I TURNED ON MY IGNITION AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED TO DRIVE. I TRAVELED ABOUT 500 FEET AND STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. I THOUGHT IT WAS MY NEIGHBOR'S FIREPLACE, SO DROVE LESS THAN 1 MILE BEFORE I FELT INTENSE HEAT ON MY LEFT SIDE AND SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE SEAT. UPON EXITING THE CAR, I SAW THAT MY SEAT WAS ON FIRE. I TURNED OFF THE HEATED SEAT BUTTON AND THE SMOKE AND FLAME DISSIPATED AND THEN DROVE RIGHT TO THE DEALER, WHO ACTED LIKE IT WAS NO BIG DEAL WHATSOEVER AND SAID THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN OF THE WIRING AND IS CAUSED FROM WEAR AND TEAR ON THE WIRING FROM GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP, I ENCOUNTERED AN MB S320 OWNER WHO CAME IN AT THE SAME TIME I DID WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY SO THE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE US FOR THE REPAIR BUT WE TOLD HIM TO TALK TO HIS MANAGER BECAUSE WE WERE CALLING THE NEWSPAPERS OR THEY WERE GOING TO COVER IT. THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE HEAT ELEMENT AND THE SEAT BACK BUT REFUSED TO DEAL WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT. THEY HAVE ORDERED THE PART AND ARE SUPPOSED TO CALL US IN 3-4 DAYS WHEN THE PART COMES IN BUT WE'LL SEE IF THAT HAPPENS. THE FIRE ORIGINATED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT. I'M SHOCKED THAT THE DEALER DIDN'T DISABLE THE HEATING MECHANISM BEFORE WE LEFT THE DEALERSHIP. I GOOGLED THIS ISSUE AND THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. I'M NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR, ESPECIALLY WITH MY KIDS AND DOG WHO MAY HAVE TROUBLE ESCAPING A FIRE THAT M