Mine is what in the vendor image is type three. I presume given their warning that they are not interchangeable as why would they want to discourage sales?





If I go a step higher and order from an auto parts store, they simply go off the year. Is that sufficient? Do all 08's use the one the eBay people are calling Type 3? Ditto if I get one from a junk yard?

Here is mine.

 

My 2008 Japan model has the same looking one as yours. Some RXs in other regions might use the markers as a fog light as well as a side marker which could explain that some have a larger bulb with 3 pins (one for low filament, one for brighter filament, and ground) whereas ours just have 2 (power, ground).

 

I still have taken no action as the broken one is holding together and weather is no longer in my favor to do the replacement. I am beginning to think that they all might fit but the original, at least on mine, only illuminated the outboard section with the rest being just a reflector whereas these others illuminate the whole thing. I see where I can buy both sides for just $30+ or get one resembling what I have for $50 something. Illuminating the whole thing might be nice but that means more work to install since a mismatch would look stupid. It's probably cheap junk. But then maybe the solo one is too. Figure $120 for OEM from Lexus parts places.

 

Coincidentally, I just went through this. My wife's rt rear marker light was completely smashed in and I jumped at the cheapest replacement on eBay. But the ad for the one I bought did not have the warning images, so I ended up with Number 1 - and didn't learn of the difference until I had her old one out (same as yours.) The quality and fit was actually good, but as noted there are several differences:

Our US versions are intended to serve as the required side marker lamp only, so there is the small bulb in the corner and nothing but reflectors across the rear.
The Number 1 version has no dedicated side marker function - just one large (21W!) single filament bulb facing rearward. The twist-in socket receptacle in your photo does not exist.

I was frustrated and didn't want to wait so I decided to try to recreate that star pattern receptacle in the new one - using a step drill bit for the main hole, and a heated Xacto knife to cut the notches. I really thought it wouldn't work and that I'd end up gluing the socket in, but amazingly I was able to twist in the original socket.

So now we have a working side marker and a non-functioning larger socket still in place. BUT - there is a third difference that is obvious now: The Number 1 has a chromed interior reflector while ours is gray. So the Number 1 has a great sharp, flashy deep red appearance compared to the gray backed reflector on the other side. And. of course. my wife now wants the left one to be just as attractive. Go figure.

I looked around and found the original gray version for something like $38,00, but can get another Number 1 for about half that. Or I can just ignore it and stress that a 20 yr old car with lots of actual blemishes doesn't really need matching marker lights.

Not sure if this is helpful info but thought I'd share.

Ron