10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 15
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 3 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 66,054 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
Today, and while driving on a freeway, my car and I almost burned when I turned on the driver seat heater. I started feeling an excessive heat on the left back side. I stoped on the right of the freeway to discover that the seat leather was burned with heating wire, with smoke coming out from the seat. My shirt was damaged with the burn. Searching the web, I found many people complaining about the same issue.
- Murrieta, CA, USA
The front passenger seat will not engage in a location. It slides forward and backward at will when braking or accelerating. I see this as a manufacturing defect. My dealer says I'll need to pay for a complete new seat assembly. All my passengers sit in the rear. Thankfully, they are few. Otherwise I love the car'
- Sears, MI, USA
On April 22, 2017 I pressed the driver side seat warmer button and a few minutes later began to feel burning and smelling smoke. Determined my seat was on fire and depressed the button again and stopped the fire. I was on a city street and able to pull over. I have contacted mbusa.
- Vienna, VA, USA
I press the seat heating button for the driver side while sitting in my driveway about a minute later I smelled something burning I turned vehicle off to investigate. Two days later I notice a hole about the size of a half a dollar in the lower left side of the seat.
- Beaumont, TX, USA
1) car is having recurring issue with seat burning due to seat heater. Dealer corrected issue but issue persists. Not able to turn heater on. Dealer claims issue is fixed but when heat seater is turned on, burning smell and smoke fills car. Advised dealer that car is leaking water in since noticed water on the truck in the rear where the computers are. Once water is in, all sorts of electrical light issues happen with the car. 2) car is having transmission issue. Upon research, it seems ML350 has this recurrent issue. Cannot understand why Benz is not having this recall. Car stops moving in the middle of highway. Cannot get it to run. Have to turn the car off, push it aside and try multiple times for car to move.this is extremely dangerous with kids inside truck since that is the reason why I bought truck for over more than 35 K. dealer claims its a transmission cover valve body but does not guarantee repairs. Dealer states even after this repair, the issue could persist and transmission needs to be replaced which could cost another 4000 usd in addition to 2000 to change plate. It is obvious Mercedes Benz has let us down and also has made it dangerous for us to drive their cars. Please investigate this issue. If you go online, everyone with this truck is having this issue and is shelling dollars out to Mercedes dealers for fixes that are not guaranteed.
- Union, NJ, USA
I was leaving my son's football game and going to the school to pick him up. Its 1.75 miles from field to school. I turned on my drivers seat and before I reached the school, I felt a burning in the lower left side of seat. I reached down to feel what was burning and realized it had burnt a hole in seat and through my coat. I immediately turned off the seat. Upon parking at the school, I got out to look at what had happened. Hole is about the size of a quarter. Car has approximately 93,000 miles.
- Natick, MA, USA
Driving on 295 on New Jersey parkway at 60 mph with seat heater turned on. Seat heater caught on fire and burned a hole, the size of a half dollar in leather seat on the left side of driver seat. The left side of lower back. Smoke came out of the seat and damaged and burned a hole in the leather seat and burned a hole in my coat. Called the dealership same day said there was no recalls. Also engine lights remain on had it fixed once still remains on and brakes lights also going out.
- Burlington , NJ, USA
Wife was idling in car with seat heater turned on. Seat heater caught on fire and burned hole the size of a half dollar in the lower area of the seat in the area of my wife's lower back. Smoke came out of the seat and my wife's coat was damaged. Brought into dealership same day and are waiting for their explanation.
- Winnetka, IL, USA
The driver seat caught on fire due to a malfunctioning seat heater. A whole the size of a dime burned through the seat and the flame burned a hole into the coat of the vehicle's driver.
