LS - 3rd Gen (2001-2006) Discussion topics related to the flagship Lexus LS430

How effective are the cooled seats?

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Old 06-29-18, 07:41 PM
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fmalgapo
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Default How effective are the cooled seats?

Just curious from other 04-06 owners how effective the cooled seats are? Can you actually feel the air pushing against your back or is it just ventilation so that your backside does not stick to the leather on a hot day?
Old 06-29-18, 08:08 PM
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ls430w140
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Absolutely effective. I can feel the cold air almost instantly once turn on AC in to the seats.
Old 06-29-18, 08:15 PM
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05ls430518
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Same mine work awesome love them help on very hot humid days.
Old 06-29-18, 10:29 PM
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warminwisc
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Worthless heated sets are worthless also but at least heat up some after 20 minutes of driving.
Old 06-29-18, 10:44 PM
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SlkySmooth
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I know there's a filter that probably needs to be changed on my seats they don't seem to work as impressively as I hoped heat is great wish it went up the lower back too
Old 06-30-18, 12:56 AM
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Mbodall
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Originally Posted by warminwisc
Worthless heated sets are worthless also but at least heat up some after 20 minutes of driving.
I'd definitely say there's something wrong with your seat heaters. The heated seats in my 2004 get warm within a minute or two, and get very hot if they're cranked up to high. The seat heaters in my 2001 were the same way.
Old 06-30-18, 01:03 AM
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Mbodall
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Originally Posted by fmalgapo
Just curious from other 04-06 owners how effective the cooled seats are? Can you actually feel the air pushing against your back or is it just ventilation so that your backside does not stick to the leather on a hot day?
Just like ls430w140 and 05ls430518 mine work very well. When I first tried them out I could definitely feel them working but wasn't terribly impressed, but it wasn't that hot outside and I wasn't that hot either. Once I tried them after being outside in the summer heat and my back and shirt were a little moist from sweat, the effect was much more noticeable and nice. You can definitely feel the air coming out of the little perforations in the leather. I will say that it was a little weird at first, and I had to slide my hand under my butt to make sure it wasn't sitting in a little bit of water lol. I figure that's because my body was used to that cold butt feeling being caused by sitting on a wet/damp chair. Took a little bit of getting used to in that regard, but the short answer is yes - they are effective on both your bottom and your mid/lower back.
Old 06-30-18, 01:06 AM
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Mbodall
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Originally Posted by SlkySmooth
wish it went up the lower back too
My seat coolers go up my lower back in my '04. Granted they don't go all the way up my back, but I can feel the cool air at least halfway up my back.
Old 06-30-18, 06:59 AM
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05ls430518
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Originally Posted by SlkySmooth
I know there's a filter that probably needs to be changed on my seats they don't seem to work as impressively as I hoped heat is great wish it went up the lower back too
Its on page 74 of the owners manual it shows how to do the fro t seat filters and page 75 is the rear seat filters.
Old 06-30-18, 07:06 AM
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2KHarrier
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As most others have commented, the "cooled" seats are fair, at best. It's not so bad if you have nothing on, but with any amount of clothing on, they really don't cool.
Filters are clean, but they just don't do a good job.
Old 06-30-18, 07:10 AM
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Johnhav430
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Mine are not, and there are no filters. I had thought (before I had them) that there was some sort of element that removed heat. I never knew that it was a fan blowing through holes in foam and then through fabric. Think about how inefficient this is.....as 2k suggested, I usually drive naked and find that this keeps things really cool. My coworkers think it's nutty because I have to put my clothes back on before we get out of the car for lunch....
Old 06-30-18, 09:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Johnhav430
as 2k suggested, I usually drive naked and find that this keeps things really cool. My coworkers think it's nutty because I have to put my clothes back on before we get out of the car for lunch....
The only bad part is the potential for getting stopped by the police.

"Well, officer, see, my car has cooled (air quotes here) seats and they aren't very efficient, so I find it to be more comfortable to drive home with nothing on"...

Old 06-30-18, 10:38 AM
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warminwisc
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I think the heaters r weak and this has nothing to do with the filters. Its pretty thick vulcanized leather. I leave my house for work and 20 minutes later it is warming up in the winter right abiout when I get to Oshkosh and EAA Airport. If it works for U great!
Old 06-30-18, 10:40 AM
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warminwisc
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I wonder if the Aniline seating leather is better on the UL and CL come to think of it. It's not as thick and is not vulcanized?
Old 06-30-18, 02:23 PM
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Jabberwock
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Seat heaters are very strong (at least in my climate with is Southern US) in seat bottom and seat back on the LS430. The seat cooling function is marginal at best. It does work and it does stop the typical sweaty bottom and back in summer's heat but it definitely does not chill like the AC does. The regular AC in my LS is pretty strong considering the size of the car. The AC in our SC430 is crazy over powered but likely this is due to the very small interior that needs to be cooled versus the LS cabin.


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