Heated Seats issue: Updated**

[Ditchnap]

Had mine at the dealer for another reason and had them check the seats because the seat heater is the weakest of any car I have owned. They just used a laser thermometer to test it and said specs say low should be about 65, medium 75 ish, and high is 85. I guess it is just designed to run at relatively low temps.

Those can't be right, 65 would be unreasonably cold(wouldn't even be noticeable) if Fahrenheit, but if Celsius 85*C=185*F which would cause burns to bare skin.

Not really seat related, but heat related: does anyone else have cold spots on their heated steering wheel? I do at all the leather seams, and the 12 o'clock position is weak to nonexistent.

our LCLCw/PP is the same. I was just happy it was more or less 360 heated vs my old 4Runner that was just from 2-4 and 8-10 heated

 

[Roonie]

I found out today that if you have the heated seat on high and switch to sport mode it heats better, not super hot but definately better.

 

[mountaindesert]

I already posted that my 58 has very poor heating.

My RAV4 has much hotter seats.

However, both my RAV4 and my 58 have identical heated steering wheels in that the entire wheel is not hot but just several parts of it.

I'm fine with the steering wheel because I rarely touched a 12:00 position where it's not heated on both vehicles.

However, there is clearly a huge difference between my 2024 RAV4 heated seat and my 1958 model Land Cruiser.

I often cannot even tell that the heat is on even though it's on high on the Land Cruiser.

 

[ultane]

Not really seat related, but heat related: does anyone else have cold spots on their heated steering wheel? I do at all the leather seams, and the 12 o'clock position is weak to nonexistent.

I used the heated steering wheel for the first time the other day when the temps got down to the low twenty’s.

Yes, there are cold spots on Miss Daisy’s steering wheel.

 

[lcq]

My 1958 seat heaters warm up well, initially. They then seem to cool off or moderate themselves to be more of a lukewarm heat after awhile. They're fine by my standards but it is apparent that they back off the heat after they've reached a certain temp imo.

The heated steering wheel warms up ok. I wish it would get warmer faster and never reaches a very warm temp. Seems like it gets up to 85 or so and then stays there. It doesn't warm up as quickly as the heated seats.

For a frame of reference, my area has had mornings around 15F to 25F lately.

Visuals of my seats and steering wheel. The dead spots in my steering wheel aren't too bad. They're a little noticeable but not a deal breaker.

 

[PACruiser]

I found out today that if you have the heated seat on high and switch to sport mode it heats better, not super hot but definately better.

I can't believe it. That worked on mine too. Never would have thought of that so go figure. Thanks for figuring it out.

 

[Roonie]

I can't believe it. That worked on mine too. Never would have thought of that so go figure. Thanks for figuring it out.

Yeah its like the different modes reduce the electrical current to the climate controls and seat heater. In eco it is the most restrictive on everything. Normal is a little better on climate but not on seat heater then sport mode takes all restrictions off. The minute I put it in sport mode the seat instantly felt more hot.

Sport mode for me all winter and 16 mpg.....lol

 

[DudewithaLC]

Yeah its like the different modes reduce the electrical current to the climate controls and seat heater. In eco it is the most restrictive on everything. Normal is a little better on climate but not on seat heater then sport mode takes all restrictions off. The minute I put it in sport mode the seat instantly felt more hot.

Sport mode for me all winter and 16 mpg.....lol

That's got to be a mistake on Toyota's part is it not? I wonder if it's fixable with an update?

 

[reclinerhead]

Visuals of my seats and steering wheel. The dead spots in my steering wheel aren't too bad. They're a little noticeable but not a deal breaker.

Super cool! May I ask what you used to take the photos?

 

[lcq]

It has an SD card slot but I snapped photos the lazy way.

TOPDON TC004 Thermal Imaging Camera, 320 x 240 TISR Resolution, 256 x 192 IR High Resolution

Amazon.com

 

[bluedelusion]

I literally told my girlfriend today my only complaint about this vehicle are the trash heated seats. They don't really work it's like lukewarm after 15 min. Glad I'm not the only one lol

 

[mountaindesert]

That's got to be a mistake on Toyota's part is it not? I wonder if it's fixable with an update?

Totally agree. Heating should not be contingent upon the mode that the car.

 

[Ed1]

Do you guys think this weak seating heat issue should be reported to dealers or to Toyota?

Or do you think it is unlikely to ever get changed/fixed?

IIRC, one poster above said the dealer replaced a circuit board. Can't recall if that solved the issue.

 

[HarvLC]

I don’t know if you’re going to get a satisfactory resolution or not. But I tend to think that the dealer - as a middleman - has a greater challenge in addressing your concern which seems to be more of a design issue vs obvious defect. If I were so dissatisfied with my 58’s heated seats (I’m not), I’d go straight to the source (Toyota).

 

[DudewithaLC]

Totally agree. Heating should not be contingent upon the mode that the car.

Tried out the Sport mode heated seats/steering wheel today. I don't know if I'm imagining things or not, but both felt hotter when I switched to that mode from Normal which I normally drive in.

 

[Roonie]

Tried out the Sport mode heated seats/steering wheel today. I don't know if I'm imagining things or not, but both felt hotter when I switched to that mode from Normal which I normally drive in.

Yes found the same thing read above.

 

[DudewithaLC]

Yes found the same thing read above.

Indeed. That's why I tried it out. I hope it can be fixed with a software update.

 

[MtnLC]

Glad I’m not crazy. Literally picked up my new LC today, with the Premium package, and noticed how weak the heated seats are driving home from a restaurant tonight. The seats on my wife’s Civic are a dying star compared to the LC. Definitely disappointing, but will try the sport mode trick. Pretty absurd. I drove the 1958 before with the cloth seats and felt like they were much better.

Update - tried the "sport mode" trick today and it definitely makes a big difference. Seats were plenty warm and had to turn it off the highest setting after a few minutes, whereas in "normal mode" the highest setting felt like nothing.

Strange, but glad they actually work.

 

[Dualonymous]

Those can't be right, 65 would be unreasonably cold(wouldn't even be noticeable) if Fahrenheit, but if Celsius 85*C=185*F which would cause burns to bare skin.

our LCLCw/PP is the same. I was just happy it was more or less 360 heated vs my old 4Runner that was just from 2-4 and 8-10 heated

Just passing on what the dealer told me. I checked with my personal laser thermometer and it matches those temps. I cannot feel low unless it is freezing outside.

 

[DoMoCruiser24]

Just got back from a weekend ski trip. LC heating worked flawless for me. Steering and heated seats. Remote start in the morning had all the frost melted off in 1 go