RX450h seats - I’m thinking of a swap

[Guest]

Has anyone ever swapped the seats out of an RX450? I’ve found that they are a little too wide for my ‘slight’ frame (all 12stone of it), so I slid3 around a bit even when cornering gently. I’m thinking of fitting a set of Range Rover Autobiography seats but don’t know if they’ll fit the Lexus fixings. 

Does anyone know the bolt spacing of the RX450 front seats? As I’m laid up for another month or two ( torn tendon in shoulder), thought I’d do some research! Once I’m fully functional again I’ll be able to un-bolt mine to check but right now that’s a big no-no.

cheers

Dave F

[TimS320]

Funnily enough that’s one of my few problems with the car. Had it in the older IS as well. No grip in the sides and little side bolster.

However had a new IS as a courtesy car recently and was really impressed with the seats in that. Similar in the CT as well. Longer seat squab and good side bolsters, so I wonder if you could put these in instead, perhaps more chance of them fitting?

[Guest]

You might be right there! I’ll look into it.

Ive had a look at the RX seat fixings, front and back bolts are in offset extensions of the runners, with the fronts also bent down to bolt into the cross member, so would prob need adaptor plates made up to get anything else to fit.

cheers

[unclepoo]

Don`t forget, there will be lots if electrical connections under the seats, seat belt warnings, air bag etc....swapping seats from a different manufacturer would be almost impossible. A seat trimmer may be able to alter your existing seats to suit you. 

[Guest]

I hadn’t really considered a seat trimmer to modify the seats, hm. Interesting, more research needed there. 

But I have thought about the wiring etc a lot! I’ve done it before on an Audi and had to source an extra set of seat connectors for both my car and from the donor to make up a set of adapter leads. 

Also critical to get hold of all the wiring diagrams, because, as you rightly say, messing with or incorrectly wiring an airbag or crash sensor can have quite dramatic effects! ( a friend messed it up once, set off the seat airbag testing cuts! he wasn’t happy!)

The seat to car fixings are also a different arrangement to anything I’ve ever seen before, so would also need to make up adaptor plates. But none of that worries me, I’m an engineer, so this sort of thing was my bread and butter for 40 years. Just don’t have access to the same level of workshop facilities anymore!

cheers, more food for thought.

 

[rayaans]

2 hours ago, 56Doc said:

I hadn’t really considered a seat trimmer to modify the seats, hm. Interesting, more research needed there. 

But I have thought about the wiring etc a lot! I’ve done it before on an Audi and had to source an extra set of seat connectors for both my car and from the donor to make up a set of adapter leads. 

Also critical to get hold of all the wiring diagrams, because, as you rightly say, messing with or incorrectly wiring an airbag or crash sensor can have quite dramatic effects! ( a friend messed it up once, set off the seat airbag testing cuts! he wasn’t happy!)

The seat to car fixings are also a different arrangement to anything I’ve ever seen before, so would also need to make up adaptor plates. But none of that worries me, I’m an engineer, so this sort of thing was my bread and butter for 40 years. Just don’t have access to the same level of workshop facilities anymore!

cheers, more food for thought.

 

I dont know if trying to source some 2015 onwards 4th gen RX F-Sport seats would work? or GS F-Sport seats. They're much better in terms of actual support.

Obviously all of this needs to be disclosed to the insurance company you're with as its a significant modification to the safety of the vehicle regardless of whether you think it is or not

Additionally, leather seats shouldn't be slippy so I would assume they havent been cleaned properly in a while?

[Guest]

I’ve looked but they’re rare as hens teeth it seems! But it is a good idea, far less adapting needed.

every leather seat I’ve had has been slippery, recently cleaned or not. But I cleaned these a year ago when I bought it and they’ve just been done again as part of a full valet.

[Nassau]

I am not sure how actual this problem still is, but normally seats of the different types of lexus vehicles shouldn't be to hard to swap because of the connector harness. However your problem might be due to the fact that you have leather seats. A more simpler solution might be to have the parts that make contact with your body out of Alcantara instead of leather. The higher end models of the well known German brands have been doing this for years.

[Barry14UK]

In your situation I would either adopt the suggestion that you get a trimmer to make over-covers incorporating bolsters that can easily be removed if required when car is sold or keep the standard seats so these can be refitted when the car is sold.  Selling with modified seats could affect the sale value and deter some purchasers.  This situation must also be a problem for many ladies who in general have smaller frames than men.  I think more manufacturers could offer greater choice with seats.  My BMW came with a choice of 3 seat variations, 'standard', 'sports' with more defined bolsters etc., and 'comfort' that were more luxurious and also in cloth rather than leather as a further option.