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Smoke coming from steering column


BN

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On my 93 Cutlass convertible I recently removed an aftermarket radio and put an original Delco AM/FM/Cassette in it's place. A couple times I've been driving with radio on and noticed smoke coming out of steering column where it tilts. I right away turned off radio and it stopped. I pulled radio out and looked behind for signs of burning but everything looks ok. I also pulled off steering wheel control cover but that also looks ok. Any ideas how to locate the problem?

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You're definitely not the first.

 

Turn signal switch. I'm 100% sure o it. You'll need a steering wheel puller. The part should be around $50 if you have redundant steering wheel controls, aka RSWC, and $40 if you don't. I've seen them go for less than that though. It will take you about an hour if you've never done it. Prepare to stick your head under the dash.

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honestly as long as the turn signals and brake lights work fine you can let it go, nothing ill will come of it.

 

and the part is about $90ish regardless of SWRC or not.

 

 

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i personally service mine by opening them up, clean contacts, add dielectric grease to prevent corrosion and reduce wear, reassemble and test. if you find damage like melted plastic or worn out contacts replace the unit.

 

proper testing involves a walk around check verifying that all lights are applied when:

turn signal in each direction

hazard lights

brakes applied - the brake lights go through the turn signals and may not working. you would never know.

brakes applied with the signal on in each direction - the brake lights might not work in all positions.

 

it you fail these tests....

 

p.s. the brake lights go through the TSS, on all cars except GEN 1 pontiacs.

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honestly as long as the turn signals and brake lights work fine you can let it go, nothing ill will come of it.

 

X2. My Lumina's smoked for a few seconds every so often, but all of the functions of the switch worked fine still. Then one day it smoked for 45 minutes straight, then the turn signals started to be a pain....they still worked, but you had to hold the switch for the right signal to function.

 

It didn't bother me, so I didn't fix it. My dad drove my car a couple of times, got fed up with using that, and took it in for me and paid for it to get fixed :lol:

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Mine has smoked once in the nearly 5 years I've owned the car... but I have ALWAYS had to hold the signal stalk to signal a turn. As far as I know, all of my lights/signals/etc are working properly, its just a P.I.T.A., and consequentially, nobody drives the car but me (SCORE!). However, a cancelling spring has finally snapped from it being held through the turns... oh well, c'est la vie?

 

What they said, LOL.

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Its almost like having a L67 BBQ and sitting on the side of the road with marshmellows. Imagine the look of the passing motorists or even the passengers.

 

"Dont worry its normal."

 

Better yet pop out a mentos. The fresh maker. :lol:

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honestly as long as the turn signals and brake lights work fine you can let it go, nothing ill will come of it.

 

and the part is about $90ish regardless of SWRC or not.

 

 

 

check the rockauto prices. $52 with SWRC, $82 with SWRC.

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honestly as long as the turn signals and brake lights work fine you can let it go, nothing ill will come of it.

 

and the part is about $90ish regardless of SWRC or not.

 

 

 

check the rockauto prices. $52 with SWRC, $82 with SWRC.

???

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  • 2 weeks later...

No doubt about it that it's the turn signal switch, that's exactly what mine did.

 

But why do people insist you need a steering wheel puller? I just half loosened the center nut and tapped on the back of the steering wheel with a mallet until it popped forward, and then removed the nut and the steering wheel comes right off. I did this with my Regal, and junkyard Lumina that I yanked the TSS from.

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Turn signal switch. My 88' needed it replaced. Back when I didn't do work on my car I paid $180 for one and it turned out that the assholes that installed it soldered the old one and charged me for new because I pulled my column apart years later to install a new one I got to see an original switch.

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No doubt about it that it's the turn signal switch, that's exactly what mine did.

 

But why do people insist you need a steering wheel puller? I just half loosened the center nut and tapped on the back of the steering wheel with a mallet until it popped forward, and then removed the nut and the steering wheel comes right off. I did this with my Regal, and junkyard Lumina that I yanked the TSS from.

BAD! you can break the wheel or column. puller = safe.

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