Heated Steering Wheel

[GBgraham]

 I wonder if any one can shed any light please, I have an EU LHD RAV4 Prime Plus PHEV and I'm in the cold UK at the mo. It has front and rear heated seats but no switch for a heated steering wheel, I can't see it having one without the other but I could be wrong.

Any thoughts?

[Flatcoat]

Didn’t you know the spec when you bought it…..?! The UK PHEV did not have heated steering wheel option when I bought mine…… 

[Roy124]

The Corolla Design MY19 had heated seats.  The MY21 Yaris Cross Excel has both.   I don't think the Design has the heated wheel. 

[GBgraham]

The Prime Plus in Greece is the third model up with only the GR Sport and the Black Edition above,€59k €62k and €63k respectively, and waiting for the Woodland to be added. All cars are bought on line with to be honest little information, only the major aspects of kit. The Toyota dealers do the handover for their commission. How models are decided and for which country makes no sense at all.

[Nicolai]

If it's any consolation, the wheel is only heated from 1 o'clock through to 3 o'clock and from 9 through to 11 o'clock. The top and bottom parts are not and, in the winter, feel very cold when turning compared to the heated areas.

[HSDish]

Agree

[Nicolai]

I'd still rather have it than not, though 😀

[HSDish]

12 minutes ago, Nicolai said:

Jag vill ändå hellre ha det än att inte ha det 😀

 

12 minutes ago, Nicolai said:

Jag vill ändå hellre ha det än att inte ha det 😀

Use mine all the time now in the winter ( got - 5/8 to 3/5 C at my place here in Sweden)

[Derek.w]

Grayham Why not consider heated gloves pluged into auxilary port?.

You maybe restricted by wiries to holding steering at 8 & 4 oclock positions.

[GBgraham]

Thanks for the contributions, some hopefully tongue in cheek 😉 From what I can make out at the moment is that if the car has heated seats it should have a heated steering wheel. That's unless anyone can tell me different🤔

[Flatcoat]

3 hours ago, GBgraham said:

Thanks for the contributions, some hopefully tongue in cheek 😉 From what I can make out at the moment is that if the car has heated seats it should have a heated steering wheel. That's unless anyone can tell me different🤔

Maybe on 23/24 spec cars but definitely wasn’t the case when I bought mine. There was always odd disparities between the specs of the HEV and PHEV line ups. Others include PVM which only recently became available on the PHEV and headlamp washers, were available on some HEV models but not on PHEV’s…… who knows what goes on inside the meetings of the importers when negotiating their requirements with the factory! 

[nlee]

UK 21 PHEV here, heated front and rear seats but no heated steering wheel. Exactly as per listed spec at time of purchase. 

[GBgraham]

12 hours ago, Flatcoat said:

Maybe on 23/24 spec cars but definitely wasn’t the case when I bought mine. There was always odd disparities between the specs of the HEV and PHEV line ups. Others include PVM which only recently became available on the PHEV and headlamp washers, were available on some HEV models but not on PHEV’s…… who knows what goes on inside the meetings of the importers when negotiating their requirements with the factory! 

Exactly, who would choose heated seats over ventilated seats for Greece and would you believe the PVM was my wife main buying criteria🙄

[Nick72]

Heated steering wheel is now standard with heated seats on the GR Sport version in the UK I think. Along with panoramic cameras and upgraded reversing camera. However, the seats are no longer vented which I found nice on a blazing hot day. 

[Allan Doyle]

My German spec RAV4 PHEV has a heated steering wheel. The only problem is where the switch is situated: Above my left knee. OK to turn it on when stationary but difficult to find (hidden behind the steering wheel) when driving. 

[Nick72]

20 minutes ago, Allan Doyle said:

My German spec RAV4 PHEV has a heated steering wheel. The only problem is where the switch is situated: Above my left knee. OK to turn it on when stationary but difficult to find (hidden behind the steering wheel) when driving. 

A little like the filler cap release button. I can never find the damn thing. Filled up just now and hadn't filled up for probably 2.5 months. Had to ope the door to let enough light in and get out the car and crouch down to find it. It's not in a great place and if that's unavoidable in the design then at least put a nipple or other tactile device on it so you can easily feel for it.

Generally speaking I find the ergonomics and human factors pretty good on the car but there are a few things which feel like an after thought and skimping in terms of switch positioning and switch type.

[Nicolai]

1 hour ago, Allan Doyle said:

My German spec RAV4 PHEV has a heated steering wheel. The only problem is where the switch is situated: Above my left knee. OK to turn it on when stationary but difficult to find (hidden behind the steering wheel) when driving. 

Exactly!

Others feeling that the HI level of heating for the (front) seats isn't very HI at all? The HI setting in the RAV feels more like the LO setting on my previous Auris. On HI in the Auris, I could smell bacon!

[Hayzee]

1 hour ago, Nicolai said:

On HI in the Auris, I could smell bacon!

Far too much information! 😕

[Nick72]

45 minutes ago, Hayzee said:

Far too much information! 😕

Well, could have said sausage?

[Hayzee]

1 hour ago, Nick72 said:

Well, could have said sausage?

You're assuming he was driving

[Nick72]

9 minutes ago, Hayzee said:

You're assuming he was driving

Depends which seat the heated seats were switched on for too.

[Terry10]

7 hours ago, Nicolai said:

Exactly!

Others feeling that the HI level of heating for the (front) seats isn't very HI at all? The HI setting in the RAV feels more like the LO setting on my previous Auris. On HI in the Auris, I could smell bacon!

Heated seats are diabolical on the Rav 4. I actually took mine back when I first got the car to get them checked and was assured that there was nothing wrong with them. On my Ford Smax the low setting was hotter than the Rav. Even the wife commented that maybe they were faulty.

Terry

[Nick72]

21 minutes ago, Terry10 said:

Heated seats are diabolical on the Rav 4. I actually took mine back when I first got the car to get them checked and was assured that there was nothing wrong with them. On my Ford Smax the low setting was hotter than the Rav. Even the wife commented that maybe they were faulty.

Terry

Honestly I find the heated seats pretty reasonable on the PHEV. Take about 5  minutes to get going and I always set them on high. And I did wonder whether they're given a weaker current when ECO mode is selected? They actually get hotter than my last PHEV which I did take back because I was concerned they weren't working at all. They were but barely.

[ernieb]

Agreed the PHEV ones are just fine for me, heat up very quickly.

[Terry10]

On 12/9/2023 at 8:14 PM, Nick72 said:

Honestly I find the heated seats pretty reasonable on the PHEV. Take about 5  minutes to get going and I always set them on high. And I did wonder whether they're given a weaker current when ECO mode is selected? They actually get hotter than my last PHEV which I did take back because I was concerned they weren't working at all. They were but barely.

Oh dear, you gave me a clue when you mentioned eco mode on air con!!!!!  I did some research and it appears that the eco mode also down grades the heated seat output. I ALWAYS RUN ON ECO MODE !!!!!! Turned it off and the heated seats are a lot better now.THANK YOU NICK. Reason I use eco mode is because I suffer from dry eyes and air con makes it worse for me.The other point I would make is that I don't think the dealer even realises this.Seats are still not as hot as my previous car but is now more than acceptable. Had the car 3 years this week and only just discovered this🙄🙄. You can all laugh , That's life.

Terry