Hey, so I bought an SC400 a couple of weeks ago and have discovered this is one of many things the seller failed to describe when I bought it. But I did get a pretty good deal so no complaining. Anyways, on my driver headlight, the tab is broken. Subsequently I need a new headlight. So I figured I'd get a new set.

My question is: what is the difference between the USDM Lexus and JDM Soarer headlights? Or does anyone have a suggestion for which OEM SC400/300 headlights are the best...? Thanks guys/gals.

 

one of the major differences is the beam focus pattern is opposite. USDM focus's to the right side of the road, JDM to the left.

 

you know I have read this many times from different ppl on different posts on the same subject and yet I still dont get it anyone got pics of how this actualy looks???

 

^ nothing really to look at. All
It means is that the USDM light beam point to the Right, and the JDM one points to the Left.

 

LoL thats what i mean, how does it point in one direction i dont get it. If I park my car infront of a wall with my lights on my light basically point straight i cant tell if it point out in one direction or not. How insignificant is this difference ?

 

that's your opinion though. japanese cars are right hand drive yours are left hand drive go figure.. :-)

 

All projector comes with "cut offs" which is a little step in the middle of the light spread. The purpose of this cut off is to avoid blinding oncoming traffic while shining roads ahead of you. Considering cars drive on the right side in the US, all USDM headlight's cut off will have cut off stepping up towards the right side.


(picture taken from hidplanet. credit to JVX)

JDM counter parts, however, will have cut offs stepping down towards right side as cars are driven on the left side in Japan. (Picture a mirror image.) Using JDM headlights in US will upset oncoming drivers unless cut off shield is modified.

 

wow i tried for like an hour to get this equal when i got my hid's in...finally just gave up..didnt know it was suppose to be like that

 

Finaly a good explanation with visuals to prove the theory correct thanks for the info man now being that I live in Miami and tons of people drive with mad stupid bright lights and sometimes having upwards of 3 sets of HiDs on a say civic or dually i wount mind blinding people abit with my 6k hid. But is it tru that the low beam bulb size on the JDM lights are 9005 and the USDM use 9006 ?

 

The bulbs for the low beam normal headlights are the same, just the ones that fit the JDM headlight is 9005J.

When I replaced my bulbs in my soarer I had a hell of a time trying to modify the 9005's to fit, wish I could have found 9005J's but wasn't worth the effort of buying them from japan.

 

For the record, USDM headlights use 9006 bulbs, while JDM headlights use 9005 bulbs...Also, JDM headlights don't have that little "Bubble balance meter" like that of the USDM headlights...But in terms of exterior appearances, both are identical.

USDM Headlights FTW!

 

Both the JDM and USDM have different part numbers only because as uras300 explained the point everso slightly in a different direction because of the right side drivers in Japan vs. The Left hand drivers in the US. You be blinding everyone here in the States with JDM lights....bad move.

 

In my 97 sc300, the car had JDM headlights when I bought it. I also had another set of JDM headlights.

The usdm headlights uses an orange bulb for the turn signal and the JDM light uses a clear bulb but has an orange lens inside.

I've used the 9005 bulbs from my usdm high beams and they worked in the JDM low
beams. I didn't need to get the 9005J. I also bought an hid kit and ordered 9005 bulbs and had no problems.

The whole left side and right side is not that much of a difference. It's hardly noticeable and people have never complained. It's much more noticeable if you have a car with non-projector headlights with an hid kit that shoots light all over the place. So it's not a big deal.

So the main difference is the different bulb size and the orange lens.

 

JDM headlights are for sex offenders...





















































...LOL! Just kidding!

 

15 years later... to save anyone an extra trip to the store:

Swapped my Soarer headlights for USDM SC300 headlights (car came with busted HIDs + I wanted the right beam pattern). Do note that the JDM headlight turn signal bulb is a 1156, not 1157. Maybe mine had some weird stuff done to it in the past, but it is a single filament bulb holder. Every online parts book for a SC300 will point you to a 1157A/1157NA (amber bulb, dual filament) -- you need a 1156A/NA if using the JDM holder. Since my headlights didn't come with the turn signal bulb holder, I had to reuse the JDM ones which of course were a different bulb size.

Otherwise, USDM low beam is 9006 not 9005, like people said here and the parking lamp is the same (158). USDM will have a bubble sight for leveling, JDM will not, but both have the screws for adjustments. There are one bolts and two nuts to remove each headlight -- one 10mm bolt from the top / under hood, and then 2x nuts (10mm socket) behind the wheel well liners. Three cables to each headlight, use a screwdriver to aid in unclipping (they will be brittle), the turn signal one is the worst of the three.

So, for the front headlight assemblies (non-high beam):

• Low Beam
  • USDM: 9005
  • JDM: 9006
• Turn Signal
  • USDM: 1157A/NA
  • JDM: 1156 (or P21W)
    • JDM housing has amber lens, if you use the JDM bulb holder with a USDM light, get a 1156A or NA (amber tinted) bulb.
• Parking Lamp
  • USDM / JDM: 158

I entertained going HID for a few hours, but could not find a source for "just" a 9006/D2S bulb base converter (as I wanted to use authentic Philips D2S bulbs), don't have the time to manually drill / align it and don't have the time to retrofit my headlights with a projector for HIDs. Just easier to put in 9006s and call it a day. PO put in HIDs for the high-beams (ironically) and I can add some brighter fogs if I really need it for the crappiest weather days.