BT9

please chime in with your summer experiences with them, and where you live.

Are the ventilated seats in the 2012 3.5L FWD with advance exactly the same as in the AWD-Advance?

I'm gravitating toward a 2012 SH-AWD Advanced, though local dealers say it could be a couple months before they have one in. I might be able to track down a 3.5L car with advance though (just to check out the performance of the ventilated seats).

Thanks

Stew4HD

I like mine here in the hottest summer we've had in recent history. They do make a difference

jjsC5

I won't buy a vehicle without them any more. I've now had five vehicles with ventilated seats. For some reason the Japanese are the worst but are still better than not having them. The TL's are better than my Lexus though. Definitely worth in hot climates.

fleming23

They do make a difference and one of the things that sold me on the 2012 Adv.

omaralt

does air flow from the back and the butt area? the salesman told me it was only the butt area.. but i find that hard to believe

Treblig

Both seat and back. Forgot I had them for a minute but when I remembered they sure did make a difference.

Stew4HD

I feel the coolness on my lower back and butt.

omaralt

awesome; i really wish i had them; hate that acura made me choose between manual trans or ventilated seats..

BT9

Thanks for the replies. If I wait til the local dealers get AWD-Advance cars in, it will be milder weather so I'd really like to try them out now, while it's searing hot.

However, I'll be limited to testing them in a FWD Advance car, and I'm not sure if the seats are identical (?)

Sounds like, as long as I have realistic expectations (i.e. they aren't air-conditioned seats and the effect is subtle but significant compared to none at all) I'll probably like them.

I also need to find out about warranty coverage and reliability. In a different make of car the ventilated seats cost $6500 to replace and they can't generally be repaired since the cooling components are embedded. I imagine Acura is similar, and I tend to hold cars for many years so it would suck if these types of systems only have say a 5 year expected life (regardless of brand of car).

jjsC5

I drove both the SH-AWD and a FWD car with ventilated seats and felt no difference.

As to the repair issue, I feel certain the components can be replaced. It's really just a fan that blows. I'm curious, which car costs $6500? The only one I think could be that much are the Recaros in CTS-V Cadillacs. The only car I know of where ventilated seats are a stand alone option is the Lexus. My memory is that they were only a few hundred dollars for the option, so it's not like they are rocket science.

BT9

$6500 was for the Infiniti M37, to purchase the seats from the dealer parts department. I didn't call to confirm it, so it could be wrong. I think, when you add e.g. Recaros for $3400 to a new Cadillac, there's a credit for the standard power leather seats included in that price and it would be far more to order them alone. Not entirely sure though.

Here's a technical paper on the different methods used for seat cooling and heating (it's not specific to a brand of car):
http://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/at...07-01-1193-pdf

I thought it was pretty interesting.

fleming23

To this point, anyone testing the seats should know that turning the seat on high will not generate any immediate or significant change. It takes a bit before any noticeable difference and even then it won't be day and night. As I recall, the Acura seats use fans to pull the warm air away from your body so you don't even feel the pushing of cool air through your clothes. What I can tell you is that after a drive I notice a cooling "sensation" and a much cooler seat where in my previous car left me with an almost sweaty (if not, definitely warmer) back and bum.

BT9

Good description of setting expectations

omaralt

i'm wondering if anybody thinks this can be added to a TL w/tech.. i'm sure the entire front seats need to be replaced..lol maybe wait for a TL w/advance at the junk yard (but with dismal sales who knows how long that would be, rigth TC? )

BT9

If Acura uses the thermoelectric type of seat heating/cooling described in the paper I posted a link to, I suspect that adds a significant new load to the electrical system. You might need not only a new battery and alternator, but you wouldn't have the easy access for routing all the wiring harnesses the factory has as they build the car. Probably don't even have the main connections from the fuse block. I'm only speculating here.

Stew4HD

Don't all TLs have heated seats? If so, then the added fan loads for the vented seats should be minimal load.

jjsC5

I'm very aware of all of that. My friends think I'm over the top when it comes to demanding ventilated seats. In the case of the two TL's I've driven with them - I drove them both long enough to get a feel (no pun intended) for how they work. And I live in the "sweat your ass off" capital of the world!

jjsC5

I can't say this as absolute fact, but I would bet dinner that the Acura uses a simple fan to circulate air. It's quite noisy on the highest setting, BTW.

For those playing along, by far the best ventilated seats I've experienced are a Ford Expedition I had and a friends Jeep Grand Cherokee. The Cadillac CTS I had was close behind. The worst have been my current Lexus and Infiniti M45 I had. But the worst ones are still worth having.

n-spring

I live in Houston and drove to Louisiana over the weekend. Having the ventilated seat was mighty nice. Keeps me far more comfortable.

n-spring

Don't notice the noise at all in my TL, even on high.

Stew4HD

Same here but I do listen to my music a little loud

jjsC5

I guess we all know the fix One of the benefits of the TL is the killer stereo.

Stew4HD

For sure! I normally have the speakers changed out by this time of ownership but I can't find fault with this system at all. I am sure it "could" could better... but .. by how much and how much $$ to do it is the question...

cool tunes in a cool car with a cool butt.. oooh yeah!