- Lincoln, NE, USA
As I was traveling in Chicago proper the temperature was approximately 18 degrees outdoors so we turned on the city warmers against the chill... my passenger noted a smell of smoke in the car which at the time I did not... subsequently the smell became more prevalent, the drivers side seat became hot and began to smoke, my clothes caught fire burning wholes in my outer coat, my pullover sweater and my tee shirt finally reaching my flesh... we were able to turn the seat warmer off, I was able to pull the vehicle to the side of the road and get out and remove the clothing that was damaged... a whole about the size of a 1/2 dollar was burned in the leather of the drivers seat...
- Ottawa, IL, USA
The contact owns 2007 Mercedes Benz ML350. The contact stated the seat warmer under the driver's seat had a shortage and burned a hole in the seat. The dealer was notified and stated to bring the vehicle in for inspection. There were no recalls related to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 104,000.
- Omaha, NE, USA
The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes Benz ML350. The contact stated that approximately two minutes after starting the vehicle, burning fumes were emitted into the vehicle. The contact noticed a red glow coming from driver seat, and a hole burnt through the leather seats. The hole was approximately 2-3 inches in diameter. The contact was able to turn off the seat warmer. The contact stated that the fumes triggered an asthma flare and caused a slight burn on the back. The vehicle was taken to dealer for inspection. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The failure and current mileage was 68,000.
- Morgantown , WV, USA
I had seat heat on, I was driving. All of sudden I began smelled burning, I fought it was outside and I opened a window, but then I felt a heat in my left lower back. I pulled over my car. I saw on left side of the driver seat a whole and fire was starting, I hit few times with my hands and put out the glowing fire. I was in panic when it happened.I never think it can happen with Mercedes Benz car. I lost my trust and I am afraid it may happen again.
- Austin, TX, USA
Malfunction in the driver's seat back rest heating system caused melting of the upholstery and of the outer layer of the driver's car coat at the melted seat-back upholstery. No overt fire. Action taken: Switched off seat heat. Bare wires visible inside the seat-back.
- Gates Mills, OH, USA
The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes ML350. While driving with the heated seat function activated, the contact smelled something burning when she noticed that her back had become excessively hot. The heated seat function burned a hole in her shirt from the excessive heat. She let the vehicle cool down before she continued to drive. The dealer advised the contact that the seat warmer malfunctioned. The manufacturer was notified on the contact's behalf. The vehicle was not repaired. The current and the failure mileages were 75,000. The VIN was unavailable.
- Bothell, WA, USA
The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes Benz ML350. The contact was driving approximately 35 mph with the driver's side seat warmer activated when the temperatures became extremely hot. The defect resulted in a burn hole in the cushion and the contact's clothing. The contact sustained minor burns to the back. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who informed the contact that the seat back warmer was faulty and planned to perform further investigations to determine the cause of failure. The manufacturer was notified of the malfunction. The contact referenced a concurrent investigation under NHTSA action number: PE08030 (seats: Front assembly: Seat heater/cooler) however, the investigation was closed September 9, 2008. The approximate failure mileage was 45,000.
- Wilmington, NC, USA
The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes Benz ML350. The contact stated that the front driver side seat heater began smoking and burned through the leather seat. There was no personal injury. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. The manufacturer was not made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.
- Houston, TX, USA
The driver's side heated seat on my 2007 Mercedes ML350 burned through the leather today while driving down the road. First, I smelled something burning and then felt it burn through my shirt and pants in a matter of 10 seconds. I immediate pulled to the shoulder and found the seat smoldering so I turned off the heater and the fire went out. I reported this immediately to Mercedes via their mbrace service and they told me to visit the local dealer.
- Franklin, TN, USA
Hello, today, Sunday December 12, 2010 at 10:15 a.M., while I was driving in my vehicle, I had on the heated seats feature. Myself and others in the car smelled a bad burning smell, so we thought it was coming from outside, until I felt a burning sensation on my left side of my back and saw smoke coming from the side of my seat! the seat was burning and smoking and it burned my sweater that I had on as well. Sincerely, angry Mercedes-Benz owner.
- Woodbridge, VA, USA
- Valley Cottage, NY, USA