Cocal

I had an epiphany! I think that perhaps the heated steering wheel temp is somehow connected with the overall temperature control and not an independent setting like in many other vehicles, so if one raises the temp one should also see a rise in the steering wheel temp as well. Not cold enough yet to test it but will in the not too distant future.

mikemu30

I don't think so. Our RX has only one setting - on or off, unlike our ES which has AUTO, 1 and 2.

Cocal

That's not what I meant. Once you turn on the heated steering wheel, the warmth degree may be affected by the temp setting in the car heater.
I remember reading something about the automated heated seats that sense at what power to turn them on, 1-2 or 3.

blayze1983

The auto setting for heated seats def utilizes the outdoor temp. Pretty sure my heated steering wheel is always the same temp - have never noticed any meaningful difference and we've had fluctuating weather in Toronto lately.

AndrewTO

That's why the heated/cooled seats have an AUTO function, but the heated steering wheel doesn't. With the Climate Concierge system - if you have the climate control system in AUTO and the heated/cooled seats in the AUTO setting, the system can turn the heated steering wheel on or off depending on the climate control settings and outside temperature. Here's a video:

My theory is because there's no AUTO setting on the 4RX's heated steering wheel, there's only one heating temperature because you wouldn't need an AUTO setting to moderate how warm the steering wheel gets.

I could be wrong and there might be a hidden function in the RX's heated steering wheel that gives it multiple heating levels, but I don't know why Lexus would hide it and not give us a toggle switch similar to the new ES.

mikemu30

The seats have multiple settings including AUTO. The steering wheel has ON or OFF.

Cocal

Yes but it determines the degrees of heat by the temp setting in auto, you can override it manually, so I'm thinking that the heated wheel may operate in the same way.
Will have to test it when the weather is colder

mikemu30

Doubt it - if that was the case, they would have added the AUTO setting like they did in the 7th gen ES.

Lexus4rx

everytime i have to press heater steering wheel button. how can I make it automatic?
the seat heater is automatic but not steering wheel

JasDmw

Unfortunately, this is not available on the RX right now. Auto seats are, not the steering wheel. You need to turn it on manually. However, it does have a timer and will turn off after a fixed time (not sure what that is, check the manual).

toyotaman7

Agreed! The current RX doesn't have Auto steering wheel heater and even when it turns on it gets barely warm.

The ES now has auto steering wheel heater and actually gets hot and changes temperature according to heater settings, inside and outside temperatures. That's nice!

My guess is they will add this to 5RX... At least i hope..

Lexus4rx

yea its kind of bad the heat is for half of the steering wheel and on top of that you have to press the button everytime

dibl

Personally, I don't want a hot steering wheel. Warm is good.

Cocal

I was happy with my MB heated wheel, but on my RX350 it's barely lukewarm

bamalam

The RX wheel gets warm enough for me. Heating the top half of the wheel would be good, instead of just the leather sections at 9 and 3, but that's the trade-off for a wood wheel, at least in my experience. I do find it funny that the wheel heat button isn't actually on the wheel. Hidden beside the panoramic view button, both of which are viewed at a very shallow angle, is a much more friendly location.