2004 BMW X3 Interior & seats Problems

AIRBAG LAMP REMIANS ON DUE TO FAILED PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY DETECTION MAT. HONOLULU BMW DEALER CLAIMS RECALL 08V384000 WAS PERFORMED JULY 18, 2008- WHICH IS THE EXACT SAME DATE LISTED IN THE RECALL AS BMW'S REPORT DATE TO NHTSA. THE RECALL CAMPAIGN AND PROCEDURE DID NOT GET PUBLISHED OR BEGIN FOR NEARLY A YEAR LATER. THE RECALL CAMPAIGN ASKS THAT A SMALL STICKER BE AFFIXED ADJACENT TO THE VIN TAG- THERE IS NO STICKER, NOR IS THERE EVIDENCE OF A STICKER EVER HAVING BEEN THERE ( I KNOW WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAINTED.

NHTSA ID

11534460

Incident

Jul 24, 2023

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WARMER BURNED SKIN AND SCORCHED LEATHER SEAT COVER WHEN TURNED ON.

NHTSA ID

11153549

Incident

Nov 23, 2018

Mileage

78,000 mi

SEAT HEATER ON DRIVERS SIDE IS BURNING THROUGH. IF LEFT ON IT WOULD BURN THROUGH CLOTHES AND BURN SKIN.

NHTSA ID

11064382

Incident

Jan 23, 2018

Mileage

5 mi

DRIVER'S SEAT HEATING UNIT OVERHEATS WHEN ON HIGH SETTING, TO THE POINT OF BURNING SKIN THROUGH THE SEAT AND CLOTHING. LOWER LEFT LUMBAR AND SEAT BOTTOM APPEAR TO BE IMPACTED. PER SERVICE SHOP, THE SEAT HEATER GRID IS BROKEN, CAUSING 40 DEGREE HIGHER TEMPERATURES THAN NORMAL IN THE LEFT LEG AREA. ONGOING ISSUE, NOT A SINGLE OCCURRENCE.

NHTSA ID

11061525

Incident

Apr 28, 2017

Mileage

116,491 mi

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT AND BURNED THE JACKET WHEN THE SEAT HEATER WAS TURNED ON WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPENED IN THIS CAR. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY, AND THE DEALERSHIP (SILVER SPRING BMW OF MD) REPLACED THE SEAT UNDER WARRANTY. IN THIS CASE GOT LUCKY IT DID NOT CATCH FIRE OR CAUSE ANY INJURY TO US. THIS SITUATION EASILY COULD HAVE ENDED UP IN A CAR FIRE. I WAS STUNNED TO HEAR HOW LITHELY BMW NA APPROACH TOWARDS MY CONCERN WHEN I CALLED TO LODGE A COMPLAINT. AT HIGHWAY SPEED THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL SITUATION DUE TO DISTRACTION THIS BURN CREATED WORST CAR ON FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10937989

Incident

Dec 16, 2016

Mileage

5 mi

I TURNED ON MY SEAT HEATERS TO THE LOWEST SETTING (1OUT OF 3) JUST AS I LEFT WORK. AFTER ABOUT 20 SECONDS AS I DROVE DOWN THE ROAD, I FELT A SHARP BURNING THROUGH MY WOOL JACKET IN MY LEFT THIGH/BUTT AREA. I TURNED IT OFF IMMEDIATELY. WHEN I GOT HOME AND LOOKED AT THE SEAT, IT HAD LEFT A BURN AREA IN THE LEATHER. AFTER LOOKING AT DIFFERENT WEBSITES AND FORUMS ONLINE, IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. HOWEVER, BASED ON OWNER'S COMMENTS, THE DEALERS AREN'T TAKING RESPONSIBILITY.

