Cooling Seats Not Working? (Feel No Difference)

[Strategerizer]

Got a 2012 IS250C last December. Last week took a trip to Palm Springs and it was about 100 degrees so I thought it was perfect to turn on the cooling seats. Both myself and my wife in the passenger seat fiddled with the dials but neither could feel ANY difference with them on (and at max setting.)

Took the car to the local dealership to check it out and they mentioned that the effect is not dramatic. I insisted that something must be wrong since I did not feel anything at all. The rep turned it on while parked and put his hand against the seat and then I did the same and if I am almost touching the seat I could feel faintly some air. On the backrest it is even more faint.

So I asked if I could check against another car and we went to the showroom and turned on the cooling seats on a 2013 ISx50C (not sure if it was a 250 or 350). Even though the car had just been turned on, (so the AC did not get a chance to cool a lot) I could feel it more briskly. To try to measure the difference, I put my hand where I could barely feel the air and for the car in the showroom that was about 3" from the backrest. On my car it was less than 1" from the backrest.

Based on these observations, the service rep took it in. Called back a few days later and said nothing is wrong with it. I insisted and he said the head service guy will take a look. Called back another couple days later and said it all is normal.

So I took my car back...

But I still am flabbergasted that I have (and paid) for an option that is basically meaningless. Definitely not the "Lexus experience". So I'd like to check with other owners - maybe somebody else has some insight into this...

• Is it really a pointless feature?
• Did something change from 2012 to 2013 models?
• Is there something that can be repaired and I should have insisted for the airflow to be like the showroom floor model?

Thanks!

[1990LS400]

You have "ventilated seats" instead of cooled seats: http://www.lexus.com/models/IS/features/interior/heatedventilated_front_seats.html

The seat ventilation system takes ambient air from the interior and circulates it though the seat leather perforations. Instead of setting the HVAC on "auto" or to blow air only through the dash vents, try a manual setting to blow the air through the upper & lower vents so that cooler air gets nearer to the ventilated seat air intakes.

[Strategerizer]

Great suggestion and thanks for the clarification. Indeed I should not expect AC cooled air. I'll experiment with the general HVAC controls and see if any settings allow more flow to be directed though the seats.

Thanks!

[pj8708]

Strategerizer, I feel your pain and I totaly aggree that it is a worthless feature. I have had "ventilated" seats on my 2005 ES330, my 2010 ES350, and now my 2013 ES350. Not once in any of the three have I ever felt a wisp of air coming from the front seats.

I too have taken the cars in hoping that a feature I actually paid for could be put in action, or get a refund for a feature that the dealer admits dosen't work worth a da...

The reason I am so pived about this goes to the fact that our 2007 Volvo S80 3.2 has heated/ventilated front seats. When it is hot in the cars cabin, just turn on the cool seat control, and within 5 minutes or so you will feel your lower back and bottom getting blissfully cool. The seats can get you so cool that you actualy have to turn down the control. Whereas on the lexus, you can stand on your head and spit nikels but you won't get Lexus to pay any attention to a wide spread problem with unhappy owners.

Paul

[LEXIRX330]

Wow...that's interesting in my gx460 you can feel it for sure.

This is one feature that my Range Rover doesn't have that I wish it did. I love using it in the summer time.

[13IS250C]

Mine work great. Being in the south with black leather seats and the top down, they are a must have. Sorry yours aren't working correctly.

[LEX-SV]

Mine work great. Being in the south with black leather seats and the top down, they are a must have. Sorry yours aren't working correctly.

Same here (in northern CA), they work as expected in my IS350 sedan with gray leather seats.

[13IS250C]

I thought about you while I was at lunch. My seats got so cold I had to turn them off.

:D

[Strategerizer]

Interesting, there seems to be a variety of experiences - thanks for sharing. For the people that say vented seats are noticeable, do you have the HVAC on Auto or you have specific settings for the vents? I assume the former but just trying to exclude other scenarios.

Now in order to normalize the results, what would be helpful is to get some feedback that is somewhat objective and measurable so we can compare apples to apples. If you get a chance...

• Start your car
• Verify HVAC is set on AUTO
• Set driver seat cooling to 3 (max)
• Set passenger seat to 0 (neutral)
• Put your palm on the middle of the backrest
• Move your palm away from the backrest (perpendicular)

What is the distance at which you can still feel ANY effect?

I get about 1". I also tested with engine on/off and climate control set to Auto vs. Fan set to Off. The latter seem to increase flow to backrest a tiny bit.

Also, if you have any ideas on how I may be able to force Lexus servicing department to do something about mine not working as expected, I am all ears.

Thanks!

[tex2670]

Great suggestion and thanks for the clarification. Indeed I should not expect AC cooled air. I'll experiment with the general HVAC controls and see if any settings allow more flow to be directed though the seats.

Thanks!

If you arch your back, you should feel the air blowing--not that you can drive that way, but just as a check that they are working. A 100 degree day in the Cali desert is not going to get you much in way of cooling you off with the vented seats...

[tex2670]

Interesting, there seems to be a variety of experiences - thanks for sharing. For the people that say vented seats are noticeable, do you have the HVAC on Auto or you have specific settings for the vents? I assume the former but just trying to exclude other scenarios.

Now in order to normalize the results, what would be helpful is to get some feedback that is somewhat objective and measurable so we can compare apples to apples. If you get a chance...

