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Leaving Heated stearingwheel on all the time ?


HSDish
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Is there any disadvantage/risk if I leave the heatedstearingwheel on all the time (in winter) in our RAV 4 PHEV 2020 ?

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2 minutes ago, HSDish said:

Is there any disadvantage/risk if I leave the heatedstearingwheel on all the time (in winter) in our RAV 4 PHEV 2020 ?

It’ll time out after a while.  It’ll also self regulate so I doubt it will do much harm.  

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3 minutes ago, anchorman said:

It’ll time out after a while.  It’ll also self regulate so I doubt it will do much harm.  

Thanks.

Is it ok to leave the "on" button in even when I stop/shut down the car, so that it automatically activates when I start the car next time ?

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21 minutes ago, anchorman said:

It’ll time out after a while.  It’ll also self regulate

Will it? There's nothing to that effect in the Owners Manual, but that doesn't mean that it won't ...

That said, I've never manged to leave mine on for more than two minutes - by then the steering wheel is more than warm enough and it doesn't go 'cold' again with the heater turned off ... 🙂

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13 minutes ago, philip42h said:

Will it? There's nothing to that effect in the Owners Manual, but that doesn't mean that it won't ...

That said, I've never manged to leave mine on for more than two minutes - by then the steering wheel is more than warm enough and it doesn't go 'cold' again with the heater turned off ... 🙂

🙂 Im living in Sweden and here (at the westcoast) its often about -5 to +5 C in the winter ,so shorter trips with some 40-60 minutes paus/rest/stop (for ex shoping) will turn the streering wheel cold again and the button has to be pressed again

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I vaguely remember someone saying it cuts out after something like 10 minutes? (Or some tens of minutes??)

I also wish I had a heated steering wheel! I know the Mk4 can have one (The Euro-spec ones do! C'mon Toyota UK!!!), but I suspect the cost to retrofit UK-spec ones will be prohibitively expensive...!

 

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I (and specially my whife) think the steering wheel heater button is quite hard to se/find/operate when driving. Its located quite low and unsighted behind the steering wheel

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3 minutes ago, HSDish said:

I (and specially my whife) think the steering wheel heater button is quite hard to se/find/operate when driving. Its located quite low and unsighted behind the steering wheel

Why would you wait until driving to operate it? Is it not obviously cold and in need of heat as soon as you get in the car?

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I must admit, the ergonomics of auxiliary controls is not a strength of Toyota! They are improving tho' - The main controls are pretty good - Steering wheel and stalk controls are really nice to use, as are the window switches, and the driving feel in the new TNGA platform cars is vastly better than their older cars.

 

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7 minutes ago, Strangely Brown said:

Why would you wait until driving to operate it? Is it not obviously cold and in need of heat as soon as you get in the car?

I mean if you should turn it of when you think its hot enough and the turn it on again if you think its to cold , while driving. 

And you can forget to turn it on before start, if youre in a hurry 😉

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I have only used mine once, just to see how it felt really, and I turned it off pretty much as soon as I could feel the heat.
For me, it was too hot and uncomfortable so, unless it is really really cold, I suspect it will be the least used switch in the car. 🙂

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4 degrees C this morning, so chilly enough to think about switching on the heated steering wheel before I got into the car. I decided just to leave it 'on' while I ran my various errands. The steering wheel gets toasty warm but it doesn't get hotter than that. And it stays switched on when the car is switched off / comes back on automatically when you switch the car back on ... 👍

But it does make the steering wheel warmer than I want it to be - so I'll just continue to use it to take the chill off for the first couple of minutes of the journey, and practice finding the hidden button when I want to switch it off again. 🙂

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17 hours ago, Cyker said:

I must admit, the ergonomics of auxiliary controls is not a strength of Toyota!

Completely agree.  

I think that the way that the interior design teams work means that someone is responsible for the HVAC and centre console, which may include interaction with the entertainment and nav system. But auxiliary items are left to other teams, who may have to utilise spare switch locations in various random spots around the cockpit. 

The heated steering wheel control and indicator would most intuitively be placed on the steering wheel itself. But that probably requires more planning, thought, and monies.

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I sortof agree but TBH the Mk4's steering wheel has about as many buttons as I'd want on a steering wheel; It's definitely the most crowded wheel of any car I've owned!

Some of the Honda, Hyundai/Kia and EV steering wheels I've seen are ridiculous, like someone just fired a cannon full of buttons at them - They make an F1 steering wheel look plain! :laugh: 

 

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Just to confirm, there is no issue with leaving the heated steering wheel or heated seats on (unless it's Summer!).

They are powered by the traction Battery in the HEV and PHEV so pose no risk to the 12v.

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3 hours ago, duncerduncs said:

Just to confirm, there is no issue with leaving the heated steering wheel or heated seats on (unless it's Summer!).

They are powered by the traction battery in the HEV and PHEV so pose no risk to the 12v.

Thanks a lot

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I have noticed that the heated steering wheel heats up at the 10 to 2 positions which gradually spreads downwards towards 20 to 4. all well and good but I normally drive with my hands near the bottom of the steering wheel. Just an observation and of course I moved my hands to the warmer places until the car warmed up lol.

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Oh, how I wish. Only 2oC yesterday and my hands even with special gloves were freezing, sadly I have Raynaud’s Syndrome, the heated steering wheel would have been a big plus for me.

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10 hours ago, ernieb said:

Oh, how I wish. Only 2oC yesterday and my hands even is special gloves were freezing, sadly I have Raynaud’s Syndrome, the heated steering wheel would have been a big plus for me.

Definitely put this on your future "must have" list. I'm a sufferer too and it is amazingly good to have the heating in the wheel. It was yet another tick in the box for the BMW, which automagically enables this when the outside temp drops below a configured figure.

To answer the OP's questions - I see no problem leaving the heating in the steering wheel on. 

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SAAB had automatic heated seats.  They came on automatically.  I guess some people will prefer manual controls. 

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2 hours ago, Roy124 said:

SAAB had automatic heated seats.  They came on automatically.  I guess some people will prefer manual controls. 

Yes. Having the option of a convenience feature is one thing; being forced to use that feature is quite different. Especially where personal comfort is involved.

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I have automatic configuration of temperature, aircon, seat heating and blower control, strangely though it only seems to work when the passenger seat is use.

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