NHTSA ID

10823182

Incident

Jan 29, 2016

Mileage

86,003 mi

WHILE I DRIVE MY CAR , I TURNED ON MY SEAT HEAT , I START FEELING BURNING PAIN WHILE AM DRIVING ON HIGHWAY , THE SECOND TIME WHEN I FINISHED MY WORK AND I START MY CAR TO HEAD HOME , I START SMELLING BURNING AND MY LEG WAS BURNING SO BAD , I GOT OUT OF THE CAR , AND MY SEAT LEATHER WAS BURNING , I SAW HOLE IN MY SEAT AND THE WIRES INSIDE WAS BURNED AND SMELLED TERRIBLE , THAT IS SAFETY ISSUE , IF IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY , I WOULD GET IN AN ACCIDENT

NHTSA ID

10762727

Incident

Feb 12, 2015

Mileage

156,000 mi

FOR SOME TIME WE HAD TO KEEP THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATER NO HIGHER THAN "1". AT LEVEL 2 & 3 IT BURNED YOU OR FELT LIKE YOU WERE BEING STUCK WITH SOMETHING. ON THE DATE IN QUESTION, I DROVE ABOUT 2 MILES, WENT INTO A STORE, CAME BACK OUT, STARTED THE CAR, TURNED THE HEATER ON AGAIN (LEVEL 2 FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS THEN BACK TO LEVEL 1. I SMELLED A STRONG BURNING ODOR, THEN A SMELL ALMOST LIKE CIGAR SMOKE. THEN IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE HEATER. THE SMELL SUBSIDED WITHIN 3-4 MINUTES. HOWEVER, IT LEFT A BLACK BURN MARK ON THE LEATHER SEAT ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PENCIL ERASER. OBVIOUSLY, CONTINUED USE WILL CAUSE A FULL OUT FIRE RATHER THAN JUST BURNING THE LEATHER. *JS

NHTSA ID

10690316

Incident

Feb 22, 2015

Mileage

144,870 mi

DRIVER SIDE SEAT WARMER WAS SET ON THE MEDIUM SETTING, SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND THEN STARTED TO FEEL PAIN IN MY LEG, BECAUSE THE HEATED SEATS HAD MELTED THE LEATHER AND BURNED MY PANTS AND MY LEG. *TR

NHTSA ID

10684274

Incident

Jan 26, 2015

Mileage

98,000 mi

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER OVERHEATED CAUSING DISCOMFORT TO THE DRIVER'S LEG. TURNING OFF THE HEATER STOPPED THE OVERHEATING. THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE SEAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10682952

Incident

Feb 10, 2015

Mileage

212,000 mi

MARCH 2013 -DRIVER SIDE HEATED SEAT BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. NOW, DECEMBER 2014, DRIVER SIDE HEATED SEAT BECOME TOO HOT TO KEEP ON AND A BURNING SMELL IS VERY NOTICEABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10663386

Incident

Mar 1, 2013

Mileage

72,440 mi

DRIVING ON FREEWAY AND DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER OVERHEATED BURNING SEAT AND CREATING ABUNDANT SMOKE INSIDE CAR'S CABIN. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ON THE FREEWAY AND I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE SEAT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE IF I HADN'T FELT THE BURNING SENSATION EARLY ENOUGH. DEALER STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING AND QUOTED $1200+ REPAIR. RESEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND MANY SIMILAR OCCURRENCES. DECIDED NOT TO REPAIR AND CHANCE THE SAME HAPPENING AGAIN. DISCONNECTED WIRING TO SEAT HEATER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10638266

Incident

Dec 25, 2012

Mileage

80,000 mi

DOOR LOCKS WORK INTERMITTENTLY - KEY FOB AND CENTRAL LOCK BUTTON WORK NORMALLY AT TIMES. OTHER TIMES ALL WILL FAIL, CAUSING ALL DOORS EXCEPT FOR THE DRIVER'S DOOR TO BECOME LOCKED FROM BOTH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, WHEN THIS OCCURS THE KEY FOB AND CENTRAL BUTTON FAIL. THIS CAUSES YOU TO BE LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE IF YOU ARE NOT IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE ONLY KEY FOB BUTTON TO WORK WHEN THIS OCCURS IS THE REAR HATCH. OTHER FAILURES ARE WHEN THE DOORS WILL LOCK WITH THE KEY FOB, BUT ONLY THE DRIVER'S DOOR WILL UNLOCK USING IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10575968

