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Thread: Heated seat too hot!!!!!

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    Atlanta,GA
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    10
    My Cars
    BMW 525, BMW Z4

    Heated seat too hot!!!!!

    Turned on the drivers bun warmer the other day and noticed that my right love handle felt like it was on fire. Stopped the car and had a burn area the size of a quarter on my leather seats. What's up with this? Passenger side works fine. Ouch!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    Santa Cruz Mountains
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    '03 M-Sport 540iA
    Short or bad wiring? These seats cost a pretty penny so that is more than a bummer dude! Better disconnect the fuse for the seat heaters or you may find your car "fired" up when you come out of the grocery store...

    '00 540iA Sport w/235k+ Original TCG's, Vanos and transmission.​*Trans failure at 244k+...FS Now

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    ny
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    My Cars
    97 540i6/850R Turbo
    FIRE IT UP! FIRE IT UP!

    Turn the dial down to low heat and see if its super hot.If so,pull fuse.

    Maybe the dial died letting full power goto coils?
    1997 540i/6
    Glacier Green

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
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    Lawrenceville, GA
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    11,851
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    6 BMWs.
    Quote Originally Posted by dannydoo View Post
    FIRE IT UP! FIRE IT UP!

    Turn the dial down to low heat and see if its super hot.If so,pull fuse.

    Maybe the dial died letting full power goto coils?

    He has a 525, which means its a 3 stage switch not a dial like on the early e39s... Odd, this is the 2nd case I've heard of this happening in an e39

    Sometimes glad I don't have heated seats!
    2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Raleigh, North Carolina
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    309
    My Cars
    '04 X5 4.4i, others
    Sometimes glad I don't have heated seats!
    ewww....leather seats without heat....*shiver*

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    Santa Cruz Mountains
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    '03 M-Sport 540iA
    I had the heated seats in my '89 750iL and even on the highest setting, never felt like it was gonna burn me. Somethng else is going on cause it only makes sense that the heating elements are limited as to how hot they can get. No way BMW is gonna let that happen, it's too big a liability.

    My guess is still a bad heating element, bad t-stat (less likely cause it only happened in one spot) and most likely, a short right where it started burning the seat.

    I still miss my heated seats, especially on cold or foggy days and nights...takes the chill right out of you almost instantly!

    '00 540iA Sport w/235k+ Original TCG's, Vanos and transmission.​*Trans failure at 244k+...FS Now

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    NW Indiana
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    12,300
    My Cars
    00' 528i, 11' Legacy
    Hmm... is there any recall info on this???
    UNDER CONSTRUCTION

    - 2000 528i Sport
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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Norwalk, CT
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    624
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    03 540iA
    Me too! My seats get too hot on the lowest setting. I turn it off after it warms things up.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    Cowtown -The Great NW
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    2003 530iA
    It's not only e39's that have burns problems. Something is not right. And yes, I have the 3 led button, and the hottest setting is never too hot (like burning hot). So I guess 12CoolDude is right - might be a bad heating element, bad t-stat or a short.

    And, hey this is my 500 post!!!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Tucson, AZ
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    138
    My Cars
    2001 BMW 540i M-Sport, 1990 VW Corrado G60
    Quote Originally Posted by ncsucarjock88 View Post
    ewww....leather seats without heat....*shiver*
    Depends on where you live. I've never felt the need to use them here in Arizona. In fact, give me A/C'ed seats over heated seats any day


    2001 540i M-Sport

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Denver, Norcal
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    413
    My Cars
    95 M3 Turbo
    I have the same problem on my X5. It started happening last winter where it was getting a little warmer than usual, now it's burning hot. It left a burn mark on the left side of the seat also. I've never had this problem until it started happening last winter and the passenger seat is fine. I think my car hates me.

  12. #12
    Join Date
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    6 BMWs.
    Here's another case of it happening, on the left side of the seat back again, maybe we should look into this??
    http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...ht=heated+seat
    2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
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    East Coast
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    Pull n Release
    There is actually another case i was just reading about last week. Some guy in turkey with his e39 had a hole burned in the same EXACT spot. He took it apart and the element underneath the leather had a short in it. Cant fix it. Disconnect the heating element or get a new seat.