Stew4HD

HEY, N-SPRING.. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO SEE PICS OF YOUR NEW BABY? You've kept that under wraps long enough!

BT9

I came across this manufacturer of climate controlled seats. They supply a lot of different cars. Acura not listed though.

http://www.amerigon.com/ccs_seating.php

n-spring

I put three pics in the garage area of the site.

https://acurazine.com/forums/garage/...-n-spring.html

avmike

My impression of the ventilated seats is that they take affect MUCH quicker than I expected, and I often have to turn them down from the highest setting. They seem more effective than a co-workers Lexus GS (passenger seat, anyway...). The ventilated seats effect the back and the butt. Though on ALL 4G TL's only the butt of the passenger seat is heated. This is due to the passenger airbag sensor.

The ventilated seats was the biggest reason I went to the Advance. Though I also prefer the 18" wheels/Michelin tires, and I do like the Blind spot system. Ironically, had I been interested in SH-AWD I would have had a tough dilemma as I would not want the 19" wheels due to ride quality and cost of tires.

Since I do 95% highway, SH-AWD was useless to me. And really, a TL is not a sports car anyway...

BT9

A useful comment, thanks. Would you say the difference is so significant between the 18" and 19" wheels that you could be blindfolded and tell 100% of the time whether you were riding 18's or 19's? Or more subtle than that?

avmike

Not likely a huge difference in ride quality, but a difference.

You have to take my comments from my perspective though. I was not looking for a "sports sedan" like others may be. I have a seperate sports car for that mood. I bought a TL for excellent ride quality, quiet, comfortable cabin, advanced electronics, and value for dollar. For my 95% highway driving, the TL fits my requirements perfectly. IF I didn't have the seperate sports car, and didn't drive on roads that are completely straight and long (I-95, Florida Turnpike), I might be more inclined to buy an SH-AWD or a BMW, etc..

Others might have different preferences. This is my 3rd TL in a row (2nd gen, and 3rd gen previously).

Stew4HD

IMO, you will not regret getting the Advanced at all. I went with it because I never wanted to have to wonder why I didn't go all the way and just get the loaded one this time. I love it!

Steven Bell

iTrader: (2)

Hmmm-ventilated seats. This gives a whole new meaning to "blowing sunshine up your skirt"......

Edward'TLS

Next time, if you don't want your 19" OEM wheels, put it for sale or for swap here. There will be lots of members who are more than willing to swap their new set of 18" OEM wheels/tires for your set of 19".

Richard Walters

You're going to probably hear a bunch of nay-sayers on ventilated seats ... and I would be one as well it were not for my wife's 2015 Santa Fe vehicle, it's a 6 cylinder limited package. The ventilated seats (might as well be AC cooled ... but they aren't) get too cold to leave on for 10 minutes ... it works great.

Worked so well, I decided I wanted one ... I bought a car one year later - 2016 Santa Fe sport (a 4 cylinder) ... turn it on, and run for an hour and still no difference ... worthless. this is the experience of most people. I took mine to the dealership and demonstrated the difference in it and my wife's car. They compared my 2016 to other new 2016 and demo-ed that it was working identical to the rest of them.

Short story, look for a 2015 Santa Fe ... or get the EXACT model from the few who have praise stories ...

turns out that Hyundai changed the design of the seats ... and the newer design is lame ... this is my experience ....

TheMuffinMan

iTrader: (1)

You bumped a 4 year old thread to talk about a Hyundai's seats?

avmike

In my 2012, the ventilated seats work VERY well. I have been in many cars where I couldn't really tell the difference.. (Lexus is one). In my car, there are 3 settings, I actually use the lowest one, unless it is scorching hot out.

ere4mado

Wish I had it in my 2012 TL Tech......can certainly use it during these Georgia summers!

AParada

Going from the TL Tech to Advance I can personally say it's worth it but also I added Prestige PhotoSync Tints (55 side and back) as well, which helped reduce the heat.

ressuhd

Just took my '12 SH-AWD Advance into the shop because I didn't feel the ventilated seats were working properly. I told them when I made the appointment that I could hear the fan running, just didn't really "feel" anything. This coming after I drove a '12 Yukon Denali with cooled seats and had to turn it down because it got so cold so fast. Dealer's response was essentially "the fan either runs or it doesn't, that's about it." So, I can't say that the ventilated seats are all that they've cracked up to be, at least in my particular car.

JeffInDenver

On my 2012 TL SHAWD Advance I can't say it makes a huge difference. I really can't even tell its on unless I'm wearing gym clothes. Got the car in vegas, in the summer, with hopes the vented seats would be some magical thing, but they're really not imo. Wont be getting them again most likely in future vehicles.

Anybody else's heated seats seem to take a while before warming up? 5 minutes-ish?

Anicra

Damn my 2013 TL SHAWD Ventilated seats work awesome. I turn them on and within seconds I feel cool air all over the seats. It is now a must have feature. My wife with in a second of 'mistakenly' turning them on she notices an turns them off.
Heck I use the V seats even in winter.