Incident

Sep 1, 2013

Mileage

80,000 mi

APPROXIMATELY 1 YEAR AGO I PURCHASED FOR MY DAUGHTER A 2004 USED BMW X3 2.5I. THE CAR HAS RUN FINE SO FAR BUT IN THE EVENING OF THE 26TH OF JANUARY 2014 SOMETHING VERY DANGEROUS HAPPENED WITH THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT HEATING SYSTEM. SHE WAS DRIVING AND SHE NOTICE A SMELL OF BURNT MATERIAL INSIDE THE CAR, AND LOOKED DOWN TO SEE THAT THE SEAT HEATER HAD BURNED THROUGH THE LEFT BOTTOM SIDE AND HAD SINGED HER PANTS. SHE OF COURSE WAS VERY SCARED AND ALL MOST WENT OUT OF THE ROAD FOR THIS! THERE IS BURNT A HOLE IN THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT AND FOR THE MOMENT I PULLED THE FUSES OF THE SEAT HEATING SYSTEM (FUSES WAS STILL OK AND DID NOT SHUT THE SYSTEM OFF!!). I HAVE BEEN CALLING BMW NORTH AMERICA FOR MORE THAN A MONTH, THEY SENT ME TO A BMW LOCAL DEALER WHERE THEY INSPECT AND MADE PICTURE OF THE SEAT. BMW N.A. ([XXX]) FINALLY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD PAY ONLY 50% OF THE REPAIR COST ($800 MY PART) AND THE OFFER IS VALID ONLY FOR 20 DAYS AFTER THIS THE OFFER WOULD NOT BE VALID ANYMORE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AND SAW IN INTERNET THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR/MODEL. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT BMW NOT ONLY SHOULD REPAIR THE SEAT FOR FREE BUT SHOULD ALSO INITIATE A PROPER RECALL TO AVOID THIS VERY SERIOUS DRIVING SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE HELP. THANK YOU BEST REGARDS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10565390

Incident

Jan 26, 2014

Mileage

148,000 mi

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT ON THE LOW SETTING, I FELT A SUDDEN BURNING SENSATION ON MY BACK OF MY UPPER LEFT THIGH AND SHIFTED SLIGHTLY, PUTTING MY HAND UNDER THE AREA TO SEE WHAT WAS THE MATTER. THE REAR AREA OF THE LEFT SIDE SEAT BOLSTER HAD GOTTEN SO HOT I HAD TO TURN OFF THE SEAT HEATER IMMEDIATELY. I DECIDED NOT TO TURN IT ON AGAIN UNTIL ANOTHER TIME IN LATE MARCH WHEN I AGAIN TURNED ON THE SEAT HEATER. THE SAME SUDDEN FEELING OF "OVERHEATING" WAS IMMEDIATELY FELT IN THE SAME AREA, I TURNED OFF THE SEAT HEATER, AND I HAVEN'T USED IT SINCE THEN. WHEN MY CAR WAS IN FOR SERVICE FOR ANOTHER ISSUE, I MENTIONED IT TO MY SERVICE ADVISOR AND ASKED WHETHER HE KNEW OF OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS OR WHETHER THERE WAS A BMW RECALL FOR THE ISSUE. HE SAID NO TO BOTH QUESTIONS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10549706

Incident

Mar 14, 2013

Mileage

98,621 mi

SHORT CIRCUIT IN HEATING ELEMENT FOR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. SHOCKS OCCUR THROUGH LEATHER WHEN HEATER IS ACTIVE. TURNED OFF HEAT AND DISCONTINUED USE OF HEATING ELEMENT TO AVOID DAMAGE/BURNS. PASSENGER SIDE HEATING ELEMENT IS STILL OK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10515345

Incident

Jun 1, 2010

Mileage

75,000 mi

FELT A BURNING UNDER MY LEG AND SMELLED BURNING PLASTIC. PARKED THE CAR AND MY SCARF WAS MELTED TO THE SEAT AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM IT. PULLED ON MY SCARF TO GET IT OFF AND NOTICED A HOLE BURNT IN THE SEAT FROM THE HEATED SEAT ELEMENT. PARTS OF THE SEAT WERE STUCK TO MY SCARF AND PANTS. MADE SURE THE SEAT STOPPED SMOKING AND WONT USE THE HEATED SEATS ANYMORE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10499588

