2006 Mercedes Benz ML350

AFTER DRIVING ONLY 30 MIN IN MORNING TRAFFIC W/SEAT HEAT ON, I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL AND THE HIP AREA OF THE SEAT WAS VERY HOT. PULLED OVER, TURNED CAR OFF, AND FOUND SEAT HEAT HAD BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT UPHOLSTERY MAKING A HOLE APPROX. 1" H X 1/2" W. QUESTION BELOW ASKS Y/N IF THERE WAS A FIRE. ANSWERED Y DUE TO BURNING; DID NOT SEE ANY FLAMES. USED SOME WATER ON IT IMMEDIATELY AND A FEW MINUTES LATER AT HOME TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO BURNING/SMOLDERING INSIDE THE SEAT. *TR

CONTACT WAS DRIVING, APPROX. 15 MIN. AFTER ENGINE START AND SEAT HEATER TURN-ON. CONTACT FELT A BURNING SENSATION ON POSTERIOR/HIP. CONTACT STOPPED CAR AND GOT OUT. THERE WAS A BURN HOLE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT BACK AT LOWER LEFT. THERE WERE TWO BURN HOLES THROUGH CONTACTS PANTS. LATER EXAMINATION SHOWED A SECOND DEGREE (BLISTER) BURN ON CONTACTS HIP. THIS IS NOT A WARRANTY CLAIM AS THE DEALER SUGGESTS, BUT, RATHER A SERIOUS MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT CAUSES BURN INJURY (CHECK THE HISTORY OF DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET)... *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT WARMER OVERHEATED AND CAUSED THE COILS TO BURN THROUGH. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE SUSTAINED SECOND DEGREE BURNS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT HEATER HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

AFTER DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES, MY HUSBAND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. HE COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM UNTIL HE FELT HIS BACK BEING BURNED. HE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE HEATED SEAT AND PULLED OVER. THERE WAS SMOKE AND A HOLE BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT ABOUT 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER. THE SEAT BURNED A HOLE THROUGH HIS FLEECE JACKET & T-SHIRT LEAVING WHAT LOOKED LIKE A CIGARETTE BURN ON HIS BACK. IF MY HUSBAND HAD NOT BEEN DRIVING MY CAR, I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE MADE THE CONNECTION THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE HEATING MECHANISM, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT ONLY THE BOTTOM OF THE SEATS WERE WIRED FOR THAT. THIS OCCURRED ON THE BACK PORTION OF THE SEAT ON HIS LEFT SIDE. I JUST FEAR THAT SOMEONE WOULD PANIC OR IT COULD TURN INTO A FULL BLOWN FIRE (I AM SURE WE WERE JUST SECONDS AWAY FROM SEEING FLAMES IF THE MECHANISM HAD NOT BEEN TURNED OFF SO FAST). FURTHERMORE, IF WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A HIGHER SPEED IT VERY EASILY COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT CAUSED HIM TO VEER INTO THE OTHER TRAFFIC LANE (LUCKILY NO CARS WERE IN THE LANE AT THE TIME). I HAVE READ MANY STORIES ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE AND I HAVE CHECKED ALL ONLINE SOURCES FOR SAFETY RECALLS ON THIS CAR. WHAT A DISSERVICE IT WOULD BE IF MERCEDES DOES NOT REPLACE THIS SEAT AND MAKE IT RIGHT FREE OF CHARGE. ONE BAD ACCIDENT IS TOO MANY, WE SHOULD NOT WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE GETS BADLY BURNED OR KILLED BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE. WE HAVE AN APPT. TO DROP OFF THE CAR NEXT WEEK FOR EVALUATION OF THE PROBLEM AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR AT THE DEALER HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL SO FAR, SO I AM HOPING FOR A POSITIVE OUTCOME. BUT I COULD NOT GO WITHOUT REPORTING THIS BECAUSE IT IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY RISK AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE ANYONE ELSE GET INJURED. IT IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING/ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND THE DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL OVER IT'S SPONTANEOUS OCCURRENCE. *TR