irondonkey

I know the car is old, but i really like the heated seat feature. That being said, mine don't heat for crap..... i can barely feel it. is it because of the seat? or is there a fix for this?

on a sale from 1-10, 10 being super hot, i'd rate mine right at a 4 at how much heat it produces.

is it just the seat that needs replacement?

SC400Zulu

Interesting question. First time I experienced heated seats, was in my now totaled, 2008 Malibu. So for these old gems, it is an amazing feature.

That being said, my 98 gets hot enough here in Chicago, for me to always have to turn them off at some point. Between the heat from just sitting in one spot for a while & the heat feature, it can get pretty intense.

My guess would be some type of junk yard swap fix, on the heating mechanism, or just a whole new seat?

irondonkey

where is the heating mechanism anyway... lol

has anyone ever took apart a seat? i know it's super heavy since it's power everything.

SC400slide

iTrader: (11)

Is the leather original? Thicker (replacement) leather = weaker heat.

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

Mine doesn't have heated seats, so I don't have any firsthand experience with how strong the heaters are, but most accounts say they're quite weak. It could be that SC400Zulu's car has had the seat heaters upgraded by a previous owner.

As for how to take the seats apart to access them, good luck... Step 1, remove seat from car. Step 2, remove seat back cover, lower trim garnish, and the pretty much impossible to get at retainer clip on the recline lever. Step 3, pry off approximately 100 hog rings, many of which are buried in the foam recesses. At this point, you: a) can remove and replace the seat heaters, and b) will question if it's worth putting it all back together!

gerrb

iTrader: (34)

Stick two of those portable flat irons under your seat , I bet they will warm hotter !

irondonkey

haaaa i just want it to warm like a 6 on the scale to 10 :`(
yep OG leather.

Ali SC3

iTrader: (10)

something you just gotta live with. the Rx300s and other lexus got the low and high double button, but we just have the on and off. you can replace them inside the seats for aftermarket ones and reuse the original switches.
no way to increase the heat out of the stockers that I know of safely.

SC400Zulu

Also remember the pre 98's aren't the same car.

Technically they are. But I'm sure the 98+ models where upgraded. As I said, the heat in my seats are very good. Unless I'm tweaking, I can feel the heat in the lower back section as well.

We need 98+ owners to verify my claims. And I doubt the previous owners upgraded such a pain in the a**.

187

I redid my whole interior with new leather, made a huge difference in the seat temperature. The oem leather was a bit thicker and harder compared to the new leather I used.

SC400Zulu

Cool. And I just confirmed that I have warmers in the lower back region of the seats. Must be a 98+ feature for the winter package. I also have a dedicated snow switch which made the car perform great in this Chicago snow.

Very pleased with my baby so far. Can you post pics of the new seats?

irondonkey

it was....... SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO COLDDDDDDDDD this morning.

i wish they would heat more :`(

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

I find the seat warmer lacking in the SCs that I've been in. I had an Acura Legend and it came with 4-5 settings (been a while) and the lowest setting was still warmer than the SC. I never had to use the highest setting because it was actually too warm. It's a shame Lexus only offered and on/off switch.

187

Hopefully this works

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

Pretty sure all SCs have two warmers per seat, no? That's what the diagrams show, at least.

Something other than the TRAC button?