After buying an RX400h last summer, it took a few months of convincing to get my wife to leave her X5 behind for a GX470. Her only issue (so far) is the lack of a heated steering wheel. She has a circulation problem in her hands and can't tolerate a cold steering wheel. This was a key feature on all our BMW's (also available from Mercedes, Audi, etc.).

Does anyone know of an aftermarket steering wheel (or product) which could meet this need? Without it, I'm afraid that she'll be back in an X5 in a few months.

Thanks....

Everytime I get into my car in the winter I always ask myself, How come the wheel isn't heated? Everything else is. It sure would be nice.

You could probable get one aftermarket, but then you run into airbag issues and other costs involved....

The airbag is not as much an issue as running the wiring in the column and through a clockspring harness to be able to be wired in and allow the wheel to turn without stressing and breaking the wires.

The cost is really unimportant as compared with the bath I will take if I have to get her another X5 and trade/sell one of the '06 Lexus'

Since a number of other manufacturers provide heated steering wheels, I don't think there is a technical hurdle. Just whether or not somebody thinks there is a market for such devices.

The heating element would also need thicker wiring through the clock spring as well since it would burn th enormal sized ones in there already.
Otherwise you could wire the cruise control to be moved to the dash and use the wires it had as the element for the wheel heater.
Second problem is getting an element inside the wheel under the leather and wood.
It would be a better and more cost effictive modification to add a remote starter so the wheel and seats are nice and cozy everytime you get it.
That is what i did with my LS and ES and i love it.