Leather seat cracking on 2014 RX 350
03-11-17, 07:05 PM
#31
Racer
I'd suggest starting by wetting a couple cotton hand towels, wringing out as much water as you can, and wiping down the leather. When finished, put a piece of plastic wrap or a larger baggie under the seats and place the towels on the plastic under both front seats. Close up the car and leave the towels there for 2-3 hours. I'd wipe down the leather with these dampened towels every day for a week and place the towels under the seats a couple times during the week.
I like to use a chamois as an example of how leather acts. If you've ever used a chamois you know that they dry out and harden and after rehydrating them they get soft and pliable. While you don't want to saturate the leather in your car, I believe you can see how proper hydration will plump up the leather fibers and soften them. Leather is a very fibrous material and absorbs moisture easily, until it is painted with a urethane coating. The leather in your car absorbs moisture through a process similar to transpiration. You need to raise the humidity in the vicinity of the leather for it to take up moisture.
Try these suggestions and post back your results.
One factor making leather more difficult these days is the thinness of the newer leather. I've found newer vehicles have much thinner leather than those of the past. My 04 RX leather feels 2-3 times thicker than my 2014 RX. IMO, this has created a less durable and desirable product. The auto industry is cutting costs everywhere they can, not only by making the leather thinner but also by using engineered (faux) leather in much, and in some vehicles all, of a vehicle. This faux leather should technically not show as much in the way of wrinkles as it does not gain or shed moisture and unlike leather is more uniform, piece to piece, but it feels even thinner than the leather. How these products like Nuluxe, MBTex, etc. will wear and hold up over time is yet to be determined.
I like to use a chamois as an example of how leather acts. If you've ever used a chamois you know that they dry out and harden and after rehydrating them they get soft and pliable. While you don't want to saturate the leather in your car, I believe you can see how proper hydration will plump up the leather fibers and soften them. Leather is a very fibrous material and absorbs moisture easily, until it is painted with a urethane coating. The leather in your car absorbs moisture through a process similar to transpiration. You need to raise the humidity in the vicinity of the leather for it to take up moisture.
Try these suggestions and post back your results.
One factor making leather more difficult these days is the thinness of the newer leather. I've found newer vehicles have much thinner leather than those of the past. My 04 RX leather feels 2-3 times thicker than my 2014 RX. IMO, this has created a less durable and desirable product. The auto industry is cutting costs everywhere they can, not only by making the leather thinner but also by using engineered (faux) leather in much, and in some vehicles all, of a vehicle. This faux leather should technically not show as much in the way of wrinkles as it does not gain or shed moisture and unlike leather is more uniform, piece to piece, but it feels even thinner than the leather. How these products like Nuluxe, MBTex, etc. will wear and hold up over time is yet to be determined.
05-06-17, 06:10 PM
#32
Driver School Candidate
RX 350 has low quality leather on the seats
I concur with many of the others on this site, for some crazy reason Lexus downgraded the quality of leather on the RX 350 starting at least 2013.
We have owned five Lexus vehicles including the RX 300 and RX 350 (2012). We sold our 2004 RX RX 300 to a good friend. When we compare the seats in the 2004 to the seats in our 2013 there is a significant difference. The 2004 seats look better today than our 2013.
The local Service Manager told my wife that she should not wear jeans in her car. Wow, if the seats can't tolerate women's jeans it does seem like the sales people should tell prospective buyers about this before they buy the car.
It would be great if someone would start a class action lawsuit so that all of us who got these seats could get them replaced with the leather Lexus used in the past or with their other vehicles. I have a 2009 LX 460 with over 100K miles and my leather looks far better than my wife's RX 350.
And the Lexus comments that we are not properly cleaning our leather is crazy. My wife is about as careful as anyone I know. She routinely has taken care of her leather.
This problem was first noticed about 30 days after we had the car.
I encourage all prospective buyers to not buy this car until Lexus reverts back to the previous leather supplier or upgrades from this very cheap version we are stuck with.
If anyone knows how to contact corporate and ask for the leather to be replaced by Lexus please let me know.
