# 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R350 — SEATS
> NHTSA complaint `967687` · 2013-03-11 · Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MERCEDES-BENZ
- **Model:** R350
- **Year:** 2006
- **Manufacturer:** Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
- **Component:** SEATS
- **Miles at failure:** 45,317
- **Speed:** 45 mph
## Narrative
I STARTED MY 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R350 AND ACTIVATED THE DRIVER SEAT WARMER ON HIGH.  AFTER APPROXIMATELY 2.2 MILES INTO MY DRIVE (SPEED 30-45 MPH) MY SEAT FELT VERY HOT ON MY LOWER LEFT SIDE NEAR MY WAIST LINE.  I REACHED BACK WHILE DRIVING TO FEEL HOW HOT THE SEAT WAS AND WAS SURPRISED BY A VERY HOT SENSATION AS THOUGH I HAD TOUCHED A HOT NEEDLE.  AS I CONTINUED TO DRIVE AND PULL MY BODY FORWARD I NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM BEHIND MY LEFT SHOULDER.  I IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER ONTO A LEFT SIDE STREET AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK LEAVING IT RUNNING AND JUMPED OUT OF THE SEAT.  THERE WAS A LARGE HOLE BURNED IN THE LEATHER AND IT WAS STILL SMOKING.  I PATTED THE AREA DOWN WITH MY HAND TO NOTICE A GLOWING ORANGE SPARK AND IT CONTINUED TO SMOKE.  I REACHED IN AND TURNED OFF THE HEATED SEAT BUTTON BY CYCLING IT THOUGH THE 2ND AND 3RD LEVELS.  THE SEAT FINALLY STOPPED SMOKING.  I LET THE HOLE IN THE SEAT COOL DOWN.  CHECKING MY CLOTHING I REALIZED I HAD A HOLE AND SEVERAL MELTED SPOTS ON MY POLYESTER VEST I WAS WEARING.  UPON COMING HOME I NOTICED ALSO A HOLE IN MY LIGHT COTTON SWEATER THAT WAS WORN UNDER THE VEST   TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT I HAD FELT THE SEAT WAS HOT IN THE SAME AREA BUT THOUGHT MY SHIRT AT THE TIME WAS RAISED EXPOSING MY SKIN TO THE SEAT.  *TR
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*