Photo: BMW
One BMW owner from the UK is kicking up a stink in the media after direct negotiations with BMW regarding a short circuit in the heated seat that burned his butt came to a dead end. He wants compensation and a recall. And a brand new sweater.
The incident occurred on March 5, 61-year-old David Murch tells The Sun. He was sitting in his parked car, with the heat in his seat turned on because it’s “cozy” and he had to wait for his wife to come out of the supermarket. At one point, he felt a burning sensation in his backside, right above the buttock, and he jumped out of the car. The electric element in the seat had burned two holes through the leather and, it turns out, through his sweater, reaching his skin.
He even has the sweater to prove it: at the link are several photos of Murch and the car, along with photos of a sweater with what looks like cigarette burns in the lower part.
The problem is that Murch’s BMW is more than 14 years old and a second-hand car. It’s a 6 Series convertible that he bought used some three years ago and has been using as a daily since. Regardless of how much he paid for it or how old the car is, Murch believes BMW owes him and drivers of similarly old models a recall. They also owe him some form of compensation, at least in the form of a new car seat and a new sweater to replace the one they burned, he tells The Daily Mail.
“The concern is that if one was driving on a motorway, particularly one of these new smart motorways, there is no place to pull in,” Murch says. “If you were wearing synthetic clothes, the fire could accelerate into something much more serious. It could be lethal. Who knows what might happen?”
His argument is that he was lucky because he was sitting in a parked car, so he could just jump out of it, to safety. He believes other drivers might not be as lucky, should this happen to them. BMW should recall older models because they’re a risk, he says. It’s a “moral obligation” to look after all BMW owners, not just those who drive newer models.
In a statement to both media outlets, BMW notes that a diagnosis at the BMW dealership (which they paid for as a courtesy to Murch) revealed a short circuit caused the small fire. “There is no known manufacturing defect and the vehicle warranty does not cover wear and tear, which is the likely cause of this fault due to the age of the vehicle,” the statement says. This being a car that is more than 14 years old, warranty has long expired.
Mr. Murch doesn’t say whether he plans to pursue this further than just trying to pressure BMW by speaking to the media, but he does say he “certainly” expects them to pay. He is also fuming if you're up for a good pun. The burned seat and sweater are not going to replace themselves, you know.
He even has the sweater to prove it: at the link are several photos of Murch and the car, along with photos of a sweater with what looks like cigarette burns in the lower part.
The problem is that Murch’s BMW is more than 14 years old and a second-hand car. It’s a 6 Series convertible that he bought used some three years ago and has been using as a daily since. Regardless of how much he paid for it or how old the car is, Murch believes BMW owes him and drivers of similarly old models a recall. They also owe him some form of compensation, at least in the form of a new car seat and a new sweater to replace the one they burned, he tells The Daily Mail.
“The concern is that if one was driving on a motorway, particularly one of these new smart motorways, there is no place to pull in,” Murch says. “If you were wearing synthetic clothes, the fire could accelerate into something much more serious. It could be lethal. Who knows what might happen?”
His argument is that he was lucky because he was sitting in a parked car, so he could just jump out of it, to safety. He believes other drivers might not be as lucky, should this happen to them. BMW should recall older models because they’re a risk, he says. It’s a “moral obligation” to look after all BMW owners, not just those who drive newer models.
In a statement to both media outlets, BMW notes that a diagnosis at the BMW dealership (which they paid for as a courtesy to Murch) revealed a short circuit caused the small fire. “There is no known manufacturing defect and the vehicle warranty does not cover wear and tear, which is the likely cause of this fault due to the age of the vehicle,” the statement says. This being a car that is more than 14 years old, warranty has long expired.
Mr. Murch doesn’t say whether he plans to pursue this further than just trying to pressure BMW by speaking to the media, but he does say he “certainly” expects them to pay. He is also fuming if you're up for a good pun. The burned seat and sweater are not going to replace themselves, you know.
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