GolfGirl

I’ve been up the chain. They say… hmmm… maybe I feel a bump ( one tech said he began to notice it on his own Lexus car seat when made aware but it was barely there) but the seat is within specs. Others didn’t feel anything… so obviously it’s subjective. It’s been almost a year… I’ve survived. Other than that… my dealership takes good care of me. 

Sorry you are miserable too! I don’t have an issue with the heating apparatus… it’s cold here and my tush warms nicely. It’s the Big Lump along the butt crack ( indelicately said) that I swear is a glob of gel with a life of its own. Although as it ages it seems to be dying down. May it eventually rot in Hell!

3 hours ago, Kabir-art said:

I have the exact same problem with my 2020 Lexus RX 450h.  This is the 2 way lumbar support instead of the 4 way that I have on my very comfortable 2008 RX 400h. It is incredibly annoying and unbearable.  Any luck with seat cushions anyone??

I’ve given up!  Sometimes it’s not so bad. But I still haven’t taken a long enough trip to see if the seat is complete misery. 

8 minutes ago, Les Lex 2018 said:

The 2018 had cooling problems in the front seats. Lexus said seats do cool, but you just don't notice it. Funny!!!

Fact is that is was just a lousy design. Either in the 19 or 20 design, they fixed the problem, meaning that either the seats and/or a better fan had been incorporated.

The 2020 works like a champ.  But - According to my salesman, the 21 is identical to the 20 except for the front Grill. They always change something so the sales person can tell the difference w/o looking at the sticker. S o one could believe that the 2020 seat design is identical to the 2021. Why change it if it works.

And then you could deduce that the 2020 CR review will not change in 2021, unless the inspectors are more or less picky. We shell see...

Maybe the seat manufacturing crew had a bad day!

15 minutes ago, Les Lex 2018 said:

The RX350 is a $ for $ direct competitor to the luxurious Lincoln Navigator.

Here is the comparison that the CR Buying Guide 2020, page 160 makes between the two vehicles:

The RX350: Good Ride and Quiet.  Low points were agility/stopping distance/distracting controls. 

Navigator: Quietness/rear seat room.  Low points were uncomfortable front seats/clumsy handling/ confusing gear shift and lousy gas milage.

Point being, that we do know CR's savvy inspectors are looking for and testing for seat comfort.  They do find problems, but not in the 2020 RX.

When someone says that the Rav4 (like mine) was more comfortable than an RX, it reminds me of the Quiet rating people put on tires at TireRack.  To me, all tires are quiet on brand new black top highways.  And all tires are noisy on old worn down asphalt and cement.  I just ain't smart enough to be able to tell tireRack that my tires are noisier than they should be. So I can't.  I spend way too much Time worrying if the guy behind me is awake and/or has automatic braking...

 

This is a 2021 RX. Must have changed manufacturing standards. On the other hand, I don’t find the controls at all distracting!

1 hour ago, Les Lex 2018 said:

I also traded a Rav4 (2018) for the Lexus RX350.  After long trips on an eBike at speeds up to 28 MPH, with no shock absorbers, you can pretty much guess I never complain about driver seats.

But (Drum Roll....) My wife thought the seats in the RX were more comfortable than the Rav4 seats.  And she don't peddle her a-- all over town on an eBike neither.... 

 

 

She’s lucky!  My opinion… some cars had a flaw in the seat production… and a few of us are suffering for it. 

1 hour ago, peridot123 said:

I have the luxury version. 

So much for “ luxury” 😠

1 hour ago, J.89 said:

Do you have the f sport or luxury version?  I came from a rav4 and the rav4 seats are much better….I’m also angry that I spent so much on a luxury vehicle and this is the seat comfort I get…..

“ Luxury”….

Hi. I have the regular version. The F sport did feel too firm for me. 
The person who was able to get the extra padding must go to a kinder, gentler dealership. Mine ( Pohanka) said they just couldn’t touch the seats. 
I previously had a 2004 RX… and of course it was super comfy. 

The thing is… you can’t feel the lumps with your hand. It’s only felt in the heinie when seated… or to be more specific and descriptive… the butt crack. 

