metrathon

How many ventilation fans does the GS have in one seat?

The RX I just leased has just two fans, and poorly placed. The ventilation sucks, it's barely noticeable.
Last weekend had a 2015 ES 350 as a loaner and just like the RX, it only has two fans. But the flow was much, much better than the RX, it froze my thighs off .

KJD3

I couldn't tell you, but the RX loaner I have now I can't even feel the ventilated seats, both drivers and passengers seats. At times I can't even feel the ones in my GS unless they're on high and the temp setting on LO. The one I had in a Tahoe LTZ was much better than the ES, GS, and RX I've driven thus far.

CottageChz

Not sure of the number of fans or arrangement in the GS, but I find the ventilation to be somewhat lacking. I can definitely tell that it is there, because I do not get as hot as I would on un-ventilated leather, but I do wish it blew harder. FWIW I have a 2013, but I doubt anything changed in the 2014-15 as far as seat ventilation is concerned.

metrathon

Thanks for chipping in. Not a biggie but if you're paying for it, you should get your money's worth.

In my 5 & 7 Series I used to run the seat ventilation on step 1 out of 3 and the seats were ice cold on the entire surface. Cost cutting on Lexus's part, something gotta give for the low price of the car I guess.

CottageChz

Idk that I'd call the price of the car low, at least not the GS. Maybe with no options it could be considered "low," but 5 series with no options is around the same price (I think). Cost cutting might be accurate. If I recall, BMW makes you shell out a pretty penny for ventilated seats, while they seem almost standard in the GS. I don't know that I've seen a GS without them.

Regardless of what we want to call the reasoning behind it, I agree that it would be very nice if the ventilation was better. I read somewhere that American cars have the best ventilation, followed by German, with Japanese in last. Haven't driven enough cars to know if that's true.

metrathon

Trust me. For the lease of a GS F-Sport, you can only lease a well spec 328i. You cannot touch even a 528i, forget the 535i. A similar spec 528i will easily run for $550/mo and a 535i for $650.

CottageChz

I trust you. Idk much about lease prices. But those Bimmer options add up fast and thew base prices are already a bit higher.

In a perfect world I'd own one of each

metrathon

The GS 350 is a steal. There's nothing in the same class that comes close at that monthly lease, except maybe the Genesis 3.8i.

CincyBrad

Feels like 0 fans. Honestly it seems totally useless, even with the AC on Lo, and the fan setting in high, I can barely feel anything. So little, I was wondering if they were working at all. According to the dealer, it's "normal".

dougm213

Last year I received a survey request from Lexus on ventilated seats. They inquired on if I would put up with more noise from the seats, if I would prefer more ventilation in the seats and my thoughts on the current seats.

The survey had other purposes but there were quite a few questions around the ventilated seats.

bob4256

iTrader: (17)

Anyone compared the ventilated seats on the GS to the 3IS? My mom has a 2015 IS250 and her seats are ice cold. Mine not so much. I mean I can feel them when they're on, but the 3IS ones are so much better

GregCanada

How do the ventilated seats work in the 4GS? I notice mine don't blow very cold air - do i have to have the A/C on? My buddy's Genesis is ice cold.

jkeller

I wanted to see if my GS had filters like the LS has on the seat ventilators . I couldn't raise the seat up enough to see and there are too many wires under there for me to feel it. So I just put my phone on video record and slid it around under the seat. There is 1 filterless fan under the bottom seat. Im fairly certain there is a second fan somewhere in the seatback too. Remember these fans blow the same temperature air thats under your seat. They are not coolers.

bclexus

The ventilated seats are 'ventilated' by moving air via fans located in the seat cushion and backrest. The air is not connected with the air conditioning system. The fans draw air from inside the cabin into small ducts and 'push' it under pressure through the seat's air permeable fabric and distributes it throughout the seat via perforations in the leather. As you might imagine the fans must be able to provide a decent amount of static pressure to blow/push the air through the permeable fabric in the seat cushion and then through the perforations in the leather. That is why the amount of air coming out of the seats is somewhat limited. And, the temperature and humidity level of the seat's ventilated air is the same as the air in the cabin, since the cabin air is what is drawn for the ventilated seats.

metrathon

There's the answer to my question. Two fans per seat, one under the thighs and the second one in the backseat at upper-back level. Completely stupid, just like in the RX.

I understand the cost cutting rationale of having just two fans instead of four, but I don't understand the idiotic placement. You want cooling where the main pressure points are, butt and lower to mid back. Not lower thighs and upper back, no one sits like a bow.