RX - 3rd Gen (2010-2015) Discussion topics related to the 2010 - 2015 RX350 and RX450H models

2010 Seat Warmers

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Old 03-19-15, 06:51 AM
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3894days
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Default 2010 Seat Warmers

Does anyone feel the seat warmers don't really get to hot? I leave mine on 3 and it gets warm but not as warm as I would think, I had a rental for the past month and those seats would get really warm to where I would need to turn them down a little sometimes.

Also wondering how well the cool part works for people as I haven't tried it yet...still cold here in the North country!


just looking for a few opinions....
Old 03-19-15, 07:33 AM
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lexus114
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i agree when its really, really cold out they could be a little better. but i really have no complaints about them. and the cooling part of them works very well in my opinion.
Old 03-19-15, 07:58 AM
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Originally Posted by lexus114
i agree when its really, really cold out they could be a little better. but i really have no complaints about them. and the cooling part of them works very well in my opinion.
Thanks for the reply... so you don't think this is anything that is adjustable per say?
Old 03-19-15, 08:26 AM
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BertL
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Subjective points for sure. One consideration that may well impact opinions folks have is depending on model, MY, and options, there have been two types of RX leather seats that included a (softer) upgraded "semi-aniline leather" variety, as well as some seat combinations that have perforations in the center bottom & back sections, others do not. I happen to have the semi-aniline with perforation version on my 2013 RX450h because of the Luxury Pkg.
The "butt warmers" as my family affectionally refer to them, are OK for us here in more temperate SoCal, but not as warm as what my MBZ gets. Key difference though is the Lexus allows the heaters to stay on, whereas once my MBZ seat gets hot initially, it then rapidly decreases the heating until they are automatically turned back off perhaps 20 mins later, so you have to keep turning them on or increasing the temp if that's what you're after. The Lexus does more of what I and my passengers desire to keep our you-know-what comfy.

IMHO, seat cooling is pretty weak -- to the point I consider it a non-starter for the most part. I'll qualify my comments saying I keep my temp on Auto about 70-degrees almost year-round. Beyond playing with seat cooling after I took delivery, I've only used it a couple of times when I was likely in for one of those "wet back days" after my RX had been sitting in the heat all day. I've never had another car with seat cooling, so have nothing to compare it with, but I would not buy the feature again if it was an independent option I could deselect.
If you're so inclined some time, do a search and you'll find a legacy thread with pics how at least one member made some home-grown airflow duct improvements under the front seats to change/improve flow into the seats by decreasing some of the flow into the rear passenger foot area.
Old 03-19-15, 08:27 AM
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BertL
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Originally Posted by 3894days
...so you don't think this is anything that is adjustable per say?
No, it's not adjustable other than the 3 settings you have on the dial. Given how conservative Lexus is, I suspect the designers don't allow the internal temp to get too high and potentially cause long or short-term (as in flames), issues with the seating materials.
Old 03-19-15, 10:06 AM
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ericsan13
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Originally Posted by BertL
No, it's not adjustable other than the 3 settings you have on the dial. Given how conservative Lexus is, I suspect the designers don't allow the internal temp to get too high and potentially cause long or short-term (as in flames), issues with the seating materials.
I respectfully disagree with the statement about the designers because other Toyota and Lexus cars I have driven do not have the same problem. 450h owners on the forum have also said that their seats heat up just fine compared to 350 owners.

Lexus messed something up with configuration or used cheaper parts somewhere along the line. If 450h and 350 seats were truly the same, they should heat up at the same rate and produce the same output.

My two cents!

-Eric
Old 03-20-15, 01:52 PM
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LexRexBlue
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LOL! The original RXs got real hot. Only my sons used it often! The second generation had infinite settings but didn't get as hot as the first ones. The third generation work on a different principle along with the "cooling" and don't get as warm. Who knows what the new model will bring!
Old 03-22-15, 06:10 PM
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The thing we noticed on the seats warming up is that it takes longer than GM SUV we previously owned. The seats seem to get as warm as we like. Just takes longer.
Old 03-22-15, 08:00 PM
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Droid13
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I usually keep mine on 3 most of the time, but my trips are normally about 20 minutes. I can feel the heat coming even on the coldest days in a couple of minutes, but unless its very sunny I leave it at 3. Maybe after 30 minutes unless its really cold out I will have to start turning it down. Once it's regularly above freezing though, it will be lot more on and off. or leaving at 1 or 2.
Old 03-24-15, 06:23 AM
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The seat warmers in our 2010 were so weak that I complained to my Service Writer. I got the "working as designed" response that seems to be the default answer the first time I ask them to investigate anything. My IS was better, but still weak. Our current cars are better still, but run at full heat whenever they are being used. I suppose it's subjective, but SO easy to fix that I can't imagine why they don't let them get really warm. You can turn them down if they get too hot, but you can't turn them up if max isn't warm enough.

And I agree. The seat cooling is ridiculously ineffective in ALL of our cars, past and present.
Old 03-26-15, 06:57 PM
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Evitzee
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The seats are NOT cooled, they are ventilated. They only blow air from the floor through the cushions. I find these systems are mediocre at best, they aren't much of a selling feature imo. The heaters work better since they actually HEAT the cushions electrically.
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