Zmon

iTrader: (2)

You won't really find a lot of cars with wood steering wheels that are completely heated since the heating element doesn't radiate through wood well, and isn't really economical which usually delegates this feature to cars in the higher price ranges (don't get me wrong, these things get near/go past $60k). It also sort of reinforces the fact that your hands should be at 3-9, which is the parts where the leather is with the heating element, especially in the case you get in an accident and the airbag deploys.

The backs should fold down to the seating portion, similar to how the manual fold is. They won't give you a perfect leveled fold due to how the seats are regardless if it's manual or power. I think there's only a handful of cars in this segment that actually fold perfectly flat.

Nail34

I'm old but I'm not old enough to drive around with my hands at 3-9, nor would I drive that way waiting for my airbag to deploy.

Zmon

iTrader: (2)

That is the currently accepted way to drive due to injuries from 10-2, or the classic single hand at 12. Do I practice what I preach? Probably 50% of the time, I'll have my hands rest at 10-2, or I'll single it. The safest for you and your arms though is 9-3.

artem123

Hello fellow RX drivers. I searched but it is all fruitless. I have a 2020 RX with a heated steering wheel ( among other bells and whistles). I have a question about heated steering wheel functionality. Is it supposed to be a slight worm ONLY at 3 and 9 o'clock positions? I looked everywhere but there are no options to adjust how it heats up.
Thank you everyone who responds!

blayze1983

Yes. I have the wooden steering wheel and it's only warm on the leather grips at 3/9 oclock. Sucks, but working as intended.

ericsan13

If they intended for it to barely get warm then yes, it is working as intended. Other models get warmer but RX is "in spec" as they would say.

artem123

Oh wow..., that sucks. LOL unlikely for me I just never grip the steering wheel there. I came from a different brand where the entire steering wheel was heated. Btw how worm does your get? Mine seemed to be just slightly warmer than the rest.

artem123

I came from bimmer and the most common complain there was "it is too hot")))

Cocal

This is a sore point for me coming from MB, the steering wheel is NOT heated, but only slightly warmed

artem123

Exactly. Obviously there some rationale from Lexus on that part, I just do not see any. This is plain stupid IMHO

bamalam

I used the heated wheel on my 2020 for the first time today. As others have said, only the leather portion (9-3 o'clock) is heated. The heat seemed adequate, though not hot. Then again, it was only in the upper 40's. I do think the matte wood finish of the 2020 wheel might feel a little less cold than the shiny finish on prior models.

Others have noted the not-hot heated seats, too. Perhaps it's a Japanese thing. My wife had a 2004 Toyota Sienna. It's heated seats were barely warm. Her current 2017 Honda Pilot aren't a whole lot warmer. I drove Ford fleet vehicles for decades. The ones with heated seats would toast your nether regions.

AndrewTO

What makes even less sense is the regular steering wheel without the wood on the base and F-Sport models also only heat at the 3 and 9 o'clock position... well maybe it makes sense if you're a beancounter at Lexus.

blayze1983

Temp-wise, mine actually gets warm just fine (2020). I wouldn't say it's piping hot, but it's def warm enough for a cold winter day.

I was referring more to the heating only applying to the 3/9 o'clock positions as working as intended. Clearly a cost cutting decision.

mikemu30

Odd as we have an RX and an ES. The ES wheel gets HOT. The RX barely warm. Go figure.

eddie420

I posted about my experience with the heated steering wheels HERE.

My 2015 GS350 F-Sport got hot and toasty and was amazing. My 2017 RX350 F-Sport is terrible, I barely feel the heat. I have to squeeze the heated grips quite forcefully to get any benefit from it. I am assuming they did not put as many heating elements in the RX steering wheel as they did in earlier models. Here are some pictures I took of the heating element when I ripped apart my GS steering wheel: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...l#post10287808