We have owned five Lexus vehicles including the RX 300 and RX 350 (2012). We sold our 2004 RX RX 300 to a good friend. When we compare the seats in the 2004 to the seats in our 2013 there is a significant difference. The 2004 seats look better today than our 2013.
The local Service Manager told my wife that she should not wear jeans in her car. Wow, if the seats can't tolerate women's jeans it does seem like the sales people should tell prospective buyers about this before they buy the car.
It would be great if someone would start a class action lawsuit so that all of us who got these seats could get them replaced with the leather Lexus used in the past or with their other vehicles. I have a 2009 LX 460 with over 100K miles and my leather looks far better than my wife's RX 350.
And the Lexus comments that we are not properly cleaning our leather is crazy. My wife is about as careful as anyone I know. She routinely has taken care of her leather.
This problem was first noticed about 30 days after we had the car.
I encourage all prospective buyers to not buy this car until Lexus reverts back to the previous leather supplier or upgrades from this very cheap version we are stuck with.
If anyone knows how to contact corporate and ask for the leather to be replaced by Lexus please let me know.
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Kcboud (08-06-20)
05-14-17, 05:38 PM
#33
Driver School Candidate
Showed dealer the leather seat problems
This past week we took our 2013 RX 350 to show the dealer. They took photos and the discoloration was acknowledged to be a problem. We have owned 5 Lexus vehicles, all bought brand new. This 5th car is the only one where this problem has occurred. We suspect that Lexus changed leather suppliers for a better price. Can't know that for sure, but the discoloration has never occurred previously. My wife hates the car.
We were given the Lexus corporate number to complain. It was a mistake to buy this car. It is quite amazing, that a company can retain a customer for over 25 years and then deliver a bad product and not stand behind the mistake.
We were given the Lexus corporate number to complain. It was a mistake to buy this car. It is quite amazing, that a company can retain a customer for over 25 years and then deliver a bad product and not stand behind the mistake.
I concur with many of the others on this site, for some crazy reason Lexus downgraded the quality of leather on the RX 350 starting at least 2013.
We have owned five Lexus vehicles including the RX 300 and RX 350 (2012). We sold our 2004 RX RX 300 to a good friend. When we compare the seats in the 2004 to the seats in our 2013 there is a significant difference. The 2004 seats look better today than our 2013.
The local Service Manager told my wife that she should not wear jeans in her car. Wow, if the seats can't tolerate women's jeans it does seem like the sales people should tell prospective buyers about this before they buy the car.
It would be great if someone would start a class action lawsuit so that all of us who got these seats could get them replaced with the leather Lexus used in the past or with their other vehicles. I have a 2009 LX 460 with over 100K miles and my leather looks far better than my wife's RX 350.
And the Lexus comments that we are not properly cleaning our leather is crazy. My wife is about as careful as anyone I know. She routinely has taken care of her leather.
This problem was first noticed about 30 days after we had the car.
I encourage all prospective buyers to not buy this car until Lexus reverts back to the previous leather supplier or upgrades from this very cheap version we are stuck with.
If anyone knows how to contact corporate and ask for the leather to be replaced by Lexus please let me know.
We have owned five Lexus vehicles including the RX 300 and RX 350 (2012). We sold our 2004 RX RX 300 to a good friend. When we compare the seats in the 2004 to the seats in our 2013 there is a significant difference. The 2004 seats look better today than our 2013.
The local Service Manager told my wife that she should not wear jeans in her car. Wow, if the seats can't tolerate women's jeans it does seem like the sales people should tell prospective buyers about this before they buy the car.
It would be great if someone would start a class action lawsuit so that all of us who got these seats could get them replaced with the leather Lexus used in the past or with their other vehicles. I have a 2009 LX 460 with over 100K miles and my leather looks far better than my wife's RX 350.
And the Lexus comments that we are not properly cleaning our leather is crazy. My wife is about as careful as anyone I know. She routinely has taken care of her leather.
This problem was first noticed about 30 days after we had the car.
