NHTSA Complaint #10257720 — 2004 AUDI A6

I HAD PURCHASED A 2004 AUDI A6 QUATTRO WITH 55,900 MILES ON IT FROM A NISSAN DEALER IN NJ ON 1/16/09. I HAD THE CAR FOR 9 DAYS AND I WAS DRIVING ON THE MASSACHUSETTS TURNPIKE WHEN I BEGAN TO SMELL SOMETHING ODD IN THE CAR. I PULLED OFF AT THE NEXT REST AREA. I WENT TO THE BACK SEAT TO GET A JACKET. I PICKED UP THE JACKET AND THE SMELL GOT STRONGER. I PICKED UP A SMALL TRAVEL PILLOW OFF THE SEAT AND THE BOTTOM OF THE PILLOW WAS BURNED AND THE SEAT HAD A HOLE BURNT IN IT. THE CAR WAS EXAMINED BY AN AUDI DEALER WHO SAID THE SWITCH HAD SHORTED OUT AND THE HEATING ELEMENT BURNT THE SEAT. THERE IS A FUSE IN THIS CIRCUIT BUT IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO WORK. AUDI WOULD DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS. I GUESS THEY THINK SEATS BURNING UP ARE OK. I WAS JUST LUCKY NO ONE WAS IN THE SEAT AT THE TIME. THE SEAT IS NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO ACTIVATE THE HEATERS UNLESS SOMEONE IS IN THE SEAT. THE SWITCH ON THE HEATER WAS ALSO ONLY SET TO THE LOWEST SETTING. THE SEAT BURNT ALL THE WAY THROUGH ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO ACTUAL FIRE INVOLVED. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE SEAT AND THE PILLOW IF THIS WOULD BE HELPFUL. THE OLD SEAT IS AVAILABLE AS I AM LOOKING FOR A NEW NON HEATED SEAT. THIS WAS THE REAR BENCH SEAT BOTTOM THAT BURNT. *TR