When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
2013 rx at 30,000 km I'be been noticing some weird wear from the driver seat for a while now. Also it's excessively shiney on the left bolster. Almost as if it's not the same leather. Have a look. Wondering how others are faring.
I think what you're seeing is the vinyl coating on the leather breaking down.
I was not happy to learn how Lexus treats their leather. My last German car's leather was vat dyed; and I treated it two or three times a year with a lanolin leather cleaner. The seats looked a year old at 145,000 miles and twelve years when I replaced the car with te RX.
I was expecting to use the same maintenance process until I read all the caveats from Lexus over their leathers.
Great photos.
With my comments, please take a closer look (jeweler's loop or magnifier) to see if what I heard makes sense.
It's also mostly driven by my wife who is approx 130 lbs so it's not a weight issue, and I'm 180. Thanks for the links.
Originally Posted by NateJG
Sad.
I have 30K miles on my 13 RXh.
I think what you're seeing is the vinyl coating on the leather breaking down.
I was not happy to learn how Lexus treats their leather. My last German car's leather was vat dyed; and I treated it two or three times a year with a lanolin leather cleaner. The seats looked a year old at 145,000 miles and twelve years when I replaced the car with te RX.
I was expecting to use the same maintenance process until I read all the caveats from Lexus over their leathers.
Great photos.
With my comments, please take a closer look (jeweler's loop or magnifier) to see if what I heard makes sense.
OP, sorry you're seeing wrinkles in your seat bolsters -- but I think it's only a matter of time until we all do at least on the drivers side to varying degrees.
Folks, if you've not seen it, I suggest you take a look and tag along with our very own "All About Lexus Leather" thread over in the Auto Care & Detailing subforum. I've watched, learned, and participated there for more than 10 years. That thread is more appropriate for further discussion unless it's very specific to the RX.
IMHO and experience with multiple Lexi, BMW, and MBZ, some amount of "wrinkles" (not to the degree the OP has) have occurred to certain sections of every one of my leather seats over time -- even my German brands that have both had the most premium leather available from those mfgrs. I don't see "German vs Japanese" as a primary issue here, but do agree that the way different types of leather are tanned and coated by the manufacturing process can make a difference. The semi-aniline leather in my RXh is absolutely the most supple I've ever owned, but it has always worried me (without sufficient fact behind it) as perhaps being the most delicate. It seems to me that more wrinkles are also typically more apparent in darker colors e.g. the black leather in my BMW or red in my MBZ (which supposedly has "died-through leather"), vs ecru in my previous SC430, grey in my 2006 RXh and parchment in my present RX450h. For me, wrinkles in similar locations of similar types of vehicles, have been less apparent in the lighter colored clean leather. I suspect that may not be the case for everyone because of different types of leather and tanning.
I'm pretty fanatical about keeping my rides detailed, and hydrate my leather with a clean damp rag every time I wash my vehicle (at least every-other week). That in itself seems to have been a major step forward maintaining leather since I started doing it years ago. My seats are also maintained with Leather Masters products that I was turned onto by the referenced thread above. Performing basic and regular maintenance of natural leather, prolongs it's life and look, but cannot prevent aging and some amount of wrinkles over time.
My perception is that the wrinkles occur in those areas of my seats that are pushed and moved the most as people get into and out of the vehicle, and are perhaps exacerbated for those of us that do more short trips where driver & passengers end up doing the get-in/get-out routine more frequently. I'm a pretty big guy - 190lb+ - compared to the OP's wife, so that likely adds a variable here as well. e.g. the lower left edge of my RXh driver seat bolster has the most wrinkles, followed by the outside edge of the back, but the other side of my driver's seat, along with the front edge, top and back shows nothing -- I believe because my rear end hits the lower edge of the RX bolster pushing the leather back and forth as I get in and out of the truck every time. On my MBZ SLK that has half the miles of my RX, but is only a few inches off the ground with seats designed to hug even more than the RX does, the lower edge of the SLK bolster has only a few wrinkles, but the side of its seat has much more -- nearly as much as my RXh lower seat edge -- I suspect because of the way I have to lower myself way down into the seat, and pull my way out because of the extraordinarily wide door swing I have to try to keep from hitting whatever is next to me -- sort of twisting myself around moving the side seat leather almost every time. Several months ago, it finally dawned on me that I was perhaps causing more of these wrinkles in both my rides, so I try rather unsuccessfully I must admit, to remember to not use the seats as a leverage point for my big bu## as much when I get in and out.
OP, in addition to the threads NateJG suggests, be sure to check out ours here on CL to at least reduce future wear and perhaps improve the look of your RX seats. Good luck.
Sorry to say this but it's the way you're getting into the car. I can tell by looking at both bolsters that your sitting on the left bolster and then twisting your legs under the steering wheel.
