NHTSA Complaint #11504217 — 2016 FORD MUSTANG

While driving at 65mph with both heated seats on, I noticed a burning smell in the cabin. I assumed this was from an external source, but was prepared to pull over on the highway if I saw smoke, which I did not. The following day, I noticed the heated seats of my vehicle no longer worked, although the lights indicate they were on without any issue (implying power was still being supplied). I searched Google to determine if this is common, and to my disappointment, it seems that a number of ford vehicles fitted with heated seats have suffered the same failure: the power connector to the module controlling seat heating/ventilation had melted. I first checked the 30A fuses in my vehicle to see if they had blown, and confirmed they had not. I safely unplugged the affected cable on my vehicle from the seat, which required pliers because it was melted to the connector, only to confirm that my power connector had melted. I have identified that fixing this issue requires replacing the wiring harness, this can be done at home for $100 but should be done by an auto electrician. Ford appear to be quoting $700-$1100 for the same fix, encouraging individuals to undertake the work themselves without the expertise to do so. Had the scarf that was in my passenger foot well been near the connector, it's entirely plausible that this issue would have caused a fire in my vehicle and put mine and others life at risk while I was driving at highway speeds. I will make my vehicle available for assessment to the manufacturer and interested parties, and keep the cable disconnected until it is replaced. I will not pay for this repair given the issue is something that should not be a problem in the first place, and that is not expected to be part of a vehicles regular maintenance.