Z06KLR

It's a normal Sunday, driving with my girl to the shore for a spur of the moment daytrip in my 05 SL55. The top is down, we're cruising on the AC Expressway with the windows up. I start to smell a short... That obvious, gut wrenching smell that only the combination of melting rubber and plastic can produce.

After a few miles of looking around me, hoping it's somebody's POS car in a nearby lane. Surely, it's not my Mercedes-Benz... well I noticed a discoloration in the center of my driver's seat and I quickly turned off the seat heater. I look at my khaki shorts and sure enough, there are brown dots in the same pattern as my PERFORATED LEATHER AMG SEAT. My freaking seat heater shorted and almost burned my nuts off.

WTF IS THAT **** MBUSA?

kustom2k1

Dude you got the optional George Foreman grill seats.

Unreal, find out if MB ever issued a recall.

Thericker

Slap some Grill Cheese on their...

AMG X

Damn, that's gonna make me think twice the next time I want to use my seat heater.

When I first opened the thread I was expecting to read that your seats somehow managed to stick out something sharp like a blade lol.

Z06KLR

Instead, it decideded to cauterize me. WTF? Are there any MBUSA reps onboard?

Also,

Is this a good time to possibly convert my seat to a heated/ cooled seat?

alx

what would you like a rep to do?

your car is out of warranty (i assume).

if your engine is to fall off your car - it is your problem more or less.

count your blessings (or curse) that you seat did not catch fire and you lost the whole car.

Z06KLR

I want them to replace the seat.

It is not a wear item. It is a seat. It's job is to sit there.

alx

in my mind the heating element is no different than the motor that moves the seat back and forth. yet, if that one breaks mb will not fix it for you outside of the warranty period.

so... i know you dont want to hear that, but i think you are reaching.

btw, a new seat cover is about $1000. the heating element - i have no idea. seats are a ***** to deal with so figure a few hours for labor too...

B R

I had my seat cooler on yesterday, & aside from the noise it makes, I couldn't tell it was doing anything. They are pretty weak, maybe it works better if driving naked .

AMG X

I hate to say this, but alx is right... chances are very slim that they will do anything out of warranty, at best a goodwill discount if you're lucky. It doesn't hurt to try though.

Best bet would be to get the leather reconditioned at that spot by a pro and then get the system looked at to see what part of it shorted.

C280 Sport

Very sorry to hear about this. I have been around Mercedes my whole life and never ever herd of this issue on their cars. Be thankful you did not hurt yourself or something along those lines. Only time I have seen this on any car was just one time on a Honda Pilot. amg x and alx are right. Chances are you may be on your own with this one.

IngenereAMG

Weren't the Germans all about eugenics during WW2? They made a special seat heater for you!

All kidding aside... I'm glad you are OK, but since you are out of warranty MB will probably not do anything.

Z06KLR

I agree with all of you. Just wishful thinking I suppose. Maybe turn this into a PR nightmare for MB. Fox News will be all over this. The thing is that it has happened with much newer MBs and with less aware drivers (see: women) causing bodily injury and much more damage to the vehicle.

Thankfully, I was able to notice the issue and shut it off before any significant damage could occur.

DigitalKnight

Hey wait a minute!!! I have a 05 SL55!!!!!! Let me know if you find out about any recalls!!!!

Z06KLR

We should meet up when I get it back from the dealer.

55slamg

Yikes! How long did you have your heat going for? One heat cycle? Multiple cycle's? too many cycles would explain it, which overheated the element and caused it to breakdown and short.

Getting it fixed will cost a small fortune for sure, mine get warm, but not that hot. The cooling even sucks, hell the whole seat sucks as the pulse feature's don't work either. These seats are high priced, highly over rated and over engineered. IMHO, all of us 2005 owners need to find a cheap sl55 that we can purchase, strip it and part it out to each other. Screw the stealer

Z06KLR

Too many cycles would explain it ? I wholeheartedly disagree.

It's a heating element. It's sole purpose in life is to heat up. It doesn't cool, change shape, raise or lower. The seat heater itself is a modified short.

Does anyone know if the W211 seat heater is the same? The buttons are the same.

There is no way the dealer will cover this but perhaps they can confirm which parts need to be replaced.

I can only look at this as an opportunity to replace both seat inserts with a diamond stitch pattern and possibly the cooled option. So screw it, I'm going to make the best of this situation, but to consider this as a normal operation of the seat heater, when i can clearly see a short and smolder through the seat perforations, is absurd.

55slamg

Yes you can disagree, it is a "steel wire" heating element, also consider it is also an old one. Heating elements break down after years of use basically cook themselves and breaking down the "wire element" over time and eventually break and short.

You never answered, how many heat cycles did you run it through? The seat heating system is not designed for keeping your *** warm on a continuous basis for hours. Thats why they auto shut off. If they don't shut off, well.... you just experienced what happens.

Z06KLR

My Corvette seat heater would keep my *** warm for days. My buddy's Acura TSX doesn't have an auto off function on his seat heaters. It is literally a toggle switch.

Heated blankets stay on all night...

To answer your question, I believe I had it on the low setting after the car being turned off for 45 minutes. Should have been high heat to auto low. First cycle.

Z06KLR

Umm... I have some unexpected news.

My Dealer (witheld until repairs are complete) is going to replace the heating element, leather area and the cusion at no charge. I didn't complain, I didn't raise hell. I simply explained what had happened and they said they would take care of it.

They are keeping the car overnight and I should have it back by tomorrow.

All I can say is I'm blown away. I am completely surprised and at a loss.

This dealer will be getting all of my business for as long as I buy Mercedes Benz and am in the area. This one act has completely renewed my confidence in the brand.

55slamg

My 2009 MKX Lincoln works very well also. Only stays on for a short period of time. Extended operating time wasn't the issue for the element to fail. IMHO these seats are a crap shoot, people on this board have mentioned that they have had no issues, others have every possible issue that could occur. For example my pulse function on both seats doesn't work, people say it's a pinched air hose, if so, thats a design flaw if it is happening to many cars. MB should honour and repair these design defects, damn it's suppose to be a highly engineered car, isn't it? I'm also caught up in the excuse here in Canada, they tell me at the dealer here that the car is from the USA, you need to take it to a dealer there. WTF is that all about? The cars are imported from Germany to both USA and Canada. Figure that one out. Anyways let us know how you make out at MB, were all interested what they will say is the cause was and the cost to repair. Very Best and keep in mind that stomping your feet and being loud in the service/sales room does earn you a bit of a discount. Especially if there is potential buyers in the showroom.

55slamg

Good to hear the dealer is taking care of it. It took me 3 dealerships to find one that had some compassion for the owner.

kustom2k1

Its a premium car that nearly set your **** on fire. Least they could do.

alx

you must have been drugged and given a bj to the sa and you just have no recollection of that. the only logical explanation.

seriously- i would have bet money that the repair would have been out of your pocket.

very surprising

Z06KLR

If you were an SA seeing an independent 26 year old walk through your door, not knowing he owns a business in the area, but driving an SL...You might want to start a relationship with him.

Well, they have just aquired a customer for life.