NHTSA Complaint #10672660 — 2004 BMW 530I

I WAS DRIVING MY GIRLFRIEND TO WORK WHEN OUT OF NOWHERE I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS COMING FROM MY SURROUNDING AREA, NOT MY CAR. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE NOT THINKING TOO MUCH OF IT. AS I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE SMELL GOT STRONGER. I DECIDED TO PULL OVER AT A CONVENIENCE STORE JUST AS PRECAUTION. WHEN I STEPPED OUT OF THE CAR THERE WAS NO SMELL, I OPEN THE HOOD, EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL AND THERE WAS NO SMELL. I CONCLUDED THAT THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE VENTILATION SYSTEM. I TURN OF THE HEAT, IT WAS VERY COLD THAT MORNING, TURNED OFF THE HEATED SEATS, AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE. TEN MINUTES LATER, I ARRIVED AT MY GIRLFRIEND WORK PLACE, THAT'S WHEN WE REALIZE THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE PASSENGER HEAT. WE WHERE SHOCKED TO SEE THE RIGHT SIDE OF HER SEAT HAD A TWO INCH BURNT MARK IT. WHEN I GOT HOME I DECIDED TO DO AN INTERNET SEARCH ON THAT MATTER, AND FIND OUT THAT'S A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THIS VEHICLE. LUCKY FOR US, MY GIRLFRIEND WAS WEARING JEAN, A COAT, AND HAD HER CELL PHONE IN HER BACK POCKET THAT MORNING. IF THAT WAS NOT THE CASE SOME SERIOUS INJURIOUS COULD HAVE OCCURRED. SHE HAD TO GET RID OF THE HER COAT, JEAN, AND CELL PHONE CASE, BUT THAT'S FAR BETTER THAN GOING TO THE HOSPITAL. I NO LONGER USE THE HEATED SEATS. *TR