I encourage all prospective buyers to not buy this car until Lexus reverts back to the previous leather supplier or upgrades from this very cheap version we are stuck with.
If anyone knows how to contact corporate and ask for the leather to be replaced by Lexus please let me know.
10-13-18, 07:22 AM
#34
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I have a 2010 RX 350. Both front seats has cracks on the outer edge of the window side of the
seats. I have had different cars over the years and have never seen this happening to any of
seats... The back seats have the exact same leather seats and those are not effected. Is this a
Defect?? Is this covered but the warranty?
seats. I have had different cars over the years and have never seen this happening to any of
seats... The back seats have the exact same leather seats and those are not effected. Is this a
Defect?? Is this covered but the warranty?
Did you find out if this is covered? My seats were cracked within a couple of years and now are worse to the point of having to be replaced . Unclear how difficult it will be too do it myself. I was disappointed enough with the company that I would do this myself before taking it to them
10-13-18, 09:35 AM
#35
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Did you find out if this is covered? My seats were cracked within a couple of years and now are worse to the point of having to be replaced . Unclear how difficult it will be too do it myself. I was disappointed enough with the company that I would do this myself before taking it to them
07-29-23, 03:12 PM
#36
2nd gear
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What has Lexus done about poor leather quality in recent models?
I know this is a really old post, but I'm curious what may have transpired since then. I had a 2010 RX350 and the leather was very poor quality. I'm pretty sure it was not real leather but vinyl. At around 110k miles, I had the front seats re-dyed, or painted, which is what they had to do in order to correct the cracked finish. That was how I learned they weren't real leather. It was so disappointing. Other than the leather issue, it was probably my favorite car/suv ever. Now, as I consider purchasing another vehicle, I am hesitant to buy another Lexus for this reason. I notice that it is still apparent in many of the used Lexus models. Does anyone have any insight as to what Lexus has done to correct this in newer models? If so, what years did they stop using this material? I want to consider a Lexus, but wouldn't want to deal with this issue again.
07-31-23, 04:09 AM
#37
Driver School Candidate
I know this is a really old post, but I'm curious what may have transpired since then. I had a 2010 RX350 and the leather was very poor quality. I'm pretty sure it was not real leather but vinyl. At around 110k miles, I had the front seats re-dyed, or painted, which is what they had to do in order to correct the cracked finish. That was how I learned they weren't real leather. It was so disappointing. Other than the leather issue, it was probably my favorite car/suv ever. Now, as I consider purchasing another vehicle, I am hesitant to buy another Lexus for this reason. I notice that it is still apparent in many of the used Lexus models. Does anyone have any insight as to what Lexus has done to correct this in newer models? If so, what years did they stop using this material? I want to consider a Lexus, but wouldn't want to deal with this issue again.
My 2010 had cracks starting early on. The cracks are now tears of course. The elbow cushion in the middle is certainly not leather at all and is in terrible condition.
I also bought the Lexol line from Lexus dealer, it did not do much.
I have the light colored interior.
Did anyone get relief from Lexus on this? I did not.
Over the last few years my white pearl paint is peeling. I was told at a dealer that this was a recall for several other Lexus, but not the rx. Anyone hear anything on the white exterior recall being extended to rx?
07-31-23, 12:50 PM
#38
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Thanks. Yes... one of the cracks in my driver's seat did tear as well. That was what prompted me repairing the seats-- so it wouldn't get worse. I also replaced the elbow/console leather with something that matched and was actually real leather. It looked great, but again, with only 110k miles, this shouldn't happen. I was just wondering if it had been resolved. I guess not.
07-31-23, 01:54 PM
#39
Driver School Candidate
Thanks. Yes... one of the cracks in my driver's seat did tear as well. That was what prompted me repairing the seats-- so it wouldn't get worse. I also replaced the elbow/console leather with something that matched and was actually real leather. It looked great, but again, with only 110k miles, this shouldn't happen. I was just wondering if it had been resolved. I guess not.
Had a twenty year old Ford with two hundred thousand miles, the leather was still sharp. Lexus? Embarrassing to have friends see it.
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