2005 BMW X3 Seats

RIVER'S SEAT HEATING UNIT OVERHEATS WHEN ON HIGH SETTING, TO THE POINT OF BURNING SKIN THROUGH THE SEAT AND CLOTHING. LOWER LEFT LUMBAR . PER SERVICE SHOP, THE SEAT HEATER GRID IS BROKEN, CAUSING 40 DEGREE HIGHER TEMPERATURES THAN NORMAL IN THE LEFT LEG AREA. ONGOING ISSUE, NOT A SINGLE OCCURRENCE

THE DRIVER SEAT HEATING ELEMENT BURNT A HOLE THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT. THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND WEARING MY SEAT BELT. I FELT THE HEAT THROUGH MY CLOTHES AND I WAS AFRAID IT WOULD CATCH MY CLOTHES ON FIRE. I PULLED OVER UNSTRAPPED MY SEAT BELT AND EXAMINED THE SEAT TO FIND THE HOLE BURNT THROUGH.

DAUGHTER TURNED ON VEHICLE, TURNED ON HEATED DRIVERS SEAT, AS SHE WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, BEGAN TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING, PULLED CAR OVER & GOT OUT, LEFT VEHICLE RUNNING, CONTINUED TO SMELL BURNING AND BEGAN TO SEE SMOKE. SAW THAT A BURN HOLE WAS FORMING IN THE LEFT SIDE, BOTTOM OF LEATHER SEAT. TURNED SEAT HEATER OFF AND SMELL AND SMOKE DIMINISHED. UPON INSPECTION OF HE CLOTHING IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE SEAT BEGAN TO BUT A HOLE IN HER OUTER JACKET. IT DID NOT BURN THROUGH HER CLOTHING AND SHE WAS NOT INJURED (THANKFULLY).

THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER HAS OVERHEATED AND BURNED THROUGH THE LEATHER AND MY PANTS. THERE APPEARS TO BE SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE AND A NHTSA RECALL BULLETIN NUMBER 04V575000 FOR OLDER 5 SERIES VEHICLES. I THINK THIS INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE EXPANDED SINCE SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS BEHAVIOR.......UPDATED 12/03/15*BF *TR

TWO MINUTES AFTER TURNING ON DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER, I BEGAN TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. LOWER LEFT LUMBAR SECTION OF THE SEAT WAS EXTREMELY HOT, FELT HOT INSTANTLY EVEN THROUGH A WINTER COAT AND SWEATSHIRT. IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE SEAT HEATER OFF. EXTREMELY CONSIDERED THE CAR WOULD CATCH FIRE. CAR HAS 102,000 MILES. NO VISIBLE WEAR OR BURN MARKS ON THIS SEAT.

I LEFT HOME AND TURNED ON THE SEAT HEATER FOR THE DRIVER SEAT. IN JUST A FEW SECONDS I FELT DISCOMFORT IN MY LEFT BUTTOCK. I REPOSITIONED THINKING SOMETHING WAS PINCHING ME AND THEN SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROADWAY AND GET OUT OF THE CAR. I SAW THE SEAT BOTTOM SCORCHING AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATER. NO FURTHER DAMAGE WAS NOTED, BUT NOW AFRAID TO USE EITHER SEAT HEATER. *TR

THE HEATED SEAT WAS SO INTENSE IT BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT AND BURNED MY LEG. I ORIGINALLY THOUGHT THE AREA AFFECTED WAS A BURN HOLE IN THE SEAT FROM A CIGARETTE, AFTERWARDS I REALIZED THAT THE BURN HOLE HAD BEEN CREATED BY AN HEATING ELEMENT THAT WAS EXPOSED IN THAT AREA AND BURNED THROUGH THE LEATHER AND THEN MY LEG. WE'VE BEEN AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES. I CONTACTED BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER AND NO ONE HAS HELPED ME TO THIS DATE. *TR

