2006 Mercedes Benz GL320

WHILE DRIVING TURNED ON DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER. LESS THAN 1 MINUTE AFTER I FELT BURNING ON MY BACK. I PULLED TO THE SIDE AND JUMPED OUT OF VEHICLE. SMOKE WAS FILLING CAR AND JACKET WAS ON FIRE. PATTED JACKET OUT AND FOUND BURN HOLE THROUGH JACKET INTO SWEATER. AFTER SMOKE CLEARED I SAW DRIVER SEAT WAS BURNED THROUGH. I WAS LUCKY THIS OCCURRED ON A SIDE STREET AT 20MPH AND NOT ON A HIGHWAY WITH POSTED SPEED OF 65MPH. FACTORY TOLD ME REPAIR COST MAY NOT BE COVERED SINCE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, HOWEVER LOCAL DEALERSHIP MADE REPAIR AT NO COST. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE SEAT HEATER PROBLEM BEFORE, BUT NOW HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND IT TO BE DISTURBING THAT NO CORRECTIVE MEASURES HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO FIX THIS SEAT FIRE. *TR