THE HEATED DRIVERS SEAT IN MY 2004 VW PASSAT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED THROUGH MY WIFE'S JEANS. THIS OCCURRED AFTER DRIVING ONLY 1/4 MILE. SHE FELT SOMETHING ON HER LEG AND WHEN SHE LOOKED DOWN THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE SEAT. SHE STOPPED AND GOT THE FIRE OUT, BUT IT HAD BURNED HER(LEFT A RED MARKON HER LEG),HER JEANS AND PUT A HOLE IN THE SEAT. THE LOCAL VW DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY ARE REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE PARTS ON THE DRIVER SEAT. HOWEVER, WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT THE PASSENGER SEAT BEING DEFECTIVE, IT WAS EXPLAINED THAT THEY HAVE ONLY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVER SEAT. I WOULD THINK THAT THEY USED THE SAME MATERIALS IN BOTH SEATS AND THAT THE REASON THERE HAS NOT BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT IS DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT IT IS NOT USED AS MUCH. THE POTENTIAL DANGER IF THIS IS NOT CORRECTED COULD BE SIGNIFICANT. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH VW CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE CONTACTING ME BACK. *NM