Please check your back seats in RC300h

[AKY15]

Hi does anyone know what the black pipe is. The picture is taken with the back seats down from above. Also anyone know where I can buy a back seat for rc300h or what seats from other model fit. Otherwise it's a very large bill from lexus. 

[Martin F]

That's a part of the wiring loom, not a pipe. 

[NemesisUK]

So Lexus will not contribute, no goodwill?

Pretty sure the seats are very specific to the RC. So only the dealership or perhaps a breakers yard.

Might it be possible to retrim the damaged areas? Surely has to be the cheaper option.

[ColinBarber]

1 hour ago, NemesisUK said:

Pretty sure the seats are very specific to the RC. So only the dealership or perhaps a breakers yard.

Yes the seats, and leather covers, are unique to the RC. Given that it is a rare vehicle you may have to wait some time for one to come up at a breakers.

Leather seat covers are available separately to the seat cushion and mechanism but will be expensive. The US RCs have the same leather so importing would probably be cheaper. Part codes are on the link below - seat cushions on page 1 and seat backs on page 2

http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/p_E_2016_LEXUS_RC3xxx~200T_AVC10R-RCXLHW_7102.html

same but with diagrams:

https://lexus.7zap.com/en/eu/lexus+rc/245520/avc10r-rcxlhw/3/7102/

 

May be cheaper to go to an upholsters, who can replace just the individual panels. Watching Car SOS they seem to be able to do a fantastic job, just no idea how much they charge.

 

[AKY15]

Yes thanks I have got an upholster in mind actually. 

[AKY15]

Well this is weird I have got my car back today as I don't want to pay the 6k bill for repair so I was thinking of going to see an upholsterer. The car has been at the dealer since 13th August and now one me later the damage has got worse. I am concerned that if the upholstery and foam is replaced this might be damaged as well as a result of whatever is going on. I have gone through a list of things I have put in the boot such to see if it could be something I've transported but nothing fits in my mind but it could be possible it's a combination of several things. I am still not convinced that there is something wrong with the car when I look at these photos. Any ideas please 

[NemesisUK]

Get yourself some litmus papers (amazon sells it ~£2) and test the areas to see if they are still acidic/caustic. If it is the seat will need stripping and neutralising, or at least stripping of all absorbent  materials, before repair

Could you post a slightly wider angle shot? It's difficult to orientate exactly where we are looking.

[AKY15]

We are looking on the left hand side of the car from the boot the picture it the bottom of the seat. I have put the seats down and pulled out a flap which tucks into a strip. 

[NemesisUK]

14 minutes ago, AKY15 said:

We are looking on the left hand side of the car from the boot the picture it the bottom of the seat. I have put the seats down and pulled out a flap which tucks into a strip. 

So, the damaged area is actually behind the fabric flap that covers the hinged area of the rear seats. Is that flap damaged in any way, any signs of corrosion? If not then the substance must have come from under the rear seat or have been carried on the rear seat, not in the boot?

[AKY15]

I think the flap looks OK. There is also leather corrosion in both corners of the back seat. The foam still feels tacky to me like it's still damp. I have not had my car for a month as its been in garage. Will get pH paper and I think I will attach to some cotton and dangle them down into the boot area to see if fumes are coming from boot. Also will check seats. Emailed lexus cuso relations again but don't hold out much hope based on prei response or lack of it

[AKY15]

Do you know if seats come out? I was thinking I could remove and recheck the damage or attach the pH paper after they are removed.

[Rabbers]

My wife was just now looking over my shoulder at the photo of the worsened damage among the latest crop of posts. Her immediate thought, which I offer as a possibility, is that a small battery-operated appliance such as a torch with an unnoticed leak left on the seat even for a short time may have been the culprit.

Anyway, I wish you luck but doubt if you’ll get any further response from Lexus.

[AKY15]

Thanks for suggestion it's nothing like that nothing except a blanket a dog and some plants on the back seat. I d be surprised if it was something like that. Thanks anyway just worried there is a fault with car and if I pay to fix it will damage fixed seats. I think I need to take seats out and see if it continues 

[Britprius]

As already said in my earlier post if it is an acid spillage "and this looks very typical" the damage will continue to spread unless the area is treated. An upholsterer would replace any damaged foam. 
In my opinion this damage is not likely to be caused by a problem with the car although there have been a few reports of Toyota Prius replacement batteries having a shorted cell, and the rest of the cells being over charged, getting hot, and gassing profusely. This however is very noticeable by a strong sulphur smell inside the car.

John.   

[AKY15]

Thanks I did smell a sulphurous smell on sat 13th August I have told lexus about the smell and they still insist it's not the Battery. I have been trying to lexus that I believe that vapour from the acid Battery has caused this damage due to a spurious event such as the hot weather earlier in the year but lexus are have none of it. Thanks for the post I even have a picture of some of the liquid in the boot. You need to zoom in the liquid is on the right hand side of the black dot this is taken looking down into the boot area when seats are down. Your post has given me a bit of hope thanks