# 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — SEATS
> NHTSA complaint `761859` · 2010-02-11 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** VOLKSWAGEN
- **Model:** PASSAT
- **Year:** 2004
- **Manufacturer:** Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- **Component:** SEATS
- **Miles at failure:** 64,000
- **Speed:** 55 mph
## Narrative
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR, A 2004 VW PASSAT GLS, TO WORK IN THE MORNING AND HAD THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER ON.  ABOUT 2 MILES INTO MY DRIVE I COULD SMELL THAT SOMETHING WAS BURNING.  AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING BURNING OUTSIDE, SO I ROLLED THE WINDOWS DOWN TO SEE IF THE OUTSIDE AIR SMELLED OF SMOKE.  THE OUTSIDE AIR DID NOT SMELL OF SMOKE, SO I QUICKLY STARTED THINKING OF WHAT ELSE COULD BE BURNING.  I ALSO HAD THE CABIN AIR HEAT ON, SO I DECIDED TO TURN THAT OFF AND ALSO TURNED MY SEAT HEATER OFF, WHICH IS WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING UP FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT.  I IDENTIFIED THE LOCATION AS THE LEFT PART OF THE SEAT BOTTOM AND SAW THE BURNING AREA, WHICH WAS CLEARLY BEING CAUSE BY A HEATING COMPONENT OF THE SEAT HEATER.  I WAS TRYING TO PUT OUT THE SMOLDERING AND SMOKE WITH MY HANDS.  I COULD TELL THAT MY LEATHER SEATS WERE STILL SMOLDERING/BURNING SO I PUT WATER ON MY HANDS FROM A WATER BOTTLE THAT I HAD NEARBY TO COOL THE LEATHER AND PREVENT FURTHER SPREAD OF THE SMOLDERING.  NOTE THAT THIS WAS ALL WITHIN APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS, AND I WAS DRIVING.  THIS IS A HUGE HAZARD FOR WHICH VW SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. *TR
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*