NHTSA Complaint #10302255 — 2004 VOLVO V70

ON SUNDAY, 24 JANUARY 2009, THE HEATING ELEMENT IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT IN OUR 2004 VOLVO V70 SOMEHOW SHORTED AND/OR OTHERWISE OVERHEATED, CAUSING THE SEAT TO BEGIN TO SMOLDER AND SMOKE AND BURNED SMALL HOLES IN THE SIDE OF THE LEATHER SEAT COVER. AFTER THE HEATING ELEMENT WAS TURNED OFF, THE MATERIALS IN THE SEAT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY FIRE RETARDANT TO KEEP THE SEAT FROM A FULL-SCALE CONFLAGRATION. WE HAD BEEN SMELLING AN UNEXPLAINED ODOR FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS PRIOR, WHICH WE NOW BELIEVE TO HAVE BEEN WHEN THE OVERHEATING STARTED. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANYTHING DONE TO THE SEAT, AND IT IS ESSENTIALLY IF NOT PRECISELY IN THE SAME STATE AS IT CAME FROM THE FACTORY IN 2004. THE LOCAL VOLVO DEALER (DON BEYER VOLVO, FALLS CHURCH, VA) ON MONDAY, 25 JANUARY 2009, FOUND THAT THE HEATING ELEMENT WAS THE PROBLEM, THEY DISCONNECTED THE HEATING ELEMENT TO PRECLUDE A FIRE, SAID THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST THEY HAD HEARD OF A PROBLEM OF THIS TYPE, AND SAID THAT THE REPAIR (PARTS AND LABOR) WOULD BE COVERED UNDER OUR WARRANTY (LESS DEDUCTIBLE). WE LATER ON 25 JANUARY WERE TOLD THAT THE REPAIR PARTS ARE ON BACK-ORDER AND ARE EXPECTED WITHIN 7-10 DAYS. *TR