DETROIT - Federal safety officials are investigating a Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle after getting three complaints that the driver's side seat warmers can overheat, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday.
The investigation involves ML320 SUVs from the 2003 model year, NHTSA said. In one case, a driver allegedly sustained second-degree burns. NHTSA said the seat covers also may burn.
A Mercedes spokesman did not immediately return a call for comment Monday.
NHTSA also is investigating several models of minivans from Mercedes' parent company, DaimlerChrysler AG. Consumers reported that the headlights may flicker and go off while the minivans are moving, NHTSA said.
The investigation involves Dodge Caravan and Grand Caravan, Plymouth Voyager and Chrysler Town and Country minivans from the 2001 and 2002 model years.
Chrysler spokesman Max Gates said there are around 744,000 minivans from those model years on the road. He said the company is working with the NHTSA.
NHTSA investigations can lead to vehicle recalls.
Did you guys read this??? I know a few members here got burns from their heated seats... I know in my 430 I have to turn the heater switch off within a few minutes of activation because it heats up the seats a little too much to feel uncomfortable... Hope they do a recall to fix this....
Whoa?! first I've heard of this, I remember someone posted a complaint about heated seats running
...too hot on <a href="http://www.benzworld.org/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1194077&posts=6&hl=heated+seats" target="_blank">an ML350</a>. Weird but my heated seats work completely the opposite. So this is the first I heard of it "officially" as a problem.
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2005 C320 4MATIC | 2003 ML350 Inspiration Edition | 2001 Audi S4 Avant (Blk) - Stage II | 2001 Audi S4 Avant (Nogaro Blue) - Stage I | 2000 Audi S4 Sedan (Silver)
My ML 430 doesn't heat up that much at all. I usually have to press it again for to warm to the point that I can actually feel the heat. I will be taking it to the dealer to have it checked out.
My ML430 also does not heat up as warm I think it should. It basically just makes the seat comfortable but it takes a long time. I mentioned to dealer before warranty expired and they said they are working. I don't think they a method of measuring proper heat output whether it be too much or little.
It seems like they have defective heating grids. If parts of the grid break clean, it won't generate enough heat. If it breaks and creates a short, you'll get too much.
The heated seats on my '01 ML320 broke down after about 2 years... took it to the dealer, they had to replace the entire seating pad, SA said that it was the only way it could be done... ended up having different textured seating pads... then about 1 year later, the screw holding the side plastic piece (the piece that houses the memory buttons, if equiped) fell out and the dealer said they didnt have anything to do with it??!!???
I have a question - I also have a 2003 C240, equipped with heated seats too... why does the entire seat heat up (back area too)for that car, as opposed to the ML320 in which only the seating pad heats up?
MB has changed the seat heater function. Probably happend around '02.[?] I had one go defective on my '01 and the burn really hurt[:O] Not serious, but enough to go through the trouble of getting it replaced. MB replaced both sides (for some reason?)and now neither seat gets any where near as hot as they did originally. The heat used to go right up the back, it felt good. Now I can just notice it, but it doesn't burn any more.
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