• Start your car
• Verify HVAC is set on AUTO
• Set driver seat cooling to 3 (max)
• Set passenger seat to 0 (neutral)
• Put your palm on the middle of the backrest
• Move your palm away from the backrest (perpendicular)

What is the distance at which you can still feel ANY effect?

I get about 1". I also tested with engine on/off and climate control set to Auto vs. Fan set to Off. The latter seem to increase flow to backrest a tiny bit.

Also, if you have any ideas on how I may be able to force Lexus servicing department to do something about mine not working as expected, I am all ears.

Thanks!

It's a fan under the seat--that's all. If the fan is blowing, there is *nothing* for Lexus to "do" about your seats.

[pj8708]

The bottom line is that the featue just doesn't work very well. The amount of air the fan blows is so weak that the differance between having it on or off is almost negligable.

I mentioned the ventilated seats on my 2007 Volvo S80. While driving, even with the AC fan on low, you can hear the air blowing from the passenger side seat. Thats the way ventilated seats should work.

[LEX-SV]

Wow. But I don't want to or need to hear my ventilated seats working. Glad my Lexus seats are quiet.

[tex2670]

Wow. But I don't want to or need to hear my ventilated seats working. Glad my Lexus seats are quiet.

Maybe yours aren't working--I definitely hear mine.

[LEX-SV]

Wow. But I don't want to or need to hear my ventilated seats working. Glad my Lexus seats are quiet.

Maybe yours aren't working--I definitely hear mine.

Mine are quiet at lower effective settings used.

[13IS250C]

The way I listen to my radio, I won't be able to hear seats!

;)

I almost always have my air on auto. So easy to control and works great to compensate for the top being down.

I can feel mine blowing on 3. Not a whole lot...but I can feel it. They do get nice and chilly. That might change when the temps reach 100 and the humidity reaches the same!

[Pedaler]

I'm with you about the "cooling seats" I also feel they are useless. In fact we brought he car in for our technology demonstration and the dealer technology person kept playing with the control and said to us we should really get this checked which we did and pretty much got the same response as you did. The service advisor said well it's not like the actual "cooled seats" like in anther model and I understand there isn't a actually cooling device in the seat it's just a fan,but I test drove other brand cars with the same feature and I could feel air flow thru the seat without the A/C or heat on in fact one car on high it was almost uncomfortable.

[FireLikeIYA]

I can feel mine even though it is faint. I vacuum my seats to help keep the perforated holes cleared up. It is a great feature if you live in the desert! Leather seats are horrible in AZ but with the ventilation it is very bearable... now the heated side view mirrors and fog lights on the other hand.... what good are those for.:)

[LEX-SV]

I can feel mine even though it is faint. I vacuum my seats to help keep the perforated holes cleared up. It is a great feature if you live in the desert! Leather seats are horrible in AZ but with the ventilation it is very bearable... now the heated side view mirrors and fog lights on the other hand.... what good are those for. :)

Yes, I almost forgot the IS had heated mirrors.

I guess my wipers work, I haven't used them in 3 years. But the recall on wiper bolt was done a few weeks ago, no problems found.

[alan620]

I have an 07 GS350 with the same issue. I don't feel the driver's seat cooling at all but my Lexus dealer just checked it last week and advised me that both front seats are operating normal. There are a bunch of other disapointing features in this car that work "nomal" per Keyes Lexus in Van Nuys, Ca.

Overall I feel a Lexus is a great looking piece of crap.

[tex2670]

I have an 07 GS350 with the same issue. I don't feel the driver's seat cooling at all but my Lexus dealer just checked it last week and advised me that both front seats are operating normal. There are a bunch of other disapointing features in this car that work "nomal" per Keyes Lexus in Van Nuys, Ca.

Overall I feel a Lexus is a great looking piece of crap.

Again--the seats don't "cool"; it's just a fan under the seat. Think of the difference of putting a fan in a room in the middle of the summer vs. an air conditioner. Not sure how that makes it a "piece of crap" though?

[LEX-SV]

I have an 07 GS350 with the same issue. I don't feel the driver's seat cooling at all but my Lexus dealer just checked it last week and advised me that both front seats are operating normal. There are a bunch of other disapointing features in this car that work "nomal" per Keyes Lexus in Van Nuys, Ca.

Overall I feel a Lexus is a great looking piece of crap.

Again--the seats don't "cool"; it's just a fan under the seat. Think of the difference of putting a fan in a room in the middle of the summer vs. an air conditioner. Not sure how that makes it a "piece of crap" though?

Yes, since many of us know what the seat cooling mechanism involves, we have realistic expectations for how much cooling it can produce.

I have 2 other vehicles without seat coolers (Mercedes w/MBtex and Mazda w/leather), and the Lexus is by far most comfy in hot, sticky weather.

[LEXIRX330]

I can feel it fine in the GX460. My Range Rover doesn't have this and I absolutely notice it. It makes a big difference IMHO.

[LEX-SV]

I have an 07 GS350 with the same issue. I don't feel the driver's seat cooling at all but my Lexus dealer just checked it last week and advised me that both front seats are operating normal. There are a bunch of other disapointing features in this car that work "nomal" per Keyes Lexus in Van Nuys, Ca.

Overall I feel a Lexus is a great looking piece of crap.

Pics please.

[13IS250C]

Overall I feel a Lexus is a great looking piece of crap.

If I owned a vehicle that I thought was a piece of crap, I would go trade it in on something else. I think Toyota/Lexus quality has proved itself year after year.