Component

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

1,222 NHTSA complaints about seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler issues across 36 makes and 256 models.

Data updated August 2026. Counts render from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation standardized component field; severity flags cross-reference NHTSA ODI complaint flags for owner-reported crash, fire, and injury markers. This page is for informational purposes and does not replace NHTSA recall notices or a vehicle-specific inspection. Methodology · Corrections.

NHTSA ODI component intake brief

ODI category SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER

1,222 filings · 256 models · 36 makes · vintage August 2026

  • FILINGS MODERATE 1,222 ODI rows
  • MODELS 256 nameplates citing this part
  • MAKES 36 manufacturers in corpus
  • CRASH 0.2% 3 crash-flagged
  • RANK #139 of 696 categories
  • SEV INJURY 1 deaths · 281 injuries
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER (this)SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HE…1,222BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKINGBACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVI…1,215SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGESSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PE…1,243SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK1,163
ODI filing volume neighbourhood: SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER vs nearest complaint-total peers

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER sits MODERATE on ODI intake volume (#139 of 696 standardized categories) with a INJURY severity stamp (1 reported fatalities across 256 models). Open Volkswagen Jetta (category leader) →

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER filing-volume reading

The standout signal for seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler is ODI intake volume: 1,222 filings (MODERATE band · #139 of 696 standardized categories) across 256 nameplates. Crash-flag share is 0.2%.

Moderate-volume categories still show a fingerprint in the model table below, cross-check each nameplate's recall and investigation history before inferring a defect pattern.

Next step: compare Volkswagen Jetta against BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING on filing totals before treating seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler volume as a purchase signal.

1,222
Complaints
256
Models Affected
3
Crashes
526
Fires
1
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 Volkswagen Jetta
184
2 Volkswagen Passat
126
3 Jeep Grand Cherokee
123
4 Chrysler Town AND Country
70
5 Volvo 850
26
6 Chevrolet Impala
17
7 BMW X3
16
8 Cadillac Escalade
15
9 Cadillac Catera
14
10 Buick Regal
14
11 Mercedes-Benz Ml350
13
12 Chevrolet Tahoe
13
13 Dodge Dakota
12
14 Audi A4
12
15 Ford Explorer
11
16 BMW X5
11
17 Mercedes-Benz E350
10
18 Chrysler Sebring
10
19 Buick Lesabre
10
20 Mercedes-Benz Ml320
9
21 Honda Pilot
9
22 Dodge Durango
9
23 Chevrolet Malibu
9
24 Cadillac Deville
8
25 Toyota Camry
7
26 Pontiac Grand Prix
7
27 Mercedes-Benz Gl450
7
28 Chevrolet Trailblazer
7
29 BMW 530i
7
30 Oldsmobile Silhouette
6

Recent Complaints

2020 Toyota Tundra Fire

The contact owns a 2020 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact discovered that there was smoke inside the vehicle. The contact opened the front passenger side

2020 Dodge Durango Fire

The contact owns a 2020 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that moments after starting the vehicle and while driving approximately 55 MPH, the contact suddenly felt a sharp burning pain in the buttocks

2016 Mazda Mazda6

The contact owns a 2016 Mazda Mazda6. The contact stated that after her husband had driven for approximately 2 hours with the seat heater activated, the passenger’s side seat overheated, and the seat

2017 Toyota Tacoma

The contact owns a 2017 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, it was discovered that the front driver’s side heated seat was inoperable, and the seat was not heated while

2003 Ford Explorer

The contact rented a 2003 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed with the seat warmer activated, after arriving at a Rest Stop and exiting the vehicle, the contac

2015 Ford F-150

The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the front passenger's side and seat heater and cooler were inoperable. The contact stated that upon inspecting underneath the passenger's si

2015 Ford F-350

The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-350. The contact stated that the front passenger’s seat warmer was overheating and emitting a burning odor and smoke. The contact pulled over and noticed that the smoke

2019 Nissan Altima Fire

The contact owns a 2019 Nissan Altima. The contact stated her son was driving on the highway at 70 MPH, when an abnormal smell of garbage was followed by smoke being emitted from a hole in the rear si

2011 Nissan Armada

The contact owns a 2011 Nissan Armada. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that one day, upon exitin

2007 Mercedes-Benz Gl450

The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, he felt a sharp pinch coming from the driver’s side seat. Upon further inspe

2015 KIA Optima

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while attempting to activate the defroster, the defroster failed to active to defrost the windshield. The contact stated that on a separate

2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The contact owns a 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that after driving for approximately 9 straight hours, the contact had turned on the driver-side seat warming feature. The contact then

2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The contact owns a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that upon returning to the vehicle, the contact’s daughter noticed that the front driver's side seat was smoldering. The contact stated

2000 Volkswagen Jetta

The contact owns a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated that while driving with the front driver’s side seat heater activated, the seat became extremely hot. The contact started smelling a burnin

2017 Ford Escape

Turned the heated seat on (driver side seat). After a little while the seat felt too hot so I thought maybe my jacket was positioned strange on my back. I readjusted my jacket and turned the seat down

2012 Mercedes-Benz Gl350

The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz GLK350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front driver's seat was excessively hot while using the heated seat feature. The contac

2013 KIA Optima

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the driver's side seat heater was overheating. The contact stated that he attempted to set the heater to the lowest setting

2004 Lexus Gx470

The contact owns a 2004 Lexus GX470. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the driver’s side seat heater was activated on the high setting. The contact stated that the following

2013 Honda Accord

The contact owns a 2013 Honda Accord. The contact stated that after parking and returning to the vehicle 30-minutes later, there was an abnormal burning odor inside the cabin of vehicle. The contact d

2016 Ford Explorer

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that after noticing that the seat heaters were inoperable, he saw that the heated seat module connector had melted. The contact also stated th

Verify with NHTSA · consumer-reported counts are not verified defect findings.