Headlight keeps turning off

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

Hi,

 

The headlight on my 2006 LS460 on the drivers side keeps turning off after a few minutes. The low light/parking light works fine, and when I turn the lights on they light up fine, but after a few minutes or so the driver's side headlight just turns off. No flickering, it just goes from working absolutely fine to turning off, leaving just the parking light.

Is this the ballast, or another issue? Any ideas as to how much one would expect to pay a garage (in parts and labour) to sort this?

Many thanks

[Tulpen]

These are all the headlight problem threads from the US forum:   https://www.clublexus.com/forums/search.php?do=showgcs&query=headlight issues

[brendangeorge]

Hi TR

When I had this problem on my olf 430 it was a duff relay - however that caused both front lights to turn off.  I am not familiar with the 460 electrical system.

Good luck

Bren

[steve2006]

More likely to be the bulb on its way out.

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

Thanks guys. Seems likely to either be the bulb or the ballast. 

 

It is booked in to get a few things looked at in 2 weeks, including a faint droning noise at 50mph or higher (I suspect a wheel bearing)....the noise is pretty quiet so we'll see. It also has a slight knocking noise occasionally when manoeuvring at slow speed which I suspect is a ball joint and finally my door mirror won't fold in and is a bit loose..... I'm not fussed about it not folding in but just want to get it secured. 

 

RE the light.... If it is just a bulb and not the ballast, does the bumper need to come off? Is it a labour intensive job? 

Many thanks once again for your help guys. 

[Malc]

12 hours ago, TyrannosauRoss Lex said:

It is booked in to get a few things looked at in 2 weeks

should you be using a Lexus main dealer for this investigative work ??  I hope you have deep deep pockets

an indy might give the same diagnosis at much less cost

Malc

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

Definitely not going to a main dealer! I actually only got the car just over a week ago, my Uncle is high up in a national tyre/servicing company and I get my cars serviced there, I tend to pay trade price for parts and £20-25/hour for labour 😄 I called the 2nd hand car dealer I bought the car from and he said to get it booked in with the garage they use as they would cover it under their warranty so it's actually going to them on Wednesday which is nice....hopefully they honour it and fix it FOC.

Will keep you posted!

[royoftherovers]

1 hour ago, TyrannosauRoss Lex said:

Definitely not going to a main dealer! I actually only got the car just over a week ago, my Uncle is high up in a national tyre/servicing company and I get my cars serviced there, I tend to pay trade price for parts and £20-25/hour for labour 😄 I called the 2nd hand car dealer I bought the car from and he said to get it booked in with the garage they use as they would cover it under their warranty so it's actually going to them on Wednesday which is nice....hopefully they honour it and fix it FOC.

Will keep you posted!

The Dealer is Statutorily responsible for repairing at his cost any significant problem which arises within 6 months of purchase. Any mention of his warranty or any 3rd party warranty is irrelevant. You can also reject the car within 30 days of purchase.

Hopefully however, your dealer is an honest man.

Good luck.

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

Thank you,

I am not sure how much would or should be covered by a dealer when we're talking about a 13 year old car to be honest. But hey, if it gets fixed then great! I will be dropping it off Wednesday afternoon so I should know a bit more by Thursday afternoon I should have thought.

Many thanks

[graham8370]

                                    ''RE the light.... If it is just a bulb and not the ballast, does the bumper need to come off? Is it a labour intensive job? ''

When I had my 460 I also read stories that the bumper has to come off to change the bulb. However, it doesn't.

Lexus Guildford took 10 minutes to change it, but the cost of the bulb was about £70. I asked whether the other bulb should be changed, as I thought, if one bulb was gone surely the other side,being on the same amount of time was due to blow as well. Was given the best bit  advice from Guildford.

                                                                                                      IF IT AINT BROKE, DON'T FIX IT

Probably had the car for two years after and never had to replace the other bulb. The same result when a rear shock absorber went on my 430. Replaced the one, the other lasted for many years after.

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

Hi,

I have just heard back from the garage, it was just the bulb, they have changed it and it's now working fine. They're just going to investigate the knocking noise now. It will be interesting to see if they sort it or whether they "can't hear it"....being a 2nd hand car under warranty it wouldn't surprise me if they try to get out of it, but we shall see.

I strongly suspect they won't find the drone noise, but it's going to another place in under 2 weeks and they will sort it I'm sure, but it'd be nice to not need to pay for it!

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

Turns out it was just the headlight bulb. It has been changed and it now works absolutely fine. Car going in on Wednesday to get the knocking noise investigated along with the faint drone at motorway speeds.