Im on 30k miles and have minimal wrinkles. Simple solution is to put legs into car before putting backside on seat
And the shine is most likely dirt. The shinier the leather seat, the dirtier it is which shows up where there's been the most contact
CanadianRX, , i had similar experienced with my semi- aniline leather as well after 30k, "supposedly higher grade soft leather" i believe luxury semi-aniline leather have issues after leather dye fades out, if you plan to repair it yoursel see my post below.
The bolster already had significant light creases on delivery with 45 km and a shiney side bolster. It was almost as if they dealer applied something to try and hide it but I won't get into the blame game since I accepted it without thought at the time. Don't get me wrong, these are some of nicest leather seats you can get in its class especially compared to the q5 and mdx leather. I'm wondering if the dealer applied something that may have contributed to the wear. I also think northern winter climates are harsh on soft leather and I haven't been on top of care with 2 kids under 3 years of age. Lol
The bolster already had significant light creases on delivery with 45 km and a shiney side bolster. It was almost as if they dealer applied something to try and hide it but I won't get into the blame game since I accepted it without thought at the time. Don't get me wrong, these are some of nicest leather seats you can get in its class especially compared to the q5 and mdx leather. I'm wondering if the dealer applied something that may have contributed to the wear. I also think northern winter climates are harsh on soft leather and I haven't been on top of care with 2 kids under 3 years of age. Lol
Ahhhh, there we go... Personal opinion from seeing many other photos with similar wrinkle lines (take a look at that thread I referenced earlier): Cause was most likely because of lack of care and the way the leather has moved as folks get in and out of the RX. I doubt a single sort of application of some product by a likely-well-meaning dealer would have created or significantly made the problem worse. There are products that will help hide or reduce the wrinkles as was suggested, but just like with one's face and wrinkle lines most of us get as we age -- we're talking about a natural product with our leather seats -- and if not enough preventive care is done to them, permanent damage or at least a change in their appearance will occur. Products and procedures can help reduce the lines on our faces after some damage is done, just as perhaps some other products can do for leather with similar wear.
BTW, I also agree with you that drier environments (be that effectively in a desert like I live, or in really cold extremes) the lack of humidity can be a huge contributor to what you're seeing. It's discussed a lot in the Leather Thread that it needs humidity some way or other to age best over time. Do try to at least start the simple process of wiping down your seats with a clean damp (not dripping wet) towel every week or two. It will take you literally a couple of minutes (perhaps while you're cleaning out those cookie crumbs from your young ones ) and help reduce your problem from getting worse.
Good luck once again. Oh -- I agree with you, my RX seats are the most comfortable and best I've owned across multiple luxury vehicles.
Great advice, I pulled out my lexol conditioner and the seats are really enjoying it . it softened the stress marks and I will make sure I give it more frequent wipe downs with water in between, especially in winter when humidity is down in the teens. Definitely softer but more delicate leather.
Originally Posted by BertL
Ahhhh, there we go... Personal opinion from seeing many other photos with similar wrinkle lines (take a look at that thread I referenced earlier): Cause was most likely because of lack of care and the way the leather has moved as folks get in and out of the RX. I doubt a single sort of application of some product by a likely-well-meaning dealer would have created or significantly made the problem worse. There are products that will help hide or reduce the wrinkles as was suggested, but just like with one's face and wrinkle lines most of us get as we age -- we're talking about a natural product with our leather seats -- and if not enough preventive care is done to them, permanent damage or at least a change in their appearance will occur. Products and procedures can help reduce the lines on our faces after some damage is done, just as perhaps some other products can do for leather with similar wear.
BTW, I also agree with you that drier environments (be that effectively in a desert like I live, or in really cold extremes) the lack of humidity can be a huge contributor to what you're seeing. It's discussed a lot in the Leather Thread that it needs humidity some way or other to age best over time. Do try to at least start the simple process of wiping down your seats with a clean damp (not dripping wet) towel every week or two. It will take you literally a couple of minutes (perhaps while you're cleaning out those cookie crumbs from your young ones ) and help reduce your problem from getting worse.
Good luck once again. Oh -- I agree with you, my RX seats are the most comfortable and best I've owned across multiple luxury vehicles.
The semi aniline leather in the RX has got to be the most delicate leather I've ever encountered. It wears very easy even with my weekly regimen of leatherique pristine clean and leather master protectant every month.
That leather needs to be refinished or replaced. Using a conditioner on that damaged area will only accelerate the damage. You might look to a salvage yard for a new skin and replace it or see a leather restoration service in your area.
So how do you prevent your leather from looking like this?
04-17-15, 12:55 PM
Excessive leather wear. Semi analine
. it softened the stress marks and I will make sure I give it more frequent wipe downs with water in between, especially in winter when humidity is down in the teens. Definitely softer but more delicate leather.
