Couldn't decide which area of the forums would be best to post this but maybe this will get some attention.
Last week, my 91 RS lit up under the drivers seat. Apparently there was a short in either the wires or the seatbelt sensor that caught the seat on fire. As soon as the burns on my hands heal enough to investigate further I will do a follow-up.
Has anyone else either experienced or heard of this happening? Let me tell you, it was a pretty spooky experience! I had 6 gallons of mower gas in the well under the hatch and was pulling away from the gas pumps when I noticed smoke coming from under the seat. I pulled over and got out and saw the fire under the seat on the carpet. I had a grease rag in the floorboard and proceeded to put the fire out. While doing this, melted foam was dripping on the back of my hand. The foam was on fire under the seat so I had to turn my hand over and run it through the melted foam to get to the underside of the seat. Got it put out but it cost me some nasty 2nd degree burns on my hands. Cut the damaged area of the wires with a pair of linemans pliers and drove it home. The fuse didn't blow before the fire was already started. This car is not equipped with power seats so I am assuming the problem was in the Seat Sensor Switch that sets off the seatbelt reminder.
If the windows had been rolled down, this would have been more serious. I wouldn't have seen the smoke as soon, plus, more air blowing around the inside would have really fanned it. Needless to say, I WILL be carrying a fire extinguisher from now on and will be hesitant to own anything with power seats. Everything else I own will have this wire unplugged, I can buckle up without a buzzer or light flashing.