2007 BMW X3 SAV: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Feb 13, 2017 · Seats · 79,113 miles · NV · 1 injury

2007 bmw x3 with just under 80,000 miles. The driver side seat bottom burned through the upholstery and burned the thigh of the driver while the seat heater was in use approximately five minutes into the drive on paved city streets. It was immediately turned off before the upholstery actually caught fire.

Filed Nov 15, 2016 · Electrical, Seats · 105,000 miles · CT

In cool climate on november 1, 2016. Turn on my heat seat, then I smelled something burned, then I felt sharp burn on left butt cheek. Then I knew something wrong with heat I turned off, , on november 7, 2016, I tried again,,, burning smell is so bad, the heat still burned almost through out side layer of seat

Filed Oct 28, 2016 · Seats · 111,000 miles · NY

Heated drivers seat started to burn me left side of seat. Burning smell. I shut it off, but it looks like it would have continued to burn through seat if I had not. Can feel the wire through the leather seat. Called bmw and they said they would "help" with the cost of repair, but I have to pay a diagnostic fee first. Will take this to me regular mechanic first.

Filed Mar 29, 2016 · Seats · 85,000 miles · TN

My drivers side seat has many times started over heating and you can smell the electrical burning. Gets real hot. I have had to turn it off it gets so hot and I always am looking for electrical fire when I smell it. Its real strong. This is dangerous, could start a fire while my car is warming up in the snowy winters. What if this caught fire under me and burnt my legs or body before I could get pulled over. Regardless its faulty and dangerous.

Filed Jan 24, 2016 · Electrical, Seats · 147,000 miles · TX · fire · 1 injury

Due to cold weather, engaged the driver side seat heater. Noticed a sharp pain in my leg and then began to smell and see smoke. Fortuneatly, I was quickly able to realize the seat heater appeared to have a short in it, and turned off before burning through the leather and setting my cloths on fire. I will be contacting my local bmw dealership to see what, if anything they are will to do. I feel there should be a recall before someone is seriuosly hurt or killed. The engine was idling when seat heater was on. I was backing out of driveway and driving down street when I noticed. If I would have had seat heater on and then stepped away from vehicle as it was warmimg up, I am confident the driver seat would have caught on fire or at least severly damaged it.

Filed Dec 16, 2015 · Electrical, Seats · 125,000 miles · OK · 1 injury

The car is equipped with seat heaters. One of the heating elements failed, overheated and burned through the seat surface. In doing research, this appears to be a problem with the vehicles. Bmw did do a recall on the x5, but does not show a recall on the x3. On various sites, this issue has occurred many times with owners, some with the vehicle catching on fire. I found complaints on the following sites; carcomplaints.com, bimmerfest.com and arfc.org. Just on carcomplaints, this complaint is shown 23 times; madbury, nh, portland, or, westfield, in, derwood, md, tampa, fl, annapolis, md, louisville, ky, bergenfield, nj, holderness, nh, liberty township, oh, laurel, md, novi, mi, cromwell, ct, prairie village, ks, hillsborough, nc, daly city, ca, alexandria, va, saginaw, tx, bethesda. Md, pittsburg, pa, selah, wa. Same issue with each. Bmw of north america was contacted and their response was "it's a part of wear and tear....no offer to assist" from bmw na. Yet, the issue has continued to arise and bmw na did replace the heater element and seat surface in some instances, making the replacement a matter of preference or discrimination, or dealer's opinion of the car owner versus correcting the manufacturing/design defect problem. I would request the assistance of the federal safety agency to review this matter and protect the public from hazardous over-heating/ fire threats. I was fortunate to have been just getting into the vehicle and smell the burning leather and turned off the seat heating system before a fire could occur.

Filed Mar 21, 2015 · Seats · 44,410 miles · NH · fire

While idling for less than five minutes with the seat heat turned on, I smelled smoke but wasn't sure where it was coming from and ignored it. After driving home I found that there was a hole burned through the leather driver's seat and an exposed wire was showing through the hole. Luckily my jacket didn't catch on fire. The outside temperature was in the mid 20s at the time.

Filed Jan 21, 2015 · Electrical, Seats · 68,000 miles · OR · 1 injury

While driving smelled something burning and also realized my upper leg was in pain. Turned off the seat warmer and investigated after reaching my destination. There was a scorch mark in the seat near the bottom left bolster. Lucky this didn't cause a fire or bodily injury.

Filed Jan 4, 2015 · Seats · 73,000 miles · MD · fire · 1 injury

Driver side heated seat switch was turned on while driving. Few minutes after switch turned-on, burning smell was felt inside the car. Stopped the car and checked the engine (first guess). It was not from the engine. Sat on the seat and then realized the fume was coming from the seat. The driver seat was burned, my pant bottom was burned and my butt was also burned (not serious).

Filed Dec 22, 2014 · Seats · 73,000 miles · VA · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2007 bmw x3. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 5 MPH with the driver side heated seat activated, the driver seat caught fire. The contact sustained a burn injury that did not require medical attention. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.

Filed May 25, 2013 · Seats · 111,000 miles · NH · fire · 1 injury

Heated seat was on "medium" setting, within one minute I noticed a burning smell then felt pain in left leg. Heated seat element burned through seat material and burned pants! No real injury but seat was hot enough to burn through the leather and my pants. Seems extremely dangerous.

Filed Mar 24, 2013 · Electrical, Seats · 78,653 miles · OH

Driving vehicle noticed a burning smell, at first thought it was coming from outside of car, then while in heavy traffic and unable to pull over felt a burning pain on thigh. Immediately turned off seat warmer and tried to pull over. Found that drivers side seat warmer had burnt a hole thru the leather seat cover and burned my pants. This could have very easily caused a wreck!