IS300h headlights too dim - how to change bulbs?

[JC12]

Hello.. 

Im a noob here , please feel free to direct me to a thread on here if this exists but I couldnt find one similar. 

Im finding my headlights (low and high) too dim - mainly too yellow as well, on the back roads with no street lights the range on them seems very short and they are certainly no where near as bright as my older is220d. I would like to change the bulbs to some brighter / whiter ones but i had a look and no idea how to get to the bulbs. 

Has anyone had the same issue and / or managed to change them by themselves ? If so ,  some advice on how to change them would be great. 

- I should also add its the Luxury model. It does not have the directional headlight system.. just high and low beam, but I think they are HID. 

 

Thank you ! 

 

Joel 

 

[Jayw13702]

I don’t believe you can get updated hid bulbs, however someone more knowledgeable may be able to confirm that


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[200h]

you need to find the temperature range of the original hids 

ideally you need a bulb at the 4000k - 4500k to have white light

anything less than 4000k and you'll have yellow light.

here is a link for the kelvin scale

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kelvin_Temperature_Chart.jpg

[ikeja]

I too find the lights on my IS300H inadequate and no where near as good as the Xenon lights on my old Saab 9-3 Ttid Aero. If there is a way to improve the lights I would be very interested.

 

[JC12]

52 minutes ago, 200h said:

you need to find the temperature range of the original hids 

ideally you need a bulb at the 4000k - 4500k to have white light

anything less than 4000k and you'll have yellow light.

here is a link for the kelvin scale

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kelvin_Temperature_Chart.jpg

Thank you... They are definitely not more than 4k. too yellow. If I could figure out how to get to the bulb I could have a look at what is in there. 

[JC12]

1 hour ago, Jayw13702 said:

I don’t believe you can get updated hid bulbs, however someone more knowledgeable may be able to confirm that


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bulbs should always be replaceable, however its like Fort Knox trying to get into the headlight unit. Most likely so you have to take it to the dealer to get it done.

[Jayw13702]

Bulbs should always be replaceable, however its like Fort Knox trying to get into the headlight unit. Most likely so you have to take it to the dealer to get it done.

Yes bulbs can be replaced, but I don’t believe you can upgrade hid bulbs.


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[Jayw13702]

And don’t forget that HID bulbs have ballast packs that are very high voltage


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[NemesisUK]

Osram do a good range of upgraded lamps. As do Phillips.

Just make sure you purchase from a reputable seller, there lots of counterfeit ones out there.

The downside to these higher output lamps is they tend to fail sooner than OEM 

[Pink]

Interested to know if anyone’s got the headlight unit out and if so has a step by step guide. My old BM unit was a bit fiddly ... some reckoned you needed to take the bumper off, but with a bit of fleckling and the right angle and twist here-&-there, and the odd grazed finger, it was possible to get out! 

[JC12]

1 hour ago, Pink said:

Interested to know if anyone’s got the headlight unit out and if so has a step by step guide. My old BM unit was a bit fiddly ... some reckoned you needed to take the bumper off, but with a bit of fleckling and the right angle and twist here-&-there, and the odd grazed finger, it was possible to get out! 

Checked the manual and it shows you how to change the turn lights and fog lamps but not headlights. May have e to just spend some time taking things apart carefully!

[200h]

have a look at this video

 

[JC12]

Thanks i saw that but it's a totally different system to the is300h. This is what I'm working with. 

 

I though the white circle thing at the top was to manually adjust the beam level but I turned it a few times but nothing seemed to change. Anyone know ? 

 

The grey clip is just a power clip. 

 

[Mikey B]

I posted a while ago as I had a headlight bulb fail - well it became intermittent.

Gave up trying to change them, asked my local garage to do it - I provided the bulbs and went with Osram Nightbreaker Lasers.  I think they are better, but as one bulb was out its difficult to say