NHTSA Complaint #10494816 — 2003 MAZDA MAZDA6

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. IT WAS COLD, AND AS I USUALLY DO, TURNED ON THE HEATED SEAT. ABOUT 20 MINUTES INTO MY DRIVE, I NOTICED THAT MY BACK WAS HEATING UP MORE THAN USUAL. MY BACK THEN STARTED TO BURN, SO I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE HEATED SEAT OFF. THEN I NOTICED A SMELL OF BURNED PLASTIC. AFTER I ARRIVED HOME, I GOT OUT OF MY CAR AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A BURN HOLE THROUGH MY LEATHER SEAT. I TOOK OFF MY JACKET AND NOTICED THAT IT HAD ALSO BURNED A HOLE THROUGH IT AS WELL. I CONTACTED MY DEALER AND TOOK IT IN ON JANUARY 21. THEY TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE THE WARRANTY WASN'T ANY GOOD, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. ANY REPAIRS WOULD BE AT MY EXPENSE. I TOLD THEM THAT THEY REPLACED MY HEATED SEAT IN JANUARY OF '09 BECAUSE IT HAD STOPPED WORKING AND THEY CHARGED ME AROUND $500. FOUR YEARS LATER, IT MALFUNCTIONED AND THEY DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY BLAME. I TOLD THE DEALER IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. I'VE EMAILED MAZDA'S WEBSITE BUT NO ONE IS RESPONDING. *TR