furball

I haven't checked the car out myself (it is a friend's car), however they said the driver-side heated seat is no longer working.

The car is a 1999 RX300.

I'll be sure to check the fuses, but has anyone else encountered this? I know there is at least one TSB relating to the front driver seat, but there's not enough info based on the description to know what it's about.

Any tips/suggestions on how to fix it? If it looks easy to remove the seats, and if it's possible, I may try to swap the driver-side heating element (if that is the problem) with the passenger side... And/or try a junkyard?

I found these TSBs that *may* relate to it, but unsure:
Also, if anyone has ever replaced the leather portions of the seat, let me know if it is difficult, and whether you have to take the seat out (if you do, are there any error codes that may get triggered? i.e. SRS, air bag, etc.) If I can find a piece of leather for the butt area at a junk yard, I may try to replace it.

trhs75

I am facing replacement of the upper and lower driver's side seat heaters in my '99. I had the dealer verify that the (expensive) heating elements were indeed the problem. I have purchased an upper and a lower heating element (yes, right and left use the same parts), and I'm waiting to have enough time to take the seat out and do the job. I have a pdf file of the service manual which should help a lot, also hog ring pliers and a pound of hog rings to reinstall the seat covers. It looks like a long but straightforward procedure. Someone recommended to me that I not use salvaged seat heaters since they may be close to being worn out, also. If they don't cost much, though, all you risk is a little time and elbow grease.

Good luck -- let us know how things go. If I get mine done first, I hope to post some hints and/or photos.

furball

There are upper and lower heaters? Ah, I believe it is the bum warmer that is no longer working in my case.

What repair manual do you have? I have a 1999 RX300 PDF repair manual, which is just under 2000 pages, however I don't see anything relating to seat removal, and/or heating elements.

How bad does the hog ring job seem? (I'm assuming there are numerous hog rings to hold the leather cover taut.)

Might you happen to have the specific steps to remove the seat, heating elements, and/or leather covers? (Perhaps the TSB?)

trhs75

Seat cushion heater was just over $300 from mylexusparts.com. 4/9/99 Lexus TSB was of no help to me -- describes testing procedure, but not removal or replacement. My manual pages describing seat disassembly are numbered BO-147 to BO-157: Seat components, removal, disassembly, assembly, and installation. Does that help you find the right place in your manual?