Control rear heated seats from the front?
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
Control rear heated seats from the front?
I'm usually active in the LS430 forum, but have been searching online for an LS460L. On many of the online listings, I see photos of the front center console with a button that has a fan icon and the word "REAR". Does that mean I can control the rear seat cooling from the driver's seat? If so, is there a similar option to control rear heated seats from the driver's position? The reason I ask is because we currently have our daughter's carseat in the middle rear of the LS430, blocking all rear seat controls until probably 2019 or 2020.
#2
Pole Position
I don't recall a button in my 2014 LWB to control rear seat cooling. I can navigate in the Climate menu and turn off all rear seat controls such as reclining seats and air conditioning (I have the UltraLux package), and I presume that also includes rear seat heating and cooling. But I haven't tested this and I don't have my owner's manual handy. I will check tonight and report.
#3
Lexus Fanatic
You can turn on and off the auxiliary rear HVAC but not the heated or cooled seats.
#4
Instructor
It depends on the year and options. in some, you can toggle the rear seat heat on/off. Since the rear seat armrest is blocked by the car seat you have to set the temperature before you install the seat.
https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=ls460+center+console&fr=yfp-t&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.caranddriver.com%2Fimages%2F12q3%2F467372%2F2013-lexus-ls460-center-console-photo-467380-s-1280x782.jpg#id=2&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.caranddriver.com%2Fimages%2Fmedia%2F35760%2F2007-lexus-ls460-center-console-photo-39396-s-1280x782.jpg&action=click
https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=ls460+center+console&fr=yfp-t&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.caranddriver.com%2Fimages%2F12q3%2F467372%2F2013-lexus-ls460-center-console-photo-467380-s-1280x782.jpg#id=2&iurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.caranddriver.com%2Fimages%2Fmedia%2F35760%2F2007-lexus-ls460-center-console-photo-39396-s-1280x782.jpg&action=click
#5
Racer
Thread Starter
Thank you, all. Superdenso, thank you for the link. The '13+ interiors are indeed very nice. Below is the button I'm referring to. I have seen it in photos of models that do, and do not, have the additional B-pillar AC vents. Steve mentioned this button may control rear AC but I find that strange because I thought the main screen and row of buttons on the main console control rear. I'm also confused by the depiction of a seat and word "REAR". Is it just to control rear seat cooling? If so, I wonder why they didn't use a similar **** to adjust both heat and cooled seats for the rear (Inn addition to the ones in the rear armrest).
#6
Instructor
I have this button on my 2008 LS600hL. It does indeed turn the rear seat heaters/coolers on or off. Note, though, that you can't adjust the temperature setting of the rear seats using this button, so you need to get them set at the right temperature before mounting your car seat.
#7
Racer
Thread Starter
I have this button on my 2008 LS600hL. It does indeed turn the rear seat heaters/coolers on or off. Note, though, that you can't adjust the temperature setting of the rear seats using this button, so you need to get them set at the right temperature before mounting your car seat.
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#8
Thank you, riknchar. Wait, you say it also turns the heat on/off for the rear seats? So it's only based on what the rear seat temp ***** are set at (either hot or cold)? This is great news to me! Still kind of odd for the icon to reflect a fan, unless the rear seat heating element also uses a fan.
#9
Racer
Thread Starter
It turns the rear seating heating or cooling on/off depending on what you set on the rear armrest. So for example lets say that the left seat is set to heat and the right seat is set to cool. The button allows you to turn the heating or cooling on/off. So in your case if you want them to heat, set the dials to heat and put the armrest back up. Then push the button with the fan (no idea why they chose a fan) and it'll turn the heating on and auto shut off when you turn the car off or push the button again to turn heating off. So yes it's only based on what the rear seat temp ***** are set at.
I find the LS460 has 1.5" less shoulder and hip room than our 430. Surprisingly that is very noticeable when you have a wide car seat in the middle like we do. Alas, I still prefer the extra legroom for passengers in the rear. Going to take my time on finding the right 460L. Thank you all for the help today.
Last edited by FatherTo1; 12-20-16 at 02:28 PM.
#10
Pole Position
#11
Racer
Thread Starter
I did confirm that the circled button worked as described by others above and it does turn on rear seat temperature control. A shame that this feature was removed in the '14. For us, having the toggle switch is useful when traveling with five or when a car seat blocks the center armrest contols.
#12
Pole Position
Yes, comotiger, this is from the 08 I test drove earlier today. It indeed is missing the rear side sunshades. I don't believe the 08 I'm looking at is UL. For one, it lacks air suspension (which I see as a good thing), and it lacks the extra display and controls in the rear armrest. However, I'm surprised it still has B-pillar vents while it lacks a second AC unit in the trunk. I can see my wife really enjoying the reclining rear seat though.
I did confirm that the circled button worked as described by others above and it does turn on rear seat temperature control. A shame that this feature was removed in the '14. For us, having the toggle switch is useful when traveling with five or when a car seat blocks the center armrest contols.
I did confirm that the circled button worked as described by others above and it does turn on rear seat temperature control. A shame that this feature was removed in the '14. For us, having the toggle switch is useful when traveling with five or when a car seat blocks the center armrest contols.
Losing the rear seat control button in the 2014 is not a big problem since I can still access all the rear seat controls thru the Climate menu on the nav screen. I think you should be able to do the same in "your" car.
#13
Racer
Thread Starter
Mmm, I posted a photo on the other thread that suggests you do have the rear passenger sunshades, but I think that photo is labeled wrong. No car maker would add functionality to an unlabeled button (the leftmost button on the front console in your picture). Yeah, I agree about the reclining rear seats. My teenagers love them. They love stretching out and seems like they never run out of space!
Losing the rear seat control button in the 2014 is not a big problem since I can still access all the rear seat controls thru the Climate menu on the nav screen. I think you should be able to do the same in "your" car.
Losing the rear seat control button in the 2014 is not a big problem since I can still access all the rear seat controls thru the Climate menu on the nav screen. I think you should be able to do the same in "your" car.
#14
My executive package has the on/off switch for the rear heated/cool seats in the front center console. My guess is depending on what option packages and model year will determine whether you have this ability.
#15
Lexus Fanatic
Interesting, never would have occurred to me thats what that button was for