NHTSA Complaint #10299803 — 2004 SAAB 9-3

I WAS USING MY CAR'S SEAT WARMER AND THE SEAT BEGAN TO GET VERY HOT IN ONE SPOT ON THE SEAT. I ALSO NOTICED A BURNING SMELL THAT SMELLED LIKE BURNING LEAD OR RUBBER. THE LEVEL OF HEAT THAT WAS COMING FROM THE SPOT ON THE SEAT LEAD ME TO LIFT MYSELF OFF OF THE SEAT IN ORDER TO PREVENT BURNING MY LEG. I TURNED THE SEAT WARMER OFF, WHICH SEEMED TO MAKE THE BURNING SUBSIDE. THIS SEQUENCE CONTINUED UNTIL ABOUT A WEEK LATER WHEN THE SEAT WARMER STOPPED WORKING. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, WITH THE HELP OF A FAMILY FRIEND I REMOVED THE SEAT FROM THE CAR AND REMOVED THE UPHOLSTERY IN ORDER TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE AND TRY TO FIX IT. UPON REMOVING THE UPHOLSTERY, WE FOUND THAT THE WIRING OF THE SEAT WARMER HAD STARTED A SMALL FIRE IN THE SEAT CUSHION AND BURNED A HOLE (3 INCHES WIDE AND 1 INCH DEEP) IN THE CUSHION. THE BACKING OF THE LEATHER THAT COVERS THE CUSHION HAD ALSO BEEN BURNED THROUGH. THE WIRING WAS NOT RECOGNIZABLE AND REPAIR WAS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL SERVICE. WE LEFT THE SEAT AS IT IS FOR NOW UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE, AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO PREVENT THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION FROM OCCURRING AGAIN. *TR