On early morning start-up, the seat heater was turned on. Within about 1 minute it began to smolder, melting the seat foam cushion and burning a hole in the upholstery fabric and my trousers. Had I not quickly turned off the heater, it may have started a fire. I contacted VW of America. They took my information and repaired it at their expense through my local VW dealership.

- Chelsea, MI, USA

While driving/parking driver's seat heater burned a hole in the seat when in use. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.

- Selden, NY, USA

On March 24, I turned my seat warmer to level 2, all of a sudden I felt a burning sensation. I kept driving thinking maybe I was bit by a bug or something. About a minute later, I saw and smelled alot of smoke. I had to pull over and when I looked down at my seat, it was dark and rainy so I turned on my dome light, there was a dime size hole in my seat. I had turned off the seat warmer when I realized what had happened. I got home and there was a burn on the back of my left leg. We contacted the dealership and they fixed our car in about 10 days. There had been an electrical short and they replalced the seat and fixed the electrical.

- West Linn, OR, USA

This morning, 4/5/05, I turned on my heated leather seats in my 2003 Jetta gls and in a matter of about a minute, I felt something extremely hot on my leg. I immediately lifted myself up from the seat but it was too late. I looked down and there was a hole burnt into my leather seat, smoke coming from the seat and a burn in my pants...not to mention my skin. What I find disturbing is not that it happened but the fact that I took my car in last Thursday and was not told about the problem even though a recall had already been issued. If VW had been proactive, I would not have had this injury and property damage.

- Cumming, GA, USA

While driving consumer had the heater seat on and it burned through consumer's coat and burned her pants. Consumer did not sustain any injury. Manufacturer was contacted, and the part for repair was on order.

- Barberton, OH, USA

2003 Volkswagen Jetta gls velour heated seat malfunction. Burned a hole in car seat, through my coat and scorched my pants. Also burned finger. Volkswagen is fixing the problem and has offered to reimburse for coat and pants. All is done at no charge.

- N. Canton, OH, USA

Noticed the seat wsa hotter than normal a few days before incident. I was on my way to work and I smelled burning, then noticed my leg was hurting, then noticed smoke. I pulled over and jumped out of the car. I patted out the fire/smoke with my hand. There was a burned hole through the leather in the side of my seat. There was also a small burn in my pants and on my upper leg. I immediatly called the dealer. They could take my car that day, they kept it for a day and a half and replaced the heater and cover. I was not pleased with the look of the seat, it is not tight and does not look like the passenger side. I took the car back and they said I needed to wait for the leather to get tighter. It has been two months and it is not any tighter. I am happy they fixed the seat but I would like it to look like it used to.

- Denver, CO, USA

While driving the seat caught on fire. Consumer smelled a burnt odor. The seat became very hot; burning completely through the leather. Also, burning through consumer's jeans. The seat burned consumer's legs and her backside. It wasn't until she got out of the vehicle she could see the smoke coming from under the seat.

- Fredericksburg, VA, USA

2003 VW Jetta wagon heated seats malfunction. Driver received a strong shock from the seat followed by a strong burning odor.

- Eugene, OR, USA

Seat heater in 2003 Volkswagen Jetta shorted out causing small hole to burn in leather seat and inflicting minor pinpointed burn to driver while vehicle was in operation. Seat heat turned off returned vehicle to dealer for repair. To date the parts for repair are not available. Condition is still active if switch is turned on.

- North Charleston, SC, USA

Failure in the driver side heated seat element resulted in a smoking hole burnt through the seat leather. The incident resulted in a small burn to the passenger.

- Tyler, TX, USA

In December of 04 the drivers seat caught on fire in my 2003 Volkswagen Jetta glx. I had the heated seat on when I noticed the seat was getting extremly hot and started smoking. I was on a busy four lane road and unable to pull over at the time. Once I did pull over I jumped out of the car to survey the damage. I had managed to burn the tips of my fingers and my "rear end". VW replaced the seat under warranty after I waited almost a month for the seat to come in. Needless to say I was very irate at the dealership and was told by the service advisor that "I was over reacting". I called vwoa and reported the problem but they too did not seem concerned. I did my own little research and was able to come up with a couple hundred other cases of seats catching on fire in Volkswagen. This is a serious problem and volkwagen doesnt seem to care, someone can get seriously injured if not killed by this problem.

- Bristol , RI, USA

Seat heater on driver's side became very hot in one spot, started to smell and smoke and burned through the seat material, my jacket and to my leg (no burn to skin noted).

- Freeport, ME, USA

While driving the consumer's seat caught fire. The consumer contacted the dealer and took the vehicle in for repair.

- West Lafayette, IN, USA

My Jetta's seat heater has shorted out and burned through the cover. Volkswagens reply is that there are no replacements seat covers anywhere in the country, and that they have no idea when they will get some. I have been in contact with them regularly since mid-December, and the hole with exposed electrical wiring has been there since then. The only response that VW gives, when told about smoke and sparks shooting through the hole burned in their seat, is to shut it off; the smoke should stop. They don't know when new seats covers will arrive, but claim that eventually there will be. The vehicle is leased and under warranty.

- Ogdensburg, NJ, USA

On Monday morning I noticed that my seat warmer was burning the left side of my butt. I didn't notice anything at that time. On Tuesday morning, my seat was smoking and it burned a whole in my leather. When I called the dealership, they told me they had seen a couple of these incidents. Said I would need to bring my car in and leave it or wait 45+ minutes for them to take a look at it. I complained that I can't miss work, and I need a car that I can rely on to get me back and forth. I asked for a loaner for the day, to which they responded no. At this time, nothing has been done, and I am still driving with a defective seat warmer.

- Royal Oak, MI, USA

Drivers side seat heater malfunctioned wile set to level (2) two. Results were burn hole to seat, smoke erupting form seat, burn to driver?S jeans, pain and discomfort to driver this was during normal vehicle operation on public streets.

- O'fallon, IL, USA

Passenger side seat heater malfunctioned. Seat heater turned on to level 3. passenger and driver noticed smell of something burning, then passenger felt pain under left thigh. Turned seat heater off. When stopped, examined seat to discover brown hole in seat where heater had burned through. No repairs have been made yet.

- Saint Louis, MO, USA

Consumer noticed that driver's side seat heater became extremely hot, burning the plastic of the seat. Vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the seat needed to be replaced.

- Spooner, WI, USA

This car is equipped with electric seat heaters. After driving this vehicle for approximately 25 miles, the driver seat heater burnt through the seat, burning my butt. The seat quit burning after turning the heater off. I have spoke to two VW dealers and VW directly and it sounds like this is not an isolated incident by any means.

- Midland, MI, USA