Front Seat Heater/cooler Problems of Volkswagen Jetta - part 2

The contact owns a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that the seat heater burned his body through his pants. The manufacturer stated that they would send an agent to inspect the vehicle and call him back. The failure mileage was 73,000.

See all problems of the 2002 Volkswagen Jetta 🔎.

I smelled a burning or foul-smelling chemical odor after driving for 01 minute and noticed that my seat was so hot that it burned my hand when I touched it. I then smelled smoke and I immediately switched off the driver side seat heater. After stopping, I noticed that the seat appeared burned in a roughly circular patch that looked similar to a cigarette burn. The foul odor has persisted even with the seat heater off after the incident. The incident happened on 16 Dec 2008. This is the first time the incident has occurred.

See all problems of the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta 🔎.

I use my heated seats almost daily in the winter months. I used it this morning for about 20 minutes as I drove from home to the gym, then another 10 minutes as I drove from the gym to the store. When I got into my car after the store, it was still on the same setting (5), I had driven about 50 yards in the parking lot, when I felt a sharp pain in my left upper leg/butt. I moved slightly, then began to smell smoke. I felt around with my hand and felt the "hot" wire and the hole in my seat. It took me a moment to realize what it was, and then I immediately turned down the heated seat to off, thereby preventing further damage and pain. Luckily there was limited damage to my clothing and I was not seriously injured, but had I been driving on the highway, or not been able to figure out what was causing the pain so quickly, there could have been more severe consequences including injury.

See all problems of the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta 🔎.

Shortly after turning the drivers seat heater on, operator smelled something burning and felt her left leg burning. Shut heater off and took to dealer, who acted surprised that we had a problem!! they charged us to look at the seat, claiming the power supply wire under the seat had been pulled apart shorting out the grid wiring. Long story short, they claimed something must have been jammed up under the seat causing the problem. They offered to do the necessary repairs for $630. I thought their answer was creative, but after reading all the other complaints which are virtually identical(quarter sized hole in the seat cover), I'm calling [xxx]. I am disgusted with how vw has responded to all of us. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

While driving with the seat heater on in 2002 vw Jetta the seat heater overheated and burned through the leather seat and burned the driver. Smoke was present in the vehicle.

I turned on the driver's seat heater to 5 (highest setting) on my 2003 vw Jetta tdi when leaving my house at 7 am. I used this regularly to warm the seat for a few minutes on cold mornings, then would turn it off (lower settings never produced noticeable heat). Within one minute I felt a burning/electrical sensation in my upper left thigh. I was driving on a mountain road and the pain made me jump in my seat and nearly lose control of the car. I pulled over and turned off the seat heater (having heard of problems with the heater). The leather seat had a blister about the size of a cigarette burn but had not burned completely through. While I stopped the heater before it burned through the seat (and my pants), the real danger was in a possible accident from the burn/shock that caused me to momentarily lose control of the car. The seat heater is no longer safe to operate. My understanding from reading similar posts here and elsewhere is that the wiring is now broken in the seat (and many have had it break in the same spot). If I had not guessed the source of the problem quickly, or if someone were to unknowingly use the heat setter in the future, it could lead to a serious accident, personal injury, and car fire. Similarly, this poses a serious risk for other drivers of these vehicles who may not be aware of the problem and react too late. I request that the NHTSA urge vw of America to issue a recall on this dangerous and pervasive problem (many reports here and elsewhere, such as tdiclub. Com and vwvortex. Com). Vw has issued a recall on this problem in canada but not in the u. S. They also have a voluntary repair for passats of similar years, but not Jettas or golfs. Thank you.

The heated seats im my 2003 vw Jetta started to catch on fire.

On my 2002 Volkswagen Jetta tdi, the driver side seat heater has burned a hole through the seat padding, seat cover and the jacket I was wearing. I have seen reports of similar issues with the Jettas on various website forums.

