Rx400H Reversing Lights (Or Lack Of !) Lexus Email.

[oldtoolie]

What is the stock number/ type of the reversing bulb. I would like to order them before I start pulling off the tailgate panel.

[Crowtree]

I have eventually found the time to remove them little cover things within the rear light cluster................................and....................................................a massive improvement and its a very confusing thing as to what these little bulb cover things are actually doing ? well apart from directing the light up away from the actual direction you need it BEHIND YOU !!!

[stevet]

Is it an easy job?

[Gazm]

its fairly straight forward. take the trim off. unscrew 3 screw / bolts (oen of them is on the outside of the cluster, the other 2 are up in the frame. once done use the thread of the 2 bolts you undone (they are fixed to the light cluster to push the cluster out. you then twist the light to take it out. you then unscrew the screw that holds the cover on and remove it.

it is failry straight forward - I managed it!

[stevet]

Cheers Gazm

I'll be having a go next weekend.

[Gazm]

You need to give the trim a good yank to get it off (unless someone knows do an easier way!)

And Steve, don't leave it till dusk to do it like I did!!

[Woody123]

Just got round to removing shields yesterday and tried in dark tonight.

Yes it makes a big improvement, I can actually see what I am reversing into now before I hit it !!!

I would recommend removing shields, as Gazm says it is quite easy the hardest bit is removing the tailgate trim, just give it a tug...

I would still like to try the LED's if anyone can find them.

[lexom]

I've taken the useless deflectors off the the reversing lights and there was a little improvement in backwards light. I then fitted some LEDs in place of the reversing bulbs. The LEDs are incredibly bright, but as already stated in this thread, the light is not directed at the road.

The best solution I've found is to switch on the rear fog lights. Oh, and I also fitted after-market reversing sensors - just for some peace of mind.

I think the 400h is a great car, but as I have no street lights where I live, I really hate reversing in it. Grrrr, Lexus!

[Alf59]

Have been reading with interest the posts about the reversing lights. Removing the shield seems to be of some benefit but if they then don't illuminate the road (even with a brighter LED) would it be better to remove the shield then cut off the rounded end, leaving the top part of the shield, then fit them back in again? This might keep deflecting the light downwards onto the reflector (to point at the road) but also throw light straight back?

The round end of the shield is obvioulsy to stop bliding the driver behind (well, hardley blind!!) but it does seem to stop a lot of the light. I have read so many other forums where people are complaining about the lack of light output form their reversing lights so it's not just the RX. Seems to me that that the tinted rear screen is the biggest problem - I live in an area where there are hardly any street lights and often have to reverse along farm tracks/un-made roads and I can't see a darn thing.

The camera would benefit from being a night vision version (lower lux rating) and I'm wondering if there is a straight forward plug n play swap for another (better) camera so that the reversing light issue wouldn't be such an problem?

It amazes me that members on here are convinced there is not a problem with the lights - they must live in areas where there are a lot of street lights - try backing up a country lane at night and see how near impossible it is to see anything. I've looked at various cree LED's and as they are VERY bright, if the shields are removed they would surely blind the driver behind?

[katabrontes]

Surely one should remove the lower part of the shield to deflect the light downwards as this would allow the maximum amount of light to fall on the top of the reflector and thus be reflected downwards onto the road. Maybe it could just be fitted upside down to do this with a bit of modification. Worth a try maybe?

[RobinGBrown]

This might sound a bit silly and I haven't tried it myself yet but has anyone tried switching on the rear fog lights to get some low level illumination for the camera?

[oldtoolie]

I removed the deflector and installed LEDs. Some improvement but not a lot. I also use the rear fog lights so it is manageable.

[billygarrett]

This might sound a bit silly and I haven't tried it myself yet but has anyone tried switching on the rear fog lights to get some low level illumination for the camera?

Yes

I have used rear fog lights and hazard flashers, but it is still difficult especially in heavy rain on a dark country narrow road. Nightmare !!! ( even with deflectors removed which do help !)

[Boxbrownie]

I've looked at various cree LED's and as they are VERY bright, if the shields are removed they would surely blind the driver behind?

If your reversing then surely there will not be a driver behind you..........

:D

I have no doubt you could fit a different camera with better night illumination, a CMOS chip version with 1 lux rating will be fine, looks good on my ML.

[billygarrett]

I've looked at various cree LED's and as they are VERY bright, if the shields are removed they would surely blind the driver behind?

If your reversing then surely there will not be a driver behind you..........

:D

I have no doubt you could fit a different camera with better night illumination, a CMOS chip version with 1 lux rating will be fine, looks good on my ML.

That's true. And what if the driver is in front of you when you have your headlights on while reversing. Won't he be just as blinded then.....

[Boxbrownie]

I've looked at various cree LED's and as they are VERY bright, if the shields are removed they would surely blind the driver behind?

If your reversing then surely there will not be a driver behind you..........

:D

I have no doubt you could fit a different camera with better night illumination, a CMOS chip version with 1 lux rating will be fine, looks good on my ML.

That's true. And what if the driver is in front of you when you have your headlights on while reversing. Won't he be just as blinded then.....

Life is fully of little puzzles eh? :hocus-pokus:

[Alf59]

I'm not for one minute suggesting that we select reverse gear and head out on the highways, searching out cars that are driving towards us!

When reversing, the car in front of you won't be blinded as headlights are designed not to dazzle but reversing lights that are "over bright" could dazzle cars behind. Obvioulsy we reverse when there are cars behind, surely it can't just be me - that's why reversing lights are there to warn other drivers which direction you're going in. I'm all for bright reversing lights and wish I had them - all I'm saying is I think if you had ultra bright LED's without the shield, the glare would be pretty bad and the rule is that any light fitted to a vehicle should not dazzle other road users, regardless of what direction they're facing.

I'd happily fit a couple of Cibies on the tailgate if I thought I could get away with it.

[It wasn't me]

Brilliant, I just love reading all the comments on here about the the white lights to the rear of this particular vehicle, that produce as much light as old miners lamp or less. We'll I'm just glad it's just not me that thinks there s****, I was just in the process of booking myself an appointment with a well know spectical supplier, talk about relieved, them designer ones aren't cheap!.

I have twice come close to reversing into a couple of posts,one on my drive and one on my mates only last night, and that's with me fog n brakes lights on too,so there's only one thing for it, I'm going have to find that left over spot light, that I had bolted on my mini boot lid back in the 80's, that'll light the bugger up.

My favorite topic by far.

[DanD]

[Boxbrownie]

[Duncan Roberts]

Agree

[katabrontes]

Has anyone got a source for decent LEDs to fit in the reversing lights of RX350. I can't find as source for these and when I have enquired about ones that looked OK I was told they won't suit for reversing.

[sandbank]

There's no doubt that the combination of blacked-out windows ( the stupidest feature on the RX) and the poor reversing lights (the second-stupidest) are a major safety hazard. It would be interesting to hear from Lexus how many RX400h rear bumpers have had to be repaired/replaced or patched up because of this safety oversight. Lexus should recall all RX400h cars and install proper reversing lights.

[Boxbrownie]

Seriously, if Lexus fitted a decent reversing camera as standard all this would be a moot point, my ML had one I could see fine from in pitch black (the reversing lights were OK'ish) the BMW i3 I have been using recently had a perfect view rearwards using the reversing camera, in fact better than I could see if I were standing behind the car! Must have been using a real nice CMOS trick chip camera, bloomin' sharp in daylight too.

Maybe in the next iteration then?

[stevet]

My GS has a great rear view camera. Helps that it has 6 bright led's and a 12" screen!