Mazda owners across several states claim defective heated seats caused burns, damaged clothing, and dangerous overheating incidents nationwide.
A growing legal battle in the U.S. is putting Mazda Motor Corporation under pressure after multiple owners accused the company’s heated seats of overheating badly enough to cause burns and damage vehicle interiors.
Several drivers have now joined a class-action lawsuit involving a range of Mazda models, including the Mazda6 , Mazda CX-9 , Mazda CX-30 , Mazda CX-50 , and Mazda CX-5 . According to court filings, the seat-heating systems allegedly operated erratically and reached temperatures high enough to injure occupants or destroy personal belongings.
One plaintiff, Mika Prohaska, said he purchased a 2017 Mazda CX-9 and years later noticed the front passenger seat becoming so hot that it burned through a jacket and left a hole in the seat upholstery itself. Another owner, California resident Patrick Sandoval, claims he suffered skin injuries to his legs and lower body after using the heated seats. Sandoval reportedly has a medical condition that reduces heat sensitivity, making the problem even more serious. He also alleges the overheating aggravated a pre-existing spinal injury.
A third plaintiff, Russell J. Quinn, said he saw smoke coming from beneath the heated passenger seat in his 2016 Mazda CX-9 nearly nine years after buying the SUV. According to the lawsuit, a dealership offered to disconnect the heating system for about $650 instead of repairing the root cause of the failure.
The lawsuit currently includes 2016-2017 CX-9 models, the 2018 Mazda6, 2024 CX-30, 2023 CX-50, and 2023 CX-5. Attorneys involved in the case estimate as many as 301,549 vehicles could potentially be affected. Claimed damages and possible compensation in the case are already reported to exceed $6.7 million.
Plaintiffs argue Mazda was aware of potential risks linked to the heated seats but failed to properly warn customers about the possible danger. The lawsuit also points to earlier complaints involving similar incidents.
This is not the first time Mazda has faced allegations tied to overheated seats. In September 2024, another owner of a 2018 Mazda6 filed suit claiming the defective seat heater caused severe burns and permanent scarring.
For many American drivers, heated seats are viewed as a simple comfort feature during winter months. But in these reported cases, owners claim the systems became hot enough to turn a convenience into a serious safety concer.