    Another FP5241 Creation
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  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Atlanta,GA
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    10
    My Cars
    BMW 525, BMW Z4
    Thanks for the replays ya'll. Googled recalls and discovered that the 04' 525 was chosen to bring it in for this issue. Can't believe they didn't include other models as well. Will give my service advisor a call in the next day or two to see what they will do. The thing that disturbs me the most is that the heating element burned right through my damn leather seat. Will give you an updated as soon as i have one.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
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    iDunno
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    Dreier Fünfer & Siebener
    Definitely think its a localized short in the element, that blows man.
    Chad

    Not all quotes you see on the internet are genuine. -Abraham Lincoln

  16. #16
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    May 2007
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    2003 530iA
    Post #5 in this link mentions problems in the e46 heated seats. And post #9 seems like BMWNA is willing to help. So I think whoever has this problem should chime in. Maybe it's a problem on e39 that should be fixed with a recall? The 04" models are e60, right?

  17. #17
    Join Date
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    '03 M-Sport 540iA

    Thumbs up

    Quote Originally Posted by Doru View Post
    Post #5 in this link mentions problems in the e46 heated seats. And post #9 seems like BMWNA is willing to help. So I think whoever has this problem should chime in. Maybe it's a problem on e39 that should be fixed with a recall? The 04" models are e60, right?
    Told ya it was most likely a short...

    +1 especially since it's gonna cost BIG BUCKS to replace that sucker! It never hurts to give it a try...if it's an issue with other models, you may be able to get BMWNA to include your case with the others. I'm the second owner of my '00 540i, have over 100k on the clock and they took care of my dead pixel issue for a minimum charge (1-hr labor). It feels like new again. Try it, you might get lucky...OR they're really gonna piss you off but once again, it doesn't hurt to try (not too much).

    '00 540iA Sport w/235k+ Original TCG's, Vanos and transmission.​*Trans failure at 244k+...FS Now

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Waukesha
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    28
    My Cars
    1995 AA stage I C38 SC M3 LTW, E39 525(for winter)

    E39 heated seat fire????

    Has anyone else had the heated seat get so hot it burns their ass? My 2001 525's (my winter car mind you) driver seat gets so f---ing hot it burns! Now today on my way home from my shop. It smelled like something was burning. After stopping to fill it with gas I start it up hit the steering wheel heater and the driver seat switches. Run in pay and get back out and it really smells like something is on fire. I get out and notice the f---in seat is damn near in flames. It was turning red and my seats are black. Any ideas? Other than the thing is malfunctioning.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    NW Indiana
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    00' 528i, 11' Legacy
    Wow, this is the 3rd time this week i've heard of this!!!!
    I've never heard of it untill this week!!!
    UNDER CONSTRUCTION

    - 2000 528i Sport
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    Got any questions about my car? Feel free to PM me!

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    South-End Crew. WA.
    Posts
    117
    My Cars
    E39 528iT 5SPD, and a 89 toyota MoonVan LE 4WD.
    my drivers seat has a hole burned into it about the size of a ball point pen.
    so if we can start a recall I would love it.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    2003 530iA
    Guess we need more "events" like this. Maybe it's the same part (or slightly modified) for all series? Maybe check with the other boards too? Is it only on the 3 stage switch, or is it the dial? Or is it both?

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Waukesha
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    1995 AA stage I C38 SC M3 LTW, E39 525(for winter)

    seats of fire

    I called BMWNA I spoke to Kristen,the # there is 1.800.831.1117 her ext is 6954. I would ask that anyone having this same issue with the E39 call and pose your situation. The more of us that call the better our odds will be. I thought that maybe my situation was just unique. But, now after seeing that someone towed my thread into another one. I see that this is too wide spread to just assume that there isn't a desgin flaw somewhere. Let's pull together and get this resolved. I'd hate to see something tragic happen due to this problem.

    Arthur E. Young Owner/President; Notorious Motorsports Int.

  23. #23
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    2003 530iA
    What do you mean towed? And yes good idea to have all who have problems to chime in. Also, would be good to have this on ALL BOARDS as mentioned above. Maybe it's a design flaw COMMON TO ALL MODELS - reason why it's posted here and there an almost all boards.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    O fallon Illinois
    Posts
    1
    My Cars
    2004 bmw x3

    x3 burnt hole in seat today

    while driving to a friends house this morning, my drivers side heated seat burnt a hole in the leather and in my jeans. i have a small red mark on my *&^!!!
    Has BMW ever done anything about this? I am out of warranty only 7 months, will they pay for this? I have a 2004 X3. If not, I will NOT buy another BMW. I have had the passenger side airbag sensor need replaced as well, it would have cost $1,000 but my service manager went to bat for me, and i got it replaced free. At that time, it was only 3 weeks out of warranty.
    Anybody else having this problem with the seats in their Bimmers?

  25. #25
    Join Date
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    07/85-535i5 01/99-540i6
    BMW problems r so "exotic", every time I read bout a new one my jaw drops like this
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