Good luck!  Keep us posted if you have success!!!! The best I came away with was an offer to pay for a seat cushion. Although the area rep did say we could work something out to switch vehicles, but I felt the lump in another RX. I was told the seat is manufactured by inserting a gel as cushioning. They said the heating and cooling apparatus is not in that spot. The back seat also has a lump, and is not heated or cooled. And as I said previously, at least for the driver’s seat, the Terrible Lump had a life of its own!

Maybe we can start a movement protesting RX seats!!!!
 

26 minutes ago, RX400h said:

Seats are designed for the "majority" of people. Unfortunately, not everyone will be comfortable in every seat. When I rented a $230,000 McLaren 570S Spider, it took only 20 minutes on the highway for the driver's seat to cause a very aggravating lower back pain. I guess I didn't fit the design very well.

But no one expects to be “ goosed” by their car seat!

Hi, Brenda. I am so sorry to hear of your difficulty, but on the other hand I am overjoyed to know there is someone else like me, and I’m not going nuts! Like you, I haven’t gotten any feedback after I met with the corporate representative way back in May. I haven’t tried to follow up… I guess I’ve  given up. He did say they would reimburse me for a seat cushion, but every time I look into getting one I can’t make a decision as to what would actually work. I’ll try your folded washcloth recommendation!   I too am a small lady. On the other hand, I’ve been staying close to home and haven’t driven more than 20 miles at a time. And on some of those occasions the Terrible Lump is almost not there. And other times is. It seems to have a life of its own. The horror movie The Blob!  Would love to hear if you get resolution. Please keep in touch. 

My 2004 RX was very comfortable !  

My seats look like yours. You can’t feel anything with your hands. Nothing appears obvious. Only when I sit do I feel something more like a bubble. Again, some people don’t feel a thing, others do. It’s like a glob towards the back of the seat cushion. Or a very slender divider. 
I appreciate your interest. Your seats must have been manufactured on a good day!

That reminds me!  I placed a 7.5 lb dumbbell  upright on the rear seat “egg” to see if the glob would spread out. Since I wasn’t the one driving this weekend I forgot about it. I’ll check in the morning to see if that worked ( not holding out hope!). 

Hi, Gamalot. You are fortunate that your seats are comfortable!  I’ve gone up the chain of command with my seats, and met with the Lexus Area Rep a few weeks ago. He was completely intrigued about what someone has described as a “ bubble”, which is now most notable in the back seat cushion. ( as well as drivers seat).  It is extremely apparent and of no known cause. He even tried to puzzle out where the seats might have been manufactured. He was taking this up to corporate, I guess. I did try other car seats, and still felt something. The Rep offered to consider exchanges, but that didn’t make much difference, and I only want the RX 350. Makes me wonder if the whole batch of the 2021s sent just to my dealer is utterly strange. Again, some people feel discomfort in the front seats, but others don’t. The local Tech specialist, after my initial complaint, even started feeling this “ thing” in his own RX, but not to the degree I do.  No one could deny the giant seat bubble in the back seat, however. The front seat heating and cooling work just fine. He did offer to pay for any seat cushions that might help... haven’t tried that yet. I would like to just find out what the deal is on the manufacture but I’m not holding out hope. I still haven’t driven any more than 15 miles so I don’t know long term effects. And my husband has only driven with me a couple of times... passenger seat made his legs numb... but he already has issues. 
I might be trading in for an Audi or Mercedes before long!!!!

Thank you. As a CR subscriber I have seen the rating, which is one of the reasons I stayed with the RX. I am not teeny tiny, and every other car seat has been fine. A neighbor who is considerably broader in the beam, and heftier, also found the discomfort. (Hope she doesn’t read this!)

My new RX350 has the most uncomfortable seat cushions that hit in a very strange way.  The several ways I can describe it would be rather indelicate.  Let's just say it feels like there a divider going down the middle, or I am sitting on an egg...OK...it feels like I am being goosed by my car seat!  All the seats in the vehicle have that feeling, but I am most concerned about the drivers seat. I notice it more some times than others.  I have only driven locally, so I don't know how bad a long trip will feel.  My dealer says there is a layer of gel as a padding that is normal: I thought it was the seat ventilation apparatus. They said there is nothing they can do.  Some people feel it...others don't.  I am a small older lady.  I will be meeting with the Lexus area Representative, but I am not expecting much resolution.  My old 2004 RX330 was very comfortable, but it was time for something new.  Has anyone experienced anything like this in their new RX350?