2012 RX450h Headlamps

[welland]

I have a couple of questions about the headlamps on my 2012 facelift RX450h:

1) I don't know what sort of lights they are.  The handbook mentions discharge lights (if fitted), but I don't know if mine has them fitted.  How would I know if they are discharge lights?  If they are not discharge lights, would they be LEDs?  

The appearance of the lights is that each side has two globe-shaped lights that illuminate for dipped beam.  The Main beam is clearly a halogen-type bulb that I can see in the inner-most reflectors.  
 

2) I know that AFS makes the dipped beams turn left and turn right on corners, but I wonder if it makes them automatically lift at higher speeds to illuminate the road further ahead.  Does anybody know?  I don't think I've noticed the beams do this.  
 

3) I am wondering if I need to do something to adjust the beams for driving in France.  The shape of the beams looks a bit like a Z shape, so they are higher at the left hand side.  I imagine that this means I have to do something, but I don't know what.  The handbook does not seem to mention it at all.  
Do I need stick on beam deflectors?  Or is there another way to remove the kick up on the left hand side?  
I gather from other discussions that AFS needs to be turned off in France. Why is this?  Is it illegal in France?  
 

If anybody knows about these matters, I'd love to hear from you.  

[ColinBarber]

1 - All UK series III RXs have either HID or LED lights. Both use standard halogen lamps for high beam. You will have high voltage warning stickers in the engine bay if you have HIDs.

 

LED type

 

HID type

 

2 - No they don't lift - that would make them illegally move above what is allowed for dipped beams. If you need more reach then you should enable main beams (assuming it is clear ahead to do so).

3 - HID and LED lights in Lexus models are considered flat beam and need no correction for driving in mainland Europe.

4 - AFS needs to be disabled because they swivel more in one direction that the other. It isn't adjustable so you need to disable it if you are using a RHD vehicle in a LHD country.

[welland]

Thanks a lot Colin.  

From your photos, I can identify mine as LED.  

Intrigued about the situation for driving abroad.  I noticed that you said they are "considered" flat, so need no correction.  I would say that on my old rx400h the beams were actually flat, but on my Rx450h,  they are definitely higher on the LHS.  The beam shape is flat in two steps:

Starting From the left it is flat, but then there is a step down to a lower level on the right. 

[ColinBarber]

7 hours ago, welland said:

I noticed that you said they are "considered" flat, so need no correction.

Flat enough is perhaps a better choice of words, certainly that is what Lexus CS has told customers here over the years.

Are you sure your two headlights are in alignment? If one is out that could explain your different levels. Try covering them one by one to see if the step down is within a single light or misalignment of the two.

[welland]

I have a double Z pattern, one from each side.  In fact, they were not level until yesterday.  I finally got around to adjusting the high one down, but I think it is now a little low.  I probably should have adjusted one up and one down to meet in the middle.  

Since there are two dip beam headlights on each side, I suspect that one is the high side of the Z and the other is the low side. 

When AFS is turned on, I think that only one part of the beam moves on corners.  This makes me think that only one of the two lights on each side of the car responds to the AFS system.