NHTSA Complaint #10854213 — 2004 BMW 525I

WHILE DRIVING MY 2004 BMW 525I, MY RIGHT HIP STARTED BURNING. FOLLOWED BY AN ODOR. WHEN I PULLED THE CAR OVER, I LOOKED TO MY RIGHT & ON THE BACK PORTION OF THE SEAT I NOTICED A BURN MARK. THE SEAT HEATER GOT SO HOT THAT IT BURNED MY BLOUSE TO THE SEAT. I SENT AN EMAIL TO BMW WHO RESPONDED THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME AFTER ASKING ME TO SEND THEM MY VIN #, ALONG WITH PICTURES OF THE SEAT. I DID SO, AND AS OF TODAY NO ONE HAS GOTTEN IN TOUCH WITH ME. (?) AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR BRAND-NEW IN 2004 THIS SAME SITUATION HAPPENED TO THE PASSENGER SEAT IN 2005-06. THE SEAT LITERALLY CAUGHT ON FIRE WITH MY MOTHER SITTING IN IT. THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN MASSACHUSETTS RESPECTFULLY DID THE RIGHT THING AND REPLACED IT, "IMMEDIATELY" FOR ME. ~ IT IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE, THAT A COMPANY SUCH AS "B-M-W" IS NOT ONLY NOT STANDING BEHIND THIS ONGOING ISSUE, BUT REFUSES TO GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH THE CONSUMERS TO COME TO SOME RESOLUTION OF THEIR INFERIOR & DAMAGED PRODUCT. WHICH AT SOME POINT, WILL CAUSE BODILY HARM AND POSSIBLY GIVE SOMEONE THIRD DEGREE BURNS. MAYBE IT WILL TAKE A SERIOUS INJURY OR DATELINE NBC TO RUN AN UNDERCOVER PROGRAM, BEFORE BMW MANUFACTURERS SMARTEN UP & FIX THIS UNACCEPTABLE ISSUE WITH A FEATURE WE ALL PAID EXTRA TO HAVE... THE COLD WEATHER PACKAGE. ~IN CLOSING; I WAS ONCE TOLD BY OTHER OWNERS I WOULD NEVER GO BACK TO ANY OTHER CAR ONCE I OWNED A BMW. I HONESTLY CAN SAY THIS EXPERIENCE HAS CHANGED MY OPINION OF THAT. BMW CUSTOMER SERVICE IS OUTSTANDING UNTIL THE WARRANTEES ARE GONE AND UNTIL THERE ARE NO MORE RECALLS. AT LEAST AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL. YOU HAVE A BETTER CHANCE GOING BACK INTO THE DEALERSHIP WHO WELCOMES & VALUES YOUR CONTINUED BUSINESS! WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT FROM SUCH A HIGH END MANUFACTURER.