THE HEATED SEAT GOT HOT ENOUGH TO BURN A HOLE IN THE SEAT. WHEN I FELT THE HOT SPOT I TURNED OFF THE HEATER , THERE WAS NO FIRE. I UNDERSTAND FROM THE INTERNET THAT THIS ISN'T THAT UNCOMMON AND I WAS HOPING THE NHTSA COULD WORK TOWARDS A RECALL SO THOSE THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM COULD GET IT WARRANTED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE HEATED SEAT GOT HOT ENOUGH TO BURN A HOLE IN THE SEAT. WHEN I FELT THE HOT SPOT I TURNED OFF THE HEATER AND THERE WAS NO FIRE. I UNDERSTAND FROM THE INTERNET THAT THIS ISN'T THAT UNCOMMON AND I WAS HOPING THE NHTSA COULD WORK TOWARDS A RECALL SO THOSE THAT HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM COULD GET IT WARRANTED AND BMW WOULD HAVE AN INCENTIVE TO MAKE SURE THEY IMPROVE ON THIS SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN A VOL. FIREFIGHTER AND I KNOW FIRST HAND HOW QUICKLY ( ALMOST INSTANTLY) A VEHICLE WILL BECOME FULLY ENGULFED. THANK YOU. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY BMW X3 2005, I TURNED MY SEAT WARMER ON AND IT ENDED UP BURNING A HOLE THROUGH THE SEAT. MY PANTS WERE BURNED AND SO WAS I. LUCKILY I HAD TURNED THE SEAT WARMER OFF WITHOUT ANY ADDITIONAL DAMAGE OR SHOCK DURING MY DRIVE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON I-90 IN WASHINGTON STATE AND FELT A SUDDEN PAINFUL SHARP PIN POINT SENSATION IN MY LEFT UPPER OUTER POSTERIOR THIGH. I THOUGHT I WAS BEING STUCK BY A PIN OR SOMETHING SHARP. I PUT MY HAND DOWN TO PULL OUT THE SHARP OBJECT AND THEN FELT A SMALL SPOT IN MY SEAT THAT WAS BURNING HOT. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR FROM THE SEVERITY OF THE PAIN IN MY FINGERS AND THIGH. I TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATER AND THE HOT SPOT WENT AWAY QUICKLY. WHEN I GOT HOME I TURNED THE HEATER ON AGAIN - AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I HAD A DIME SIZED RED BURN MARK ON MY THIGH. THIS WAS ONLY A MINOR INJURY, BUT I AM LUCKY I DID NOT RECEIVE A MORE SERIOUS BURN, AND THAT A FIRE DID NOT START AND THAT I WAS NOT IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS DEFECT. *TR

UPON TURNING ON MY DRIVER SIDE HEATED SEAT WITHIN 2 MINUTES OF DRIVING STARTED TO SMELL A BURNING AND THEN A BURN/SHOCKING SENSATION ON LEFT THIGH. ADJUSTED WHILE DRIVING THEN REALIZED MY SEAT WAS BURNING ME ON THE LEFT LEG. PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT OF CAR AND SAW MY SEAT WAS SMOLDERING (SMOKE AND BURNING). REALIZED IT MUST BE THE HEATED SEAT. TURNED OFF SEAT WARMER AND WAITED FOR 5 MINUTES AND REALIZED HAD A SMALL HOLE THROUGH MY PANTS. AFTER SEAT COOLED, DROVE HOME AND INSPECTED A BURN HOLE BETTER AT HOME AND PUT ICE ON A 1ST TO 2ND DEGREE BURN ON MY LEFT UPPER THIGH. *TR

DRIVER SIDE HEATED SEAT HEATS UP TO THE POINT OF INJURY. UNUSABLE. *TR

DRIVER SEAT HEAT MAT GOT TOO HOT CAUSING SMOKE, DAMAGE TO CLOTHING, AND SKIN INJURY IN LESS THAN A MINUTE AFTER TURNING THE SYSTEM ON HIGH. THE SEAT HAD BEEN FUNCTIONING NORMALLY THE DAY BEFORE. THE SEAT COVER IS VISIBLY DAMAGED AT A SINGLE POINT ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. THE SPOT IS ON THE LEFT SEAT PAN BOLSTER 2/3'S BACK FROM THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT PAN. *TR

DRIVER'S SEAT AT LEFT LEG BOLSTER AREA HEATS UP WHEN SEAT HEATER ELEMENT IS ACTIVATED. SHOCKING OR BURNING SENSATION IS FELT DUE TO OVERHEAT PROBLEM. *TR

I USED THE HEATED SEAT FUNCTION FOR THE DRIVERS SEAT IN MY 2005 BMW X3 AND IT RAPIDLY HEATED UP BECOMING UNBEARABLE TO SIT ON. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED IT OFF AND STOPPED THE CAR AND GOT OUT BECAUSE THE SEAT WAS TOO HOT TO SIT ON AND BECAUSE THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM UNDER THE SEAT. AFTER A WHILE THE SMELL DISSIPATED AND THE SEAT WAS COOL ENOUGH TO USE. I HAVE NOT USED THE HEAT FUNCTION SINCE AND AM WAITING FOR MY BMW DEALER TO CHECK IT AND GET BACK TO ME.