Incident

Feb 21, 2013

Mileage

145,000 mi

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT OVER HEATS AND BURNS YOUR BUTT AND A HOLE IN THE LEATHER AS WELL AS CLOTHES. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10454473

Incident

Jan 2, 2012

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT WARMER OVERHEATS AND BURNS SEAT AND CAUSES BURNS ON LEGS. DO NOT USE SEAT WARMERS WHEN DRIVING. CALLED BMW, CLAIMED THIS WASN'T AN ISSUE - WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN CUSTOMER SERVICE. *JS

NHTSA ID

10452259

Incident

Dec 28, 2011

Mileage

65,000 mi

DRIVER'S SEAT BACK HEATER GRID SHORTED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE INSULATION AND LEATHER SEAT COVER. IT WAS HOT ENOUGH TO CAUSE PHYSICAL BURNS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10449051

Incident

Jan 27, 2012

Mileage

47,598 mi

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HEATING ELEMENT IS BURNING THROUGH THE SEAT AND BURNING LEG. *TR

NHTSA ID

10447402

Incident

Jan 18, 2012

Mileage

120,000 mi

I HAVE A 2004 BMW THAT HAS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAS A SEAT WARMER THAT BURNS THROUGH THE LEATHER AND SCORCHES THROUGH CLOTHING. THIS IS A DANGER TO ANYONE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH THE SEAT HEATER ACTIVATED. IT HAS CAUSED NEAR MISSES WITH OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WITH BOTH MY WIFE AND I DRIVING. OUR VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I DOUBT IF THE DEALERSHIP WILL REPLACE THE SEAT. THERE ARE SCORCH MARKS ON THE SEAT WHERE IT OVERHEATS AS WELL AS BURN MARKS ON OUR CLOTHES. WE HAVE STOPPED USING THE SEAT HEATER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE TO AVOID ANY FURTHER INCIDENTS. WE HAVE CALLED BMW HEADQUARTERS ON MANY OTHER ISSUES AND THEY REFUSED HELP WITH ANYTHING CONCERNING THIS VEHICLE. THE ISSUE LIST FOR THIS VEHICLE IS A LONG ONE AS YOU MAY KNOW. WE THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP THAT YOU CAN OFFER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10445659

Incident

Mar 3, 2010

Mileage

75,000 mi

I HAD JUST STARTED DRIVING, HAD TURNED THE DRIVER FRONT SEAT HEATER TO LOW, AND ONLY WENT ABOUT HALF A MILE WHEN I FELT A BURNING SENSATION UNDER LEFT BUTTOCK/THIGH AREA. TURNED OFF SEAT HEATER QUICKLY AND PULLED OVER - LEATHER WAS PUCKERED AND DISCOLORED IN ONE CONCENTRATED SPOT. IT IS APPARENT IF IT WAS LEFT ON FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME IT WOULD HAVE BURNED RIGHT THROUGH AND POSSIBLY CAUSED A FIRE OR INJURY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10441082

Incident

Dec 5, 2011

Mileage

70,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN THE MORNING, I HAD THE DRIVER SEAT HEATER ON AND FELT IT GET VERY HOT ON ONE SPOT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SEAT. IT WAS SO HOT THAT IT HURT AND I TURNED IT RIGHT OFF. I NOTICED THIS A WEEK BEFORE ALSO. THE NEXT NIGHT WE WENT OUT AND I LOOKED DOWN AT THE DRIVER SEAT AND THERE WAS AN ACTUAL HOLE THAT WAS BURNED RIGHT THROUGH THE LEATHER! *TR

NHTSA ID

10438500

Incident

Dec 1, 2011

BMW 2004 X3 SEAT HEATER ELEMENT BURNED THROUGH LEATHER CAUSING BURNING AND DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION OR FIRE POSSIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10392308

Incident

Nov 1, 2010