Divots in heated/ventilated front LE seats...

T

TheOx

New member
Anyone have 5 divots on each side of both front seats? They are right where your both of your upper legs would be... They are more pronounced on the drivers side but are now becoming more visible on the passenger side. My guess is they are forming where there are holes in the foam for the ventilated front seats...

Either way, they look like shit and I am going to bring it up when I take her in for 10k mile service. I couldn't even imagine what they are going to look like at 50k let alone 100k if they look this bad at 8.5k
 
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Here is a pic...guess there are 6
 

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So it's not just me... Anyone else?

If you don't care, you're lucky... Unfortunately, on my $48k suv ,I do care and want it remedied if possible.
 
Leaving my 4runner in the sun here in California for about 1 hour...

Example running into buy groceries and coming out, the "marks" are gone.
 
Not sure what to tell you, the divets are too big to be part of the ventalation system, usually theyre a bit smaller than that if I remember correctly from the last time I saw one apart.
 
The fact they are so uniform and the same on both seats tells me they are there for a reason... Only reason that makes sense is the ventilated front seats.
 
TheOx said:
The fact they are so uniform and the same on both seats tells me they are there for a reason... Only reason that makes sense is the ventilated front seats.
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You're right, sorry about that, I was thinking of an older Avalon I did a seat frame on. The holes were much smaller. I just finished helping a co-worker do leather seat cover replacement on a '14 Highlander and the ventilation seat holes are about half-dollar sized so that's probably what it is. It looks like the same rough pattern you have going on. :)
 
No I didn't pay $48 but that was sticker... Honestly, who cares if it was $10k or $100k the thing has 8k miles on it and the seats look like shit.

I weigh 300lbs... Shouldn't matter how much I weigh at this mileage, in 50k miles maybe that comes into play, but at 8k miles the thing should still look brand new. Whats it going to look like at 50k???
 
TheOx said:
No I didn't pay $48 but that was sticker... Honestly, who cares if it was $10k or $100k the thing has 8k miles on it and the seats look like shit.

I weigh 300lbs... Shouldn't matter how much I weigh at this mileage, in 50k miles maybe that comes into play, but at 8k miles the thing should still look brand new. Whats it going to look like at 50k???
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You bought up the 48K figure like it's a big deal. Actually that is right about average for a midsize SUV.
I bought up the weight because as you know heavier weight affects structures differently that a lighter weight. I have a friend that weighs 450 and he wears out and breaks and deforms things that a normal weight guy would never mess up.
 
Listen... I'm not here to argue about anything. Just trying to get information and seeing if anyone else has this problem or not...
 
TheOx said:
Listen... I'm not here to argue about anything. Just trying to get information and seeing if anyone else has this problem or not...
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He asked a legit question, you are the one getting all bent out of shape (excuse the pun).

FWIW: My father's 2010 RX350 (which has heated/cooling seats) does have the occasional round spots on the seats. He weighs about 140, I'm about 185. Perhaps they become visible after a long trip, I dunno. Sounds like your weight is pressing up against the cooling holes. Simple physics.
 
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This is one of those rare cases where I feel bad for the dealership service writer, instead of the other way around...

Dan
 
This would be a legitimate concern for me if I had a new truck doing it, now whether it actually affects the durability of the seat is the more important question. Seems like its worth bringing up to the dealer to me, but mostly just to note the issue in case it gets worse and affects the leather or cushion.
 
Jhalko said:
This would be a legitimate concern for me if I had a new truck doing it, now whether it actually affects the durability of the seat is the more important question. Seems like its worth bringing up to the dealer to me, but mostly just to note the issue in case it gets worse and affects the leather or cushion.
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I think that depends on what/how the seats were tested to. I'm not in product development, but I assume they wouldn't take into account an overweight person. (164-195 lbs average weight for American males,

link: Americans Getting Taller, Bigger, Fatter, Says CDC & FastStats - Body Measurements ).

Someone had mentioned how a heavier set friend would "damage" his seats in his cars. I have experience in this too. 4Runner seats are not made of granite. People sometimes don't have realistic expectations on stuff like this and then blame the manufacture. SMH.
 
I'm 6'6" 300lbs... Far from what you would call 'overweight'...if I was 6'6" tall at 195 I would be anorexic. They'd call me Jack Skeleton from Nightmare before Xmas. SMH

Either way, 8k miles in... Shouldn't be doing it this early, 50k miles fine. My fiancé is 5'11" 130-140lbs, her side, passenger side, where I have never sat, is starting to show it as well.
 
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I can see that being an annoyance. Other than getting in and out of the truck, you're never going to see it. Do you feel anything while sitting in the seat?
 
Take it to the dealer and at least they will document the problem. It will be in your advantage if the deterioration persists.
 
[MENTION=109452]TheOx[/MENTION], I'll trade you my leather seats out of my limited. I would love to have ventilated seats. After driving on a long trips or doing some intense offroading the back of my shirt will be wet due to perspiration. I'm not a heavy or big guy it's just I like to have cold/cool air on me. The a/c does only so much for me. If I had ventilated seats this wouldn't probably happen. You are a very lucky person to have that. If you didn't, you would most likely be complaining of why your seats aren't ventilated.
 
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