I TURNED ON THE HEATED SEAT FEATURE ON MY 2005 BMW X3 AND ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER MY LEG STARTED TO GET VERY HOT. I REACHED DOWN WITH MY HAND AND IT WAS SO HOT THAT IT BURNT MY HAND. I STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE AND QUICKLY TURNED OFF MY HEATED SEAT. WHEN I GOT HOME I LOOKED ON MY DRIVER SEAT AND NOTICED A SMALL BROWN BURNT SPOT ON THE LEFT SIDE CUSHION OF MY DRIVER SIDE SEAT. THANKFULLY I NOTICED IT RIGHT AWAY, IF IT WAS ON ANY LONGER I'M NOT SURE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED! THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I COULD HAVE BEEN BADLY BURNT. *TR

WHEN I USE THE HEATED SEAT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, THERE IS A HOT SPOT THAT GETS SO HOT IF YOU DON'T ROLL ONTO YOUR RIGHT HIP YOU WILL GET A SERIOUS BURN. *TR

WHILE USING THE HEATING DEVICE FOR THE SEATS I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND FELT HEAT ON MY PANTS. I TURNED THE HEATING DEVICE OFF. THERE WAS A SMALL BURN STAIN LEFT ON THE SEAT, WHICH HAS TURNED INTO A SMALL HOLE. *TR

UPON DRIVING MY X3 I TURNED ON MY DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES IT STARTED GETTING SO HOT THAT IT BEGAN TO BURN THE TOP PART OF MY LEFT LEG. I HAD TO TURN IT OFF AND LIFT MY LEG OFF THE SURFACE OF THE SEAT A BIT UNTIL IT COOLED OFF. IT APPEARS THERE IS A PROBLEM ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT (BOLSTER). IT HAPPENS NOW EVERYTIME I ATTEMPT TO USE IT...I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FROM DAY ONE AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. I HAVE NOT SMELLED ANY BURNING ODORS YET BUT THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE SEAT. MY WIFE HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING !...THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY BMW AND CORRECTED BEFORE THERE IS A FIRE OR BODILY INJURY. SO FOR SAFETY REASONS AND PREVENTING BURNS I AM UNABLE TO USE THIS FEATURE I PAID SO DEARLY FOR...I WILL BE CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP ON MONDAY TO ADVISE THEM OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK (APPROX. 2 MILE TRIP) ON A COLD MORNING (OUTSIDE TEMP 18 DEG F) TURNED ON DRIVER'S SIDE HEATED CAR SEAT AT MAXIMUM SETTING. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THE SEAT HEATER HAD FUNCTIONED PROPERLY ALTHOUGH LEFT SIDE OF SEAT ALWAYS SEEMED TO SOMEWHAT HOTTER THAN REST OF SEAT. WITHIN 1.5 MILE, SEAT BECAME EXTREMELY HOT ON LEFT SIDE OF SEAT BOTTOM 2/3 BACK FROM FRONT AND I BEGAN TO SMELL A STRONG BURNING PLASTIC ODOR IN THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF SEAT HEATER. ARRIVED AT OFFICE AND UPON INSPECTION, DISCOVERED A BLACKENED BURNT SPOT ON THE SEAT LEATHER AT THE LOCATION WHERE EXTREME HEAT HAD BEEN. *TR

THE DRIVERS SEAT WARMER CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SEAT. THE SEAT WARMER WIRES WERE EXPOSED AND BURNED THE SEAT AND THROUGH MY PANTS. *TR

ON CHRISTMAS MORNING, DECEMBER 25, 2012, THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE STARTED THE CAR, ACTIVATED THE SEAT WARMER, AND WE IMMEDIATELY DETECTED A BURNING ODOR IN THE CAR. WE DROVE LESS THAN APPROX. 1/2 BLOCK AND PULLED OVER TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE SEAT WARMER WAS SO HOT THAT IT HAD BEGUN TO BURN A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM SEAT CUSHION. THE BURN HOLE STOPPED BECAUSE WE IDENTIFIED THE DEFECT QUICKLY AND IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE WARMER. I HAVE REPORTED THE DEFECTIVE SEAT WARMER TO BMW. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WITH THE HEATED SEAT WARMER IN ACTIVATION WHEN SUDDENLY THE HEATING ELEMENT BEGAN TO PENETRATE THE CONTACT'S CLOTHING WITH AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF HEAT. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY DEACTIVATED THE HEATED SEAT WARMER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER FOR THE HEATED SEAT WARMER TO OPERATE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000. ..UPDATED 11/14/12 *BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BMW X3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER SIDE HEATED SEAT OVERHEATED. THE SEAT BECAME SEVERELY HOT AND BURNED THROUGH THE LEATHER SEATS AS WELL AS BURNING A HOLE THROUGH THE CONTACT'S PANTS. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 02/22/12 *BF UPDATED 03/01/12