2006 BMW X3: fire, smoke or burning smell

16 of the 143 complaints about the 2006 BMW X3 describe fire, smoke or burning smell.

owner complaints: 16
of this car's complaints: 11%
typical mileage: 118,000
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 17 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Fire, smoke or burning smell by model year

2025
1
2022
7
2021
3
2020
7
2019
2
2018
3
2017
3
2016
5
2015
11
2014
6
2013
15
2012
3
2011
4
2010
1
2009
2
2008
7
2007
16
2006
16
2005
18
2004
10

What owners say

Filed Mar 9, 2022 · Electrical · MI

I can smell a burning smell at times coming out from my blower and the heat and air condition is not functioning properly. Also my rear hatch lights on the interior are always on and when I hit bumps they flash off and on.

Filed Dec 11, 2021 · Electrical, Seats · CO

I turned on my heated seat and within about a minute and a half I smelled a burning smell. Pulled over as I started to feel a burn on my leg because the seat heater has burnt through the leather in my car. This is a known problem at BMW and they have not issued a recall for this.

Filed Dec 17, 2019 · Seats · 144,000 miles · TX

While driving, with driver's heated seat set on high (3 lights for heated seat control), driver noted a burning smell. Driver turned off cabin heat, heated seat and pulled off the road to identify the source of the strong burning smell. Heated seat had burned through the leather seat and the external layer of the driver's down filled wool coat. Vehicle was in motion on a residential street, manual transmission in 3rd gear, straight road. Occurred on 12/16/19. Included 2 pictures of the burnt leather seat and 1 picture of the driver's burnt coat. Seat and coat were burned, no live flame.

Filed Dec 10, 2019 · Seats · MI

Heated seat getting too hot too fast. Burning smell.

Filed Dec 2, 2019 · Seats · 125,000 miles · NH · 1 injury

Within two minutes of driving, on a city street, the car with the heated seats on, I smelled a burning smell and thought it was coming from another car. But the smell got stronger and it didn't smell like a car-related smell. Eventually, the smell got so strong and pungent and I suddenly had a sharp pain on my left hip and I realized it the heated seat was burning me. The pain was so acute I had to lift myself off of the seat, which was dangerous and could've resulted in an accident, and I immediately pulled over and turned off the heated seats. Once I turned the heated seat off the pain and smell dissipated. I got out of the car and there was a clear burn hole both on the seat and on my pants. The smell of burnt fabric lasted in the car for several days and for the rest of the day I experienced sharp pains on my left hip as if it was getting burned again.

Filed Feb 13, 2019 · Seats · 5 miles · WI

Heated seats gets too hot and burnt me on the left butt cheek. Definitely a fire hazard as I could also smell something burning in the car.

Filed May 26, 2017 · Lights · 150,000 miles · AR

Headlight went out, upon inspection by a local independent bmw specialist it was brought to my attention that the rubber insulation on all of the wiring inside my xenon hid is flaking off. I was told those a common issue on most mid 2000s bmws. I was quoted 4000 for replacement of both headlights and they would eventually begin to flake again. With the recent onset of bmws catching on fire I would think this is a possible recall issue.

Filed Jan 30, 2017 · Engine, Seats · 122,000 miles · AK · fire · 1 injury

As I drove home from a long flight home after the holidays, the engine caught fire due to a frozen crank case ventilation system which caused oil to spray out in the engine compartment. I pulled over when I noticed smoke in the passenger compartment and smoke coming out of the hood. I was able to blow out the fire. Temperatures were 5 degrees f that night. The dealer stated there was a "more robust crank case ventilation system" that they would install at my cost. After the week long repair, the dealer brought my car to the front and turned on the seat heaters. I drove about 5 miles before noting a pinching/painful sensation on my left upper thigh. I pulled over to find a burn mark on the leather seat and a burn on my left upper thigh. It appears to be due to a short in the seat heater.

Filed Jan 27, 2017 · Seats · 172,800 miles · MA · fire

Driver seat heater caught on fire this morning dealership said no recall yet million msg boards clearly show faulty issue I have documented over 30 separate cases already since 2009! Smoke filled car burn smell burned hole right thru seat happened in minutes safety issue 100% bmwgallerynorwood said not covered to fix?!?! Have on video&pics glad my 16 year old son was only in driveway when this happened his sweatshirt ruined with burn marks imagine if he was on main rd!!

Filed Jan 12, 2017 · Seats · 78,000 miles · NJ · 1 injury

Heated seat malfunctioned when turned on the seat got so hot it burned the back of my thigh, strong smell of something burning. Turned it off right away. I had just turned th car on it happened within seconds of turning the heated seat button on.

Filed Jan 20, 2016 · Seats · 80,000 miles · AL

I'm filing this complaint on behalf of my wife. She was driving down the highway utilizing the heated seat function of the vehicle today when she smelled burning and the seat became dangerously hot. She pulled over and turned the heating function off which temporarily resolved the the problem. A little research on the internet reveals that this is a common problem with 2006 model bmw x3s. Some cases being so severe that people's seats have burned them and even caught fire. This is extremely dangerous.

Filed Apr 15, 2015 · Seats · 69,000 miles · UT · fire

I was driving and noticed a burning smell. I had my seat heater on and noticed a very, very hot spot on the bottom part of the seat on the left side. I hurried and shut the seat heater off, but noticed burn marks on the leather. The seat would have definitely caught on fire if I hadn't shut off the seat heater.