WHILE DRIVING MY 2007 ML 500 SUV, THE PASSENGER SEAT HEATER MALFUNCTIONED, RESULTING IN AN ELECTRICALLY INDUCED SMOLDERING FIRE. THE HEAT SOURCE BURNED A DIME SIZED HOLE COMPLETELY THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT, SMOKE STARTED TO APPEAR AND MY SKIN STARTED TO BURN RIGHT THROUGH MY CLOTHES. THINKING MY CLOTHES MIGHT BURST INTO FLAMES, I IMMEDIATELY CAME TO A STOP AND SAFELY JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR AND THEN MOMENTS LATER TURNED OFF THE CAR. THANKFULLY MY CLOTHES DID NOT CATCH FIRE AND I WAS NOT IN BUSY TRAFFIC OR THIS MIGHT HAVE ENDED DIFFERENTLY. IF THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH SEAT HEATERS IN OTHER MERCEDES BENZ CARS, THIS MALFUNCTION COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS HARM TO ITS OCCUPANTS AND OTHER DRIVERS. THE CAR DEALERSHIP WILL REPLACE THE PARTS AND REPAIR THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR. *TR