arcteryx

With this cold wave most of us are feeling, I have been using the seat heaters some. It seems that the fronts take a few minutes, maybe 5 or more, to get going. They do get warm though so the wiring is intact. Conversely, the ones in my Excursion take about a minute. Is this normal and are others seeing this?

campisi

Yes I see this as well on my 03. They take a while before you can feel anything and even then they never really get very warm at all. In contrast to my 11 Subaru's seat heaters they really suck.

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

My 04 does not heat up very fast but I can only take the 1st or 2nd setting on heat. Sets my butt on fire on the hottest setting. Most likely your seat cushion is not allowing the heat through.

randal

I find that my seats heat within a couple of minutes. The LS heater elements are really top quality. They use a "woven" element design which is far superior to other cars which typically use just a couple of "zig-zag" elements. The Lexus design provides more even heat to the buttocks and back area.

Here is a link to the thermal picture of my 02 LS430 taken with a Fluke IR camera. It shows the woven elements.(click on the picture to enlarge) -> http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums...eated+%2Bseats

2KHarrier

Nice photos Randal.. Mine heat up kinda slowly... The RX heats up a little quicker than the LS, but the coverage is better on the LS ( great Infrared photos...)

arcteryx

Wow, those photos are cool!

I need to order a new ds lower cushion, more than 30 minutes and I start getting uncomfortable, The right side where the seam is is very hard. So hopefully the heating elements will be work a little better too.

warminwisc

Mine stink takes 15 minutes than i do not need em.

Ce3kay

that's weird my driver side is slow also, takes 3-5 mins to get warm as my passenger side takes about a min top and its on fire!

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

It actually makes perfect sense. If the seat cushion is deteriorating it will prevent the heat from reaching the top of the cushion and out the leather. Drivers seat would obviously be the first to go. Even my rear seat heaters work well. I would consider replacing the bottom seat cushion.

Tom57

It depends on model year and features of your LS. My '01 heats up very quickly and uniformly, but it doesn't have seat coolers. The seat heat dial on the '01 is a wide-range dial as well. My '06 is slower to warm up and, of course, with cooled seats, the dial is only about half the range of the '01, since 1/2 the dial is for heat and the other half is for cool adjustments.

arcteryx

My kids have confirmed the rears heat up very fast/well, so I think it is due to the cushion.

For the cushion, do they sell they cushion with the wiring? Or do you have to reuse your existing? When I replaced my Fords', the wiring was already on the pad, so it was plug n play.

LiCelsior

iTrader: (32)

haha thats pretty cool, always wondered how much coverage there was. My driver front seat is pretty slow also, but it is probably due to wear.

Lavrishevo

iTrader: (1)

Couple more links. Look at the notes for 71511S and notes for N1*

04 - 06
http://www.lexussouthatlantaparts.co...seat%20cushion

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...for-ls430.html

randal

In contrast to the LS, take a look at this thermal pic of a 2011 Honda Pilots' heated seats.
Notice the gaps in the elements leaving cold spots. Notice that the passenger side back is not even heated though the drivers side is. What in the world was Honda thinking?(hint:cheap).

Big difference from the LS which has very nice and even coverage (the woven design).