Front Seat Heater/cooler problems of the 2001 Volvo S60

My wife drove the 2001 Volvo S60 and noticed a noxious burning smell and immediately drove it home. She thought it was something extremely wrong with the heater. I drove the car 3 days later and after 3 minutes noticed the burning smell as well. I turned off the heater, and the smell continued. I saw some smoke to my left side and noticed the seat had a hole that was melting and burning. I turned off the heated seat and ensured the seat did not burn further.

I activated the driver seat heater component on my 2001 Volvo S60 during a cold morning. Approximately 15 to 20 minutes later, I smelled something burning and felt a burning sensation to my left outer thigh area. I turned the driver seat heater off and the burning stopped. On stopping my vehicle, I examined the seat and found a small hole burned in the seat where I felt the burning sensation. I photographed the burned hole in the leather seat. I researched the internet and found this to have occurred in other Volvo vehicles. I have not used the seat heater for fear that it may cause a fire.