WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE OBSERVED SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF DRIVER SEAT. SLOWLY FELT THE HEAT SENSATION GROWING STRONGER IN THE AREA. ALMOST IN A PANIC, AND AT GREAT RISK TO MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD, TRIED TO NAVIGATE THROUGH TRAFFIC ON THE BUSY STREET, TO THE RIGHT HAND TURN LANE, WHILE TRYING TO AVOID WHAT WAS OBVIOUSLY GROWING INTO A FIRE IN THE SEAT. HAD TO AVOID SITTING IN THAT AREA OF THE SEAT, WHILE KEEPING THE SEAT BELT ON IN CASE THERE WAS A CRASH. FINALLY MADE IT TO A PARKING LOT AND JUMPED OUT. THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE LEATHER SEAT THAT WAS SMOLDERING. THE SEAT HEATER HAD BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT. TRIED TO FIND SOMETHING TO DOUSE IT OUT WITH BEFORE IT SPREAD TO OTHER PARTS OF THE SEAT. ALSO, DISCOVERED THAT MY PANTS WERE STILL SMOLDERING ON THE REAR LEFT LEG TOWARDS THE HIP AREA. THERE WERE TWO HOLES BURNED INTO THE PANTS FROM CONTACT WITH THE BURNING SEAT. CALLED THE DEALER AND SCHEDULED A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. CALLED BMW NA, WHO SAID THEY WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY OTHER SUCH INCIDENTS AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE DIAGNOSIS FROM THE DEALER. THEIR ATTITUDE ALSO SEEMED VERY LAISSEZ-FAIRE ABOUT THE WHOLE THING, SEEMINGLY NOT TO CARE SINCE I WASN'T REPORTING ANY INJURIES. JUST THE FACT THAT MY SEAT WAS ON FIRE AND I BARELY AVOIDED GETTING IN A CRASH AND GETTING BURNED, WHILE MY PANTS ACTUALLY DID GET BURNED! MEANWHILE RESEARCHED THE INCIDENT AND FOUND ONE CASE REPORTED ON THIS VERY NHTSA WEBSITE, SEVERAL OTHERS ON THE X5 ON VARIOUS FORUMS AND A DOCUMENTED RECALL ON THE 5 SERIES FOR A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH THE SEAT HEATER. NOW BMW WANTS TO COVER ONLY THE COST OF THE PARTS AND NOT EVEN THE LABOR TO GET IT INSTALLED? FORGET ABOUT MY PANTS, OR THE TIME/EFFORT AND STRESS ALL THIS HAS CAUSED, THAT I DIDN'T EVEN ASK TO BE COMPENSATED FOR. NHTSA - WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THE BMW X5 FOR THIS ISSUE AS YET? IS IT NECESSARY TO WAIT UNTIL SOMEONE IS KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS OR GETS BURNED? *TR
2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE LEASED BRAND NEW 2014 BMW X5 ON 12/09/2013. SUDDENLY AFTER 2 DAYS, IT HAS BROKEN. HEATED STEERING FUNCTION STOPPED WORKING. SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF MY SELLING DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT AND FOUND OUT SOMETHING IS BROKEN AND THE BROKEN PART HAS TO BE REPLACED. THEY SAID IT WOULD BE GOING TO TAKE AT LEAST END OF JANUARY 2014(THIS IS WHAT THEY TOLD VERBALLY). NEITHER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE SELLING DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER, GUARANTEE WHEN IT CAN FIX AND REFUSED TO PROVIDE DOCUMENT EVIDENCE ON THAT. RIGHT NOW 2014 BMW X5S ARE ON THE ROAD WITHOUT HAVING THE REPLACEMENT PARTS TO FIX IN CASE OF ISSUES. IN MY CASE IT IS HEATED STEERING WHEEL, BUT I'M NOT SURE THE ELECTRONICS OF THIS VEHICLE SINCE IT HAS BROKEN SO NEW AND IT IS TAKING LONGER TIME TO FIX WHICH NOBODY KNOWS WHEN. WHAT I BELIEVE IS MANUFACTURERS SHOULD NOT RELEASE THEIR VEHICLES, UNLESS THEY HAVE FULL CONTROL ON THEIR PRODUCTION LINES. ALSO I ASK DOCUMENT EVIDENCE FROM MANUFACTURER AND SELLING DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT, BY CONFIRMING THAT THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE. THEY ARE REFUSING TO PROVIDE SUCH DOCUMENT. I REALLY DOUBT THAT 2014 BMW X5S ARE STILL GOOD ENOUGH TO HIT THE ROAD. BTW, THE VEHICLE IS STILL ON TEMPORARY TAGS. SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS SO NEW WHEN IT BROKE AND THE TIME IT IS GOING TO FIX IT IS A UNCERTAIN, I FEEL REALLY UNSAFE ON THIS VEHICLES APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD INVESTIGATE THIS. THANK YOU. *TR