2005 BMW 645CI

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL, WHEN SMOKED FILLED THE CABIN OF THE CAR. SHE PANICKED AND CALLED ME AND I TOLD HER TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND GET OUT. MY SON NOTICED THAT HIS MOTHER WAS SMOLDERING. PLEASE SEE THE PICTURES ATTACHED. I CONTACTED BMW AND THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. I LOOK ONLINE AND FOUND THE DOCUMENT ATTACHED AND NOTICED THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. HOW MANY TIMES DOES THIS NEED TO HAPPEN BEFORE SOMEONE GET HURTS SERIOUSLY. PLEASE CONSIDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL SO THAT THESE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE WARMERS CAN BE CHECKED OR REPLACED.

AS I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 BMW 645 CI YESTERDAY, I NOTICED A STRONG BURN SMELL IN MY CAR. I THOUGHT IT WAS OUTSIDE UNTIL I EXPERIENCED THE SAME ODOR TODAY WHEN I TURNED ON MY SEAT WARMER. AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION, I'VE DISCOVERED THERE IS SMALL HOLE ON MY LEATHER SEAT. APPARENTLY, THE SEAT WARMER BURNT THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT CAUSING THE SMELL. THIS HAVE GOT TO BE A DEFECT, HOW CAN BMW ENGINEER A PRODUCT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CATCH ON FIRE. 02/20/2013 *TR.... UPDATED 03/08/13 *BF THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO HAVE THE COMPLAINT DELETED FROM OUR DATABASE. UPDATED 03/11/13 UPDATED 3/13/13

HOT SPOT IN THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT FROM THE SEAT HEATER. THE FAILURE WAS THE HEATING ELEMENT BURNED A NICKEL-SIZED HOLE THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT, THROUGH MY WINTER COAT, AND SINGED MY PANTS. THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING BUT STOPPED AT A LIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER ONCE I NOTICED THE SMOKE RISING FROM THE COAT AFTER SMELLING SOMETHING VERY BAD. I DIDN'T FEEL THE HEAT DUE TO THE WINTER COAT. THE DEALERSHIP IS REPLACING THE ENTIRE SEAT AS THE HEATING ELEMENT AND SEAT ARE ONE COMPONENT. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW 645I WITH A CURRENT ODOMETER READING OF 26000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING UNDER DRY CONDITIONS AT ABOUT 5 MPH HE FELT AN ELECTRIC SHOCK IN HIS BUTTOCKS FROM THE SEAT. THE CONTACT REPOSITIONED HIMSELF IN THE SEAT AND FELT THE SHOCK AGAIN, AND THIS TIME IT WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN HIS LEG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM HIS SEAT. HE CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND AS HE LOOKED IN THE HOLE IN THE SEAT HE COULD SEE ELECTRIC CURRENT PASSING THROUGH . THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME OUT AND DISCONNECTED THE FUSE FOR THE HEATED SEATS. THE CONTACT MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED. *AK