2004 BMW 5 Series Seats

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 530I. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 45-50 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT HEATING SYSTEM ACTIVATED. THEN EXCESSIVE HEAT WAS EXPELLED FROM THE LEFT SIDE CORNER OF THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT BACK-REST. THE HEAT MELTED A SMALL HOLE IN THE SEAT COVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. HE EXPERIENCED AN IDENTICAL FAILURE REFERENCED IN RECALL # 04V575000 (SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER). SINCE HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL, HE WAS INELIGIBLE FOR A FREE REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

THE SEAT WARMER MALFUNCTIONED AND BURNED A HOLE IN MY DRIVER SEATS AND ALSO A HOLE IN MY PANTS. IF I HAD A PIECE OF PAPER OR SOMETHING IN MY BACK PAPER, IT WOULD HAVE SET IT ON FIRE. *TR

SATURDAY OCTOBER 3, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 9:30AM I TURNED ON MY DRIVER SIDE HEATED SEAT. AFTER APPROX. 2-3 MINUTES I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND THEN SAW SMOKE COMING UP FROM AROUND MY STEERING WHEEL. I PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT AND FOUND MY SEAT HAD A HOLE BURNED THROUGH IT ON THE LOWER LEFT HAND SIDE (DOOR SIDE). THE HOLE WAS RED FROM HEAT SO I LOOKED AT THE BACK OF MY SHIRT AND IT HAD A HOLE BURNED IN IT, I THEN LOOKED AT MY PANTS AND FOUND A HOLE HAD STARTED BURNING THRU THE HIP POCKET. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THE ONE I JUST EXPERIENCED. I ALSO NOTICED ON THE INTERNET ON A LAW FIRMS WEB PAGE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE TO MY MODEL CAR, 2004 BMW 530I. I PLAN TO CALL BMW OF NORTH AMERICA TOMORROW (10-5-09) TO FILE A COMPLAINT. I CAN SEND A PICTURE OF THE CAR SEAT AND MY CLOTHES IF YOU WANT. *TR

DRIVER'S SEAT HEATING UNIT BECAME VERY HOT AND SINGED THE SEAT COVERING. DEALER REPLACED THE ENTIRE SEAT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, THE SEAT HEATER BURNED A HOLE IN THE LEATHER SEAT, RESULTING IN IGNITION OF DRIVERS CLOTHING (LEATHER JACKET AND SUIT COAT), WHICH CAUGHT FIRE. ATTEMPTS TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES RESULTED IN HEAT BLISTERS AND BURNS TO DRIVERS HANDS, DAMAGE TO CAR, SMOKE DAMAGE, AND DAMAGE TO PERSONAL ATTIRE, LOSS OF WORK HOURS, ETC. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED, HOWEVER, THE RECALL OF THE FRONT SEAT HEATER WAS, OBVIOUSLY, NOT COMPLETED BY THE DEALERSHIP PRIOR TO VEHICLE PURCHASE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BMW 525I. ON APRIL 6, 2007, WHILE DRIVING 55MPH, THERE WAS SMOKE PRESENT IN THE VEHICLE. THE HEATED PASSENGER SEAT CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACTS COAT BURNED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE. THE SALES TEAM IS AWARE THAT THE FAILURE EXIST. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THE CAUSE WAS FALSE MEMORY. THE FRONT AND BACK SEATS WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT HAS AN INVOICE WITH THE SPECIFICS RELATED TO THE REPAIRS. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHTS PRESENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE WERE NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51653.

WE JUST PURCHASED OUR BMW 545I IN MID OCTOBER. ON NOVEMBER 13TH WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM OUR SON'S HOME WE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. MY HUSBAND SOON REALIZED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND HIS PANTS WERE ON FIRE. WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATERS AND WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. WE WERE FORTUNATE THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED, AND WHILE A PAIR OF PANTS WERE RUINED, MY HUSBAND DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY BURNS. OUR DEALER IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND FURNISHED ME WITH ANOTHER CAR TO DRIVE. I AM NOW BEING TOLD THAT THE SEAT HEATERS ARE ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER AND DO NOT KNOW WHEN MY CAR WILL BE FIXED. I DO NOT BLAME THE DEALER, BUT HAVE TO QUESTION IF BMW IS AWARE OF A PROBLEM. *JB

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT WARMER CAUSED A FIRE IN MY 2003 BMW 545. I WAS REAL LUCKY THAT I SMELLED A STRANGE ODOR AND WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT AFTER SHUTTING OFF THE SEAT WARMER. *JB

IN MAY OF THIS YEAR I LEASED A BRAND NEW 530I BMW. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING USING THE HEATED SEAT, THE SEAT ALONG WITH MY JACKET AND SWEATER CAUGHT FIRE. THANKFULLY I WAS NOT HURT BUT SHAKEN UP. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. I AM CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE PEOPLE HOW WOULD NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO OR HOW TO REACT. MY WIFE COULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR WITH KIDS AND WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. ANY ASSISTANCE ON THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU!