# 2008 MAZDA MAZDA6 — SEATS
> NHTSA complaint `1245528` · 2015-12-15 · Mazda Motor Corp.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MAZDA
- **Model:** MAZDA6
- **Year:** 2008
- **Manufacturer:** Mazda Motor Corp.
- **Component:** SEATS
- **Miles at failure:** 87,000
- **Speed:** 70 mph
## Narrative
DECEMBER 14, 2015 AROUND 6:40PM I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON HIGHWAY 275E AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH APPROACHING THE 71N EXIT RAMP . CAR AND DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER HAD BEEN RUNNING ABOUT 8 - 10 MINUTES.  I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL.  I WAS WEARING JEANS.  WHEN LOOKING AROUND TO FIGURE OUT WHERE SMELL WAS COMING FROM, MY LEFT LEG CAME IN CONTACT WITH SEAT, I FELT A "BITE" SENSATION ON THE BACK OF MY LEG - IMMEDIATELY I THOUGHT PERHAPS MY SEAT WAS WAS ON FIRE.  I DIDN'T SEE ANY ACTUALLY FLAMES, SO I TURNED OFF SEAT HEATER, AND OPENED THE WINDOWS - HOPING TO COOL OFF THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR TO PREVENT ANY SMOLDERING IN THE SEAT TO ADVANCE TO A FIRE (SOUNDS A STUPID NOW, BUT AT THE TIME IT SEEMED TO MAKE SENSE).  CONTINUE DRIVING WITH ONE HAND, WINDOWS DOWN, AND FANNING SEAT WITH THE OTHER.  WITH THE WINDOWS DOWN, THE SMOKE/BURNING SMELL DISSIPATED. BY THE TIME I GOT HOME (ABOUT ANOTHER 10-15 MINUTE DRIVE FROM THE INITIAL OCCURRENCE), THE SEAT HAD COOLED.  I OBSERVED A BURN SPOT ON DRIVER'S SEAT WHERE I FELT THE "BITE" ON THE BACK OF MY LEG.  I ALSO THOUGHT MY JEANS WERE BURNT; HOWEVER, THAT TURNED OUT TO BE TRANSFER FROM THE BURNT MATERIAL FROM THE SEAT - I WAS ABLE TO SCRATCH MOST OF IT OFF WITH FINGERNAIL.  ALSO, MY SKIN WAS NOT INJURED.  I WILL BE CONTACTING MY LOCAL MAZDA DEALERSHIP TODAY.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*