2008 BMW X3

ON DECEMBER 19, 2020 WHILE DRIVING WITH MY DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER ON WARMING MY SEAT DUE TO COLD WEATHER, I WAS ON MY WAY TO PICK UP MEDICATION AT THE PHARMACY WHEN I NOTICED A SHARP STING AND BURNING SENSATION ON MY LOWER RIGHT SIDE. I LOOKED DOWN AND NOTICED MY COAT ON FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. I GOT OUT, FRANTICALLY PATTED MY COAT THAT WAS BURNING, AND LOOKED AT MY SEAT TO SEE IF THERE WAS A FIRE AND THERE WAS A HOLE WHERE THE HEATER HAD BURNED COMPLETELY THRU THE LEATHER SEAT. I GOT BACK IN, DIDN'T TURN THE HEATER ON, AND WHEN I ARRIVED HOME I DIDN'T DRIVE UNTIL THAT MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2020 I DROVE TO MY LOCAL BMW DEALERSHIP THAT REGULARLY SERVICES MY VEHICLE AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED AND ASKED IF THERE WAS A KNOWN RECALL OR ISSUES. HE EXPLAINED IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE HEATER SYSTEM IN THE SEATS FAILING AND CAUSING DAMAGE BUT CURRENTLY NO RECALLS FOR THE ISSUE. I ASKED HOW COULD THAT BE WITH THE DANGER INVOLVED? I EXPLAINED IT COULD HAVE BEEN TRAGICALLY WORSE IF I HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND COULDN'T GET IT OUT. I WAS LUCKY I FELT IT QUICKLY AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. CHRIS AT CAIN BMW, NORTH CANTON, OHIO INSPECTED MU VEHICLE AND GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $1,495.00 TO REPLACE THE PART OF MY SEAT AFFECTED WITH A NEW HEATING SYSTEM AND REPAIR. I FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER ALREADY KNOWING THERE'S AN ISSUE. I JUST WANT THEM TO RECALL VEHICLES THEY KNOW ARE AFFECTED AND REPAIR. OR AT LEAST VOLUNTARILY REPAIR VEHICLES THAT REPORT THE ISSUE. (JUST FOR CLARIFICATION: I WAS DRIVING THRU TOWN ON A STATE HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS) I KEPT THE COAT THAT CAUGHT FIRE JUST IN CASE IT WOULD BE NEEDED LATER.

AFTER TURNING ON THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER, IT DEFAULTS TO HIGH, THE LEFT SIDE SEAT BOLSTER STARTED TO SMOKE. A FEW SECONDS LATER BEFORE MY WIFE REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING SHE FELT HER LEFT ARM AND SIDE GETTING A LOT HOTTER THAN THE REST OF HER SEAT. THE SEAT HEATER THEN IMMEDIATELY BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY ROAD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 BMW X3. WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATING ELEMENT BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT TO THE CONTACT'S CLOTHES. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BURN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS BEHIND, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 203,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.