Drivers side heat seater failed about 2 months ago. It got hotter than normal when on setting #3, I turned it off, and from that point on it didn't work. Two days ago, I had the drivers side seat heater replaced at the kaiserslautern, germany vw dealership. While driving home from work, the seat became extremely hot while only on setting #2. It was so hot, that I smelled something burning, and could not sit down while driving because of the extreme pain to my buttocks. I reached down with my hand to confirm the heat and also burned my hand. Note that I was only running the seat heater on level 2 of 5 for approximately 5 minutes. Upon inspection of the seat, there is now a hardened plastic feeling area where the leather on the seat was the hottest. Had I not immediately turned off the heater, it is very likely that the entire seat would have caught on flames. Additionally, since this occurred while driving and I was unable to properly sit in the seat, an accident could most certainly have occurred on the spot. I immediately spoke with the dealership and they said they will replace the heater but not the seat. They say the damage to the seat is not extreme enough to replace the entire thing. However, I feel it is their obligation to replace it because the damage was caused by their installation of a factory item that has already failed once.

Had the driver's side heat seater on. Felt a shocking sensation and smelled smoke. Pulled over, turned off heat seater and exited car. There is a hole burned in the seat and it took over 5 minutes for it to stop smoking.

About two months ago I had a dealer replace the switch for the heated seat in my 2004 vw Jetta which had become inoperable. The seat is not used that much, let alone the heated portion. This past Sunday I was driving home with my wife in the passenger seat with the heated seat turned on. After about two minutes my wife noticed what felt like a pinching sensation on her leg. She put her hand under her leg and was quickly burned on her hand, and at that time we could smell something burning. The burning stopped after turning the switch off, but a clear burn mark was left in the seat. I have taken the car to the dealer and was told that they did infact have a recall for the replacement of the switch but not for a short in the seat which is what this was. The total estimate that I have received to repair the seat was about $900.

For two days, I smelled an odor such as a starched iron in my car. I turned the heated seats of for a few days. Today I turned it back on and the smell came back. I took my jacket off and in one part of the seat, my back was burning. The drivers heated seat in my 2000 Volkswagen Jetta burned through into the exterior. The heated seat caused two holes in my seat and a large brown burnt stain. If I had not discovered this, there is a possibility it would create much more damage.

See all problems of the 2000 Volkswagen Jetta 🔎.

Seat warmer on driver's seat in 2004 vw Jetta wagon overheated until it felt like it was going to catch on fire. Velour seats show impression of heating element. I noticed for about a month that it was very hot and the last time I used it I noticed a smell. I turned it off immediately and had it disconnected by a mechanic to prevent a fire.

1. 2003 Jetta wagon passenger heated seat got extremly hot and then quit working.

Driving car, using seat heater, started smelling burning smell. When I was able to stop, the leather seat had burned. I am not sure what would have occurred if I had not turned the seat heater off when I did (fire, burn me). Went to dealer today, they said that there was no recall for my vehicle and I would have to repair myself. I feel this is a safety issue, not a wear and tear issue and vw of America should replace/repair at their cost.

Seat heater in vw Jetta '01 became very hot (like burning cigarette on buttocks) on two different days - and finally stop working. Per the dealer the element did short out - has discolored fabric - and is now being replaced to the tune of $275 -- the cover would cost an extra $350+ which I passed on replacing.

See all problems of the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta 🔎.

Driver's electric seat heater element in 2003 Jetta caught fire burning hole in leather seat and burning driver.

- the contact stated that the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta station wagon, caught on fire. The contact stated that while driving 20-25 mph the driver's side seat caught on fire while the seat heater was operating. The seat sustained a hole the diameter of a pencil. The seat burned passenger buttocks, but didn't catch his clothing on fire.

The driver side seat heater will not turn off. While the knob that controls the seat heater is set at 0 (off), the seat heater remains on. The problem began over a year ago with it just being warm, but it is getting progressively hotter. It is getting so hot that the leather seat is burning and turning black and brown. Vw has had recalls on similar models for the same problem, but will not fix my car under similar recalls.

See all problems of the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta 🔎.

The seat heater in the driver's side of my 2002 Jetta burnt through the seat and my pants. I was still in the parking lot, so no other damage occurred. This could have been very dangerous if my wife or I was driving, or if the seat heater was on while the car warmed up without us in it. I'm pursuing my options with volkwagen at the moment. . . This is the last straw, never buy a vw, especially a Jetta. It has given us problems from the moment we bought it new.

Driver turned on the seat heater on a cold evening after starting the car. The driver-side seat heater begins to overheat and smoke with three minutes. The driver almost hit a parked car while attempting to avoid being burned by the seat. The drivers no longer use the seat heater on the driver side, at a loss of $300.

: the contact stated while driving 35 mph under normal road conditions, the seat heater burned a couple of holes on the seat. The vehicle was not taken to the service dealer. The vehicle was taken to the service dealer on 11/29/06. Updated 12/15/06.

