I just purchased a 2018 XE-S in March. After sitting at idle in a parking lot, something exploded from under the drivers seat. A grey gaseous mist exhausted from under the seat with a horrible smell. I had to drive it with the windows down for several days until i could bring it into the dealer. They checked everything and couldn't find a problem. The A/C and lumbar system in the seat seem to work fine. I'm baffled as to what happened and where it came from. I checked everywhere online and can't find any related complaints. Has anyone come across this before?

 

Not me, but I'm intrigued. What did it smell like - rubbery or acrid (burning) or rotten eggs?

 

Were you at Taco Bell just prior to that ??

 

 

 

I resisted the urge to ask this very question when I read the OPs comment--wish now I'd gone ahead.

 

After contemplating this beyond the Taco Bell scenario, I am thinking that something related to the seat mounted air bag has failed. I would have expected an error light to have been activated, but an explosion and chemical odor point in that direction.

 

Seatbelt pre-tensioner ?

 

+1 on that