NHTSA Complaint #10836594 — 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT WAGON

MY FRONT DRIVER SEAT WARMER WAS TURNED ON LOW. I COULD FEEL THE SEAT GETTING WARMER AND CHECKED TO BE SURE THE SETTING WAS NOT ON HIGH WHICH IT WASN'T. I THOUGHT MAYBE I WAS BEING SENSITIVE AND STUCK MY MITTEN UNDER MY THIGH. I THEN NOTICED A FUNNY SMELL AND SUDDENLY THINGS GOT VERY HOT AND STARTED TO BURN MY LEG AS I WAS DRIVING. I LOOKED DOWN AND ACTUALLY STARTED TO SEE SMOKE. I WAS NOT ABLE TO JUST PULL OVER BUT QUICKLY TURNED THE SEAT OFF. I PULLED OUT MY MITTEN AND FLEECE WAS ACTUALLY MELTED. I WAS A BLOCK OR TWO FROM WORK AND TRIED TO KEEP FROM SITTING COMPLETELY DOWN AS IT BURNED. I ARRIVED AND JUMPED OUT TO SEE A BLACKENED AREA AND HOLE IN MY SEAT!! THE CAR WAS SMELLING AND I AM STILL IN SHOCK OVER THIS. I HAVE LOOKED AND CAN'T FIND A RECALL ON THE SEAT. THIS IS VERY DISTURBING AND DANGEROUS. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN NO MATTER HOW OLD THE CAR IS.