The driver of a 2015 Buick LaCrosse was in for an unwelcome surprise after flipping on his heated seat. Within five minutes of starting the car, owner Wade Kerley noted a burning smell and realized the seat was burning his back.
Kerley exited the car after he reached behind his back and the seat burnt his hand. By this time, a small fire had broken out. Thankfully, he wasn’t seriously injured, but his clothes were singed in the process. The owner beat the fire out and quickly contacted a local dealership and General Motors.
According to the report, both turned Kerley away and cited the warranty’s expiration as their answer.
Following the incident, The Drive reached out to GM for a comment on the situation. GM’s Communications Manager for Cybersecurity and Safety, Tom Wilkinson, responded and said the automaker will look into the seat heater fire. At the time of the report, GM hadn’t examined the 2015 LaCrosse and did not have any more information.
Comments
Hot buns!
He didn’t try using the ventilated seat to cool off? XD
The warranty would not be expired on a 2015. It is a 4 year bumper to bumper warranty. I have a 2014 LaCrosse currently waiting for parts to repair the seat heater for the second time. They short out.
That’s what I was thinking, but he could have been over 50,000 miles. Even if that is the case, it’s a jerk move on Buick’s part to not assist in this situation. This is a chance to build positive PR as a premium brand that cares! Probably cheaper than putting the legal team up against the inevitable lawsuit that will stem from this too. This isn’t something that should ever happen, and isn’t something that should be tied in with mileage like some wear item.
That’s what you call being put in the hot seat. Not funny at all really.
Warning do not try this at home. If you need to cauterize your hemoroids go to a medical professional.
In Buick’s defense the man was naked and covered in vegetable oil.
I’m the guy’s wife whose car this happened to. I laughed at all the jokes, they’re really funny, but I don’t get the “naked and covered in oil” one. But on a serious note…it would be fruitless to sue because the only damage really was to the seat and our insurance company is covering that, with only a $50 copay. Yes, if we were rich, we could drag them through years of litigation with wear and tear on our minds and body. And in the end maybe find out answers to some of our questions like, “why can’t they make seat heaters that don’t malfunction?”, “Is GM too cheap to put better seat heaters in their cars?” , “Does GM put profits above customer safety?” Another car manufacturer. Mercedes-Benz, who has been through a class action lawsuit the past three years for this exact same problem, recently ended up where they agreed to pay for past and future seat heater repairs. My husband and I want GM to take responsibility, so we are trying to get the word out. Hopefully it will put some pressure on them to do something about it before someone’s life is lost.
Today my husbands Buick LaCrosse seat shorted out and burned a hole in the seat back when he started the car! You are not alone, but what do we do?