Heated steering wheel question.
CL Community Team
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 30,283
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From: Canada
Got this from the Mercedes site :
At least for the Mercedes S class:
Both wood steering wheel & heated steering wheel are options on the S class.
The steering wheel heater can rapidly heat the leather portions of the steering wheel for the enhanced comfort of the driver in cold weather. Wires embedded in leather portions of the steering wheel rim heat the wheel. After about seven minutes, the syst***s heating capacity is automatically reduced.
CL Community Team
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 30,283
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From: Canada
Interestingly, when I try to build a S550 on their site, I can only get only either the the wood steering wheel, or the heated steering wheel, but not both.
Then I tried to build a S600, which come swith wood steering wheel as standard, heated steering wheel is not an option. When I look at the interior features of the S600, only the wood trim steering wheel is mentioned, but not heated steering wheel. So it seems they don't do heated steering wheel with the wood trim on it. . .
Then I tried to build a S600, which come swith wood steering wheel as standard, heated steering wheel is not an option. When I look at the interior features of the S600, only the wood trim steering wheel is mentioned, but not heated steering wheel. So it seems they don't do heated steering wheel with the wood trim on it. . .
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: CA
Wow thx for the info and research LexArazzo, I suppose the wood steering wheel portion doesn't get all that cold anyways...?
I wonder what Lexus' solution to this will be, as most of the wood trim steering wheel area is where one's hands are placed (at least on the LS/ES I believe the grooves are there on the wood).
Reminds me of the perforated leather. Where the perforations are employed for heated/cooled seats. Are perforations available as standalone on other cars, such as Mercedes?
I wonder what Lexus' solution to this will be, as most of the wood trim steering wheel area is where one's hands are placed (at least on the LS/ES I believe the grooves are there on the wood).
Reminds me of the perforated leather. Where the perforations are employed for heated/cooled seats. Are perforations available as standalone on other cars, such as Mercedes?
CL Community Team
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 30,283
Likes: 363
From: Canada
It's different in Canada though . . .
Well, I tried to build the S550 in the Canadian site, & I can get both heated & wood steering wheel, plus the S600 also comes with both as standard 
So according to the description quoted from mbusa in my first reply, the wires only heat up the leather part of the steering wheel, so that means the wood part still isn't heated ? Or are the wires also embedded inside the wood portion, which I think would probably be the case. I think the wood trim is probably a wood veneer that wraps around portions of the steering wheel, it's not solid wood.
So according to the description quoted from mbusa in my first reply, the wires only heat up the leather part of the steering wheel, so that means the wood part still isn't heated ? Or are the wires also embedded inside the wood portion, which I think would probably be the case. I think the wood trim is probably a wood veneer that wraps around portions of the steering wheel, it's not solid wood.
Last edited by Gojirra99; Apr 22, 2006 at 06:43 PM.
Originally Posted by enigma354
Wow thx for the info and research LexArazzo, I suppose the wood steering wheel portion doesn't get all that cold anyways...?
I wonder what Lexus' solution to this will be, as most of the wood trim steering wheel area is where one's hands are placed (at least on the LS/ES I believe the grooves are there on the wood).
Reminds me of the perforated leather. Where the perforations are employed for heated/cooled seats. Are perforations available as standalone on other cars, such as Mercedes?
I wonder what Lexus' solution to this will be, as most of the wood trim steering wheel area is where one's hands are placed (at least on the LS/ES I believe the grooves are there on the wood).
Reminds me of the perforated leather. Where the perforations are employed for heated/cooled seats. Are perforations available as standalone on other cars, such as Mercedes?
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,695
Likes: 2
From: CA
LOL, none of us in SoCal likely need any heated steering wheels. I just thought it was pretty cool, as I don't remember the LS 430 having them.
Now on to another cool detail obsession...will the LS 460 have lighted cupholders like the ES 350?
Now on to another cool detail obsession...will the LS 460 have lighted cupholders like the ES 350?
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Originally Posted by enigma354
LOL, none of us in SoCal likely need any heated steering wheels. I just thought it was pretty cool, as I don't remember the LS 430 having them.
Now on to another cool detail obsession...will the LS 460 have lighted cupholders like the ES 350?
Now on to another cool detail obsession...will the LS 460 have lighted cupholders like the ES 350?
i don't know, i sometimes work pretty late, and no matter the sc430 or gs400, it's pretty damn cold when i get into teh car especially during winter time. i could definitely use some heated steering wheel
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CL Community Team
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 30,283
Likes: 363
From: Canada
Originally Posted by rominl
nop, currently none of the lexus has heated steering wheel. it has been one of the compliants (when comparing to competitors).
i don't know, i sometimes work pretty late, and no matter the sc430 or gs400, it's pretty damn cold when i get into teh car especially during winter time. i could definitely use some heated steering wheel
i don't know, i sometimes work pretty late, and no matter the sc430 or gs400, it's pretty damn cold when i get into teh car especially during winter time. i could definitely use some heated steering wheel
Originally Posted by LexArazzo
You must be talking about NorCal, when I visited my cousin in San Fran, she always said you can go thru all 4 seasons in one day,. It can be warm during the day, but gets pretty cold when night comes. I don't think it gets really cold in LA even during winter? although the few times I was there, it's always either spring or summer. I don't remember, but the new LS will come with heated steering wheel as standard ?
when i got inside my gs400, you have no idea how bad i swore about the cold weather and that i have NO heated seat
(do i miss my sc430?) and the steering wheel is pretty damn cold to touch as well
Lexus Champion
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,459
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From: Makati, Philippines
Lol
Here in the Philippines, it is always hot. Sure we may have rainy seasons for three months and cool winds coming from snowy countries waaay waaay up North but other than that, it is so damn hot.
With our country being so close to the equator, heated steering wheels and heated seats are USELESS.
So for us, it should be the opposite: Cooled Steering Wheel and Cooled Seats
Here in the Philippines, it is always hot. Sure we may have rainy seasons for three months and cool winds coming from snowy countries waaay waaay up North but other than that, it is so damn hot.
With our country being so close to the equator, heated steering wheels and heated seats are USELESS.
So for us, it should be the opposite: Cooled Steering Wheel and Cooled Seats
Thread Starter
Lexus Champion
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,695
Likes: 2
From: CA
Well in the LS there then I guess the cooled seats would do the trick then, hopefully!!!
In the LS we have used the heated seats only, but it's not summer yet. Come that time, I think I will try the cooling function.
One thing I noticed is how Lexus has switched from the round, peg-like dials in the current LS and ES, to more rounded wheel dials in the new IS/ES/GS/LS. Actually, supposedly those dials resemble those on the current SC (I saw in a brochure pic), but I'm not sure. They remind me of the old Mercedes dials, and both Lexus versions are probably easy and nice to use.
In the LS we have used the heated seats only, but it's not summer yet.
Come that time, I think I will try the cooling function. One thing I noticed is how Lexus has switched from the round, peg-like dials in the current LS and ES, to more rounded wheel dials in the new IS/ES/GS/LS. Actually, supposedly those dials resemble those on the current SC (I saw in a brochure pic), but I'm not sure. They remind me of the old Mercedes dials, and both Lexus versions are probably easy and nice to use.
Driver
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 125
Likes: 3
From: ON
Heated Steering Wheel
hi,
I think the LS600hL will have the heated steering wheel as standard. Maybe leather wrapped portions will be heated.
(Please refer to the pic.)
Picture courtesy of www.autospies.com
I think the LS600hL will have the heated steering wheel as standard. Maybe leather wrapped portions will be heated.
(Please refer to the pic.)
Picture courtesy of www.autospies.com