Turned on the seat heater. Seat started to feel quite warm, then I smelled smoke. Promptly turned off seat heater and looked at the seat. When I looked down I saw a small burn hole in the seat. Received a minor burn on my butt. Glad I was not yet on the highway.

2002 Volkswagen Jetta - front seat heaters much much too hot . . . Within 2 minutes of turning them on I could feel a dime size burn on my skin.

Since I have had my Jetta the seat warmers have been hot. I contacted the dealership who advised that is how they work. Since then my seat warmer has burned a hole in the cloth seat and has burned me. It also creates sparks when turned on.

2002 Volkswagen Jetta GLS - drivers side heated seat began to burn and smolder. Volkswagen stated there is an 'open campaign' on this issue and the dealership should correct.

2002 vw Jetta with leather seats - seat heater burned daughter's leg and made burn mark on the seat, smoke, but no fire. Is this a recall?.

The heated seat on the driver side of my 2003 Volkswagen Jetta 4dr sedan burned a hole through the seat and through my wife's jacket.

(2) the seat warmer on the driver's seat failed and burned through the seat covering. The heater left a burn on my pants the size of a dime. This also caused me some discomfort. (3) I contacted vw of America and they instructed me that I would have to bring the car in and have it fixed at my expense. I own a 2000 vw Jetta.

I started noticing a burning smell in the car when I turned on the heated seats and the drivers side seat would get very hot, even when set on a low setting. One day I decided to try it out to see if it was working properly or not and the heat burnt holes through the material covering the seat .

While driving driver smelled and could see smoke and realized drivers seat was on fire. Driver managed to pull over and put out fire on seat. Volkswagen of America did nothing - told owner they had nothing to say. Dealer replaced seat.

The contact owns a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that there was a recall on the heating switch for the seats in her daughter's vehicle. The failure was replaced with a new switch, but the switch failed a few months later. The switch burned through the leather seat and would not shut off. The failure occurred while driving 55 mph. The contact's daughter sustained blisters, a scar, and minor burns. A police report was filed. The purchase date was unknown. The current mileage was 60,000 and failure mileage was 50,000.

I have had this car since 10/31/02. I purchased it new. I bought it for my teenagers to drive as they begin since it is a safe car. Last weekend, (12/17/05) I was personally driving the car, and the seat warmer on the driver's side got so hot that it actually burned a hole in the seat, and the car smelled terrible for several days after. I think that having to fear an electrical fire in my car is outrageous.

1) I'm not exactly sure when the incident occurred, see #2 and you will understand why. 2) today I found that there was some kind of short circuit in the drivers side seat. It left a pea-sized burn in the upholstery. Luckily, I use a small driving pillow for my lower back which bore the brunt of the fire instead of my butt. I had found the pillow was stuck to the seat, and when I pulled it off the burn was revealed. The pillow was damaged. 3) I have done nothing to correct the failure as of yet. I am researching my options to determine if the manufacturer will replace it for me.

I own a 2003 vw Jetta 1. 8t with front heated seats. Drivers side seat caught fire due to a short in the seats heater 2 days ago on 12/13/2005 after the heater was on for less than 2 minutes. Burning a small hole trough the seat to the bottom area of my left side (buttock) I have come to find since this happened, my NHTSA has been investigating 2002, 2003 vw Jettas for seat fires with this exact problem for over a year now. Why, as the original register owner of this model was I not informed of this investigation and the possibility of a fire inside my car, while me, my wife and my 5 year girl are in it! the problem with the above is that it was not a possibility, it just was a matter of time and in my case, the time was December 13th at approximately 7pm at night. This car has been a problem since the first 3,000 miles, with water pumps and door latches, firmware updates, violent shaking of the vehicle in cold weather starts, electrical problems ranging from entirely immobilizing and stranding me to the car partially being immobilized the vw Jetta to automatic transmission shifter issues which include the cars shifter being able to be moved when the key is not even in the ignition to a position in the shifter selector because a cable was never connected to prevent that, that should also be a NHTSA safety issue too on this car. But first I want you for the love of god contact the owners of these cars before real tragedy happens if that all ready has not happened. I have just talked Volkswagen customer care advocate at vw America, they have not warned their customers of this, who will. Again since this has happened I see many people on the internet have experienced the same thing. Please notify the owners first, then contact me second. Please!.