cubbie88

My leather seat in my new 2013 RX350 stretched out at just 150 miles truck was just 3 days old when I noticed it. Is this a defect or is it normal? At what point if ever did your seat start to look like this?

BarrettF77

It's going to stretch when you sit in it and is also due to the humidity and heat your body gives off. It will tighten up a little after you sit in it, but this is going to happen.

cubbie88

will it get worse? seems like the padding failed because the passenger seat is firm in that area.

BertL

I've had my semi-analine parchment leather in my 2013 RX450h for 15 months now -- and two other RXs continuously before that since 1999 with leather seats that didn't have the more premium "semi-anailine" variety. I agree with Barrett, temperature and humidity sometimes effect what the leather seats look like when I remove myself from the seat in more extreme conditions -- especially if I'm hot and sweaty or have sat in the seats for several hours on longer road trips -- but the leather goes back to normal within a few hours, generally by the time I open the door to take my RX450h for it's next spin. I don't worry about it. My new MBZ that does not have the more subtle semi-anailine leather of my RX tends to show indents and temporary stretch marks in it's leather seats for many more hours in the same conditions than my Lexus does -- but it eventually also comes back to it's normal condition. My suggestion is, be sure you take proper care of your leather with weekly clean damp wipe-downs of the leather to help with it's hydration, and consider conditioning it from time-to-time with a product you'll find other threads suggesting people's favorites (there are a zillion of them). If you think you have a problem, that is why you have a warranty, and you can always take it to your local service department if the situation persists longer than you think is acceptable.

I appreciate you have a made a big purchase and have a new ride you're proud and excited with. Congratulations! IMHO, I'm not so sure I'd send off rockets and be as worried as you seem to be that you have an unusual problem. Not to get gross, but leather is a natural product that has characteristics that interact with the environment just like your body does -- it's not a synthetic material you can expect to act exactly the same way moment-to-moment like some hard plastic or even cotton or synthetic fabric. Quality leather gives and takes more than any other type of seat covering.

Good luck, and enjoy your new RX.

BarrettF77

It will wear with time, but a little stretching is normal and to be expected. I personally don't think you need to worry and your passenger seat doesn't have the same amount of use as the drivers seat typically. Even my 5 year old sitting in the back on the seat can make intentions on the leather when he has sat there for an hour. When I get back in the car the next time, back to normal.

The other way I approach things is, do I feel the nature of the visit will result in a solution I'm after or am I inviting more problems by having someone monkey with it. Many things are as good as they get when it's from factory because it's someone performing the same task hundreds of times. Whereas the dealer tech has to specialize in many different areas and there is a greater room for error. Something to consider and the car is new. Just enjoy it and worst case scenario, you have 48 months ahead of you where it's covered.

cubbie88

Thanks guys I have thought about replacing it but I know sometimes it comes out worse than it was in the first place. Even if it was replaced it will probably end up the same after a few rides. I had a 2006 IS250 that didn't have this problem and then a 2013 ES300h with nuluxe witch didn't have the problem either. I guess I wasn't expecting it.

davezaristo

Mine looks just like yours and my RX has just a little over 5000 miles..however, only the driver side is stretched but the passenger side looks fine..oh well...

rayaans

Its normal. Happens more so on Lexus leather because they use very soft leather compared to the likes of the german brands. Dont worry about it, sometimes it even shrinks back to normal in cold weather!

kitlz

I wouldn't worry either. After almost four years of driving, the seats haven't retained the indentations. If you want to learn more about Lexus leather, read through this thread. Your bigger issue will be staining (i.e. from jeans) with the parchment interior. But that can be removed for the most part. Clean and protect the leather often using the recommended products in the above thread.

lamar411

The bolsters on my 2013 seats look like crap at 5400 miles. Lots of cracks, kind of disappointed. Will probably ask the dealership to let me look at similar pre owned cars to see if they are all like this.

BertL

I also am just about to hit 5500 miles on my 2013 with semi-analine parchment leather. The door-side bolsters on all my vehicles have always shown the greatest amount of wrinkles as time progress since that's where ones rear end hits getting in and out of the vehicle. While I've had leather seats for more than 20 years in all my vehicles, this is my first with semi-analine. I don't have what I'd consider unreasonable wear or crappy looking seats, perhaps in part because I'm rather religious about quick damp rag wipe-downs of the leather every time I wash my RX, and applying Leather Masters Protection Cream to them every few weeks. Others can debate the value of conditioning today's coated leather (I've been chewed out by others in the Detailing forum that seem to know better than me), but I've done it for years and my seats always look superior compared to others when it comes time for trade-in or sale 5-8 years after my purchase. ...but I do agree with some general thoughts -- the semi-analine leather is softer and more prone to stretching and natural wrinkles than the "standard" leather I've had in all my other Lexi before this. I frankly would not opt for the upgraded semi-analine if it were an independent option. "Standard" Lexus leather would be just fine by me.

BarrettF77

Those are stretch marks guys. It's normal on the bolsters and for the material that is being used because it's organic. Anytime you stretch skin like that, stretch marks ARE natural. Like your wife when you have a child. When your little one gets bigger and bigger in her, skin is only so resilient. It's just life and how God made us. If you want fake leather and cheaper materials, you have other options. But nicer materials that are soft also will wear differently. It doesn't make them less of a product, simply different.

jfelbab

Keep the leather hydrated and try to avoid large temperature swings. Protect the leather with a water-based fluorocarbon protectant and weekly wipe-downs with a moist microfiber or QID and your leather will look good for a long time.

Leather endures a pretty hostile environment. Temps from below zero to over 150 degrees F. Leather hydration is all over the board. When leather looses moisture it shrinks and it tends to form creases and frequently eventually leads to cracks. Proper hydration is good for maintaining leather as is avoiding as many deep heat cycles (swelling and shrinking) as possible.

My 04 RX (10 year old) leather still looks like new and I have never used a conditioner on it, just cleaning and protectors. My 1991 MR2 (22 year old) leather still looks like new too and I use the same process on it.

rayaans

Great post! Real leather definitely wears differently to the FAKE leather on my mercedes for example. Especially since the leather in Lexus vehicles is much softer and supple, its more prone to stretching.

GoGiantsNJ

My seats look great after one and a half years with my RX with the black leather,low miles though. I also try to keep direct sunlight off the seats by using a sunshield in the windshield when parked outside. I have the RX in the garage when I'm off from work.