Muti007

I actually also find my s2000 very comfortable on long trips. I'm just thinking if someone finds the ls430 that uncomfortable, the s might kill them, lol.

SH430

I replaced the driver's seat cushion in my 2001 LS430 UL today. The new cushion is firmer and a little more comfortable. Replacing the seat foam is not an easy project. I found the most difficult part to be removing the leather upholstery from the old cushion (attached with hog rings) and attaching it to the new foam.
If you decide to try this yourself, here are a couple of hints to help get you started. First, move the seat forward to access where the seat belt attaches to the seat. Remove the cover by lifting it up then out. Next, remove the 14mm bolt that secures the seat belt. There is an access hole in the frame behind the belt. Move the bottom of the seat (front or back) to where you can get to the bolt that holds the back of the seat pan. Now, raise the to the highest position. This will be helpful later when you are removing trim and the seat pan. Now you are ready to remove the seat and get started. Good luck!

caddyowner

This isn't exactly a resounding endorsement of the project. Was it worth the trouble?

rael

I, too, was hoping for better or more enthusiastic news. My local indy mechanic quoted me $160ish on the pad and $120 for install. When sit in the passenger seat, it feels totally different and much more firm.

5spd97

I think the problem with the bottom cushion is that it has to be more porous for the seat ventilation to work therefore it has to be less dense and more easily compressed. The LS seats are nowhere near as comfortable as the non ventilated seats in my SC300.......but i still love my LS.

Papajon

My dealer replaced the pad with new foam, but I had to agree that using the heated seats would be decreased. I now need to do it again. An upolstery guy, the one who did it for Lexus, quoted me about 165 for rebuilding the pad. He also said Lexus wants about 240 for a new seat cushion and the whole job would run around 350. Not thrilled. I have a 2005 LS430 with 76k and planned on keeping it forever. Now I am not so sure. Currently I am sitting on a pillow. I don't like having a $70,000 car and having to sit on a foam pillow. Anyone know if the seats are better in the 460 or the ES350?

Viper6

Why would heat in the seats decrease? Shouldn't it simply be back to factory fresh after the cushion swap?

My seat too is very compressed... it is most noticeable when I bring the car in for service and my loaner car is a new lex (last one was an ES350) and the setas are night and day difference in cushion and comfort. Same goes for when I sit in passenger seat which is much better. If I can get it to be like the underused passenger seat it would be worth it to me I think. My car was 50k CPO car. I am eyeballing this post to see if it is worth $200 in parts and seemingly a half day or so of my weekend!

Jury is still out it seems... but for those who did it, is it now comparable to the underused passenger seat? Let's compare apples to apples in order to assess if the job was worth it, not to other cars you own. Thx!

Jabberwock

I was at the Dallas car show last weekend. The seats in the LS460 were definitely feeling much softer than my LS430. Sometimes that does not translate into a more comfortable feel in a long trip, but it would certainly feel better in the LS460 on short trips.

My last car a 1999 Acura RL had firms seats and unfortunately they felt like sitting on rocks for long trips. The LS430 seats are way more comfortable than the RL, but it may mostly be because they have such a wide range of adjustment. My car also only has 30k on it but the driver seat cushion already seems a bit tired.

If I could get my driver seat renewed to feeling soft and supportive (without losing heating or cooling) for $350-400, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Decius44

Got this post from the LS460 side. Seems the seat problem thing is more widespread then originally thought. Is it feasible to change the yellow foam to a Tempur-Pedic foam? Would it work? Would it do any good? How would one go about doing that?

Papajon

Viper, thanks for your input. The cushion was not replaced. Additional padding was put in to build up seat cushion. Still want to resolve this issue. More next week after work is done (or re-done).

warminwisc

As I stated earlier I had my seat rebuilt at an car resto shop for 150 bucks and they used tempurpedic foam. I have put on another 50 k since then and it is perfect, never a back ache. I had them rebuild it on the side of firm. The heated and cooled seats take longer to work, but they never worked that well in my opinion anyway.

I am a bigger guy so the passenger seat feels a little narrow and soft to me anyway but it is a nice seat in its own way..

The shop also took out some of the slack in the bottom seat leather.

jay33

I have to agree that it may be something to do with the models that have seat ventilation. I have a 2002 base model that does not have the seat ventilation and my drivers seat is the most comfortable i have ever sat in. Drove the car from NJ to Arizona last year with no back issues. The seat cushions are 9 years old and still perfect.

Papajon

Upol. person came to the house and removed seat and totally built up the center of the seat with additional foam. Seems to have solved the problem. Sitting higher on seat with much support in the center, if you understand my meaning. He used various types of foam, inserting and gluing them in layers, to the maximum the leather would allow. Feel is totally different, much firmer. I sit higher now and will have to readjust the memory seat settings. I love it. Let me know if you want his name and number, in Atlanta area. The man was meticulous. Spent about 4 hours on the car.

kevin123

Papajon,

Fellow Georgian here, care to share or PM name of the person who worked on your seat?
I have a 2014 IS 250 Fsport and the drivers seat needs some extra cushion. Thanks.

KAHUNA

Mine is brutal on long rides so what I do is pull the seat bottom back very far...where the cushion slides under the backrest thus giving me a smaller seat area. This for whatever reason makes it comfy again. So for everyday I have the bottom out near full then halfway through a two to three hour trip I slide the seat bottom back and have no issues.

Not sure how many cars offer that bottom seat feature but I think that is part of the problem most people tend to have that part extended too far and as you can see in the picture that put a lot of pressure on your hip area as it declines to the thinnest part of the cushion. I am 6 ft and 275 with an 02 ls430 with 139k so my car seat has seen better days...lol