# Smoke coming from steering wheel **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [May 30, 2019, 9:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-coming-from-steering-wheel/141321 "2019-05-30T21:03:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![co452319\_152657](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@co452319\_152657](https://community.cartalk.com/u/co452319_152657)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 9:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-coming-from-steering-wheel/141321/1 "2019-05-30T21:03:56Z")
I have a 2001 Mazda 626 with an ignition interlock (got it installed less than a month ago). A few days ago the car started automatically starting after blowing into the interlock (as in, we didn’t have to turn the key) today smoke started coming from the steering column, with the smell of ozone, then just wouldn’t start anymore. Any ideas of what it could be? Could they have messed something up when installing the interlock? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 9:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-coming-from-steering-wheel/141321/2 "2019-05-30T21:08:45Z")
Hmmm? No problem prior to installing the ignition interlock? Now smoke coming out of the steering column, and now the vehicle won’t start after installing the interlock? Ya think? Tester ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 9:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-coming-from-steering-wheel/141321/3 "2019-05-30T21:20:02Z")
> [@co452319\_152657](#): > > Could they have messed something up when installing the interlock? Well , that would certainly be a question to ask the installer would it not ? ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 9:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-coming-from-steering-wheel/141321/4 "2019-05-30T21:42:08Z")
> [@VOLVO\_V70](#): > > that would certainly be a question to ask the installer would it not ? … and I would suggest that you have the car **towed** back to that installer BEFORE the entire car is consumed in flames. 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![Honda-Blackbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/honda-blackbird/32/3159_2.png) [@Honda-Blackbird](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Honda-Blackbird)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2019, 10:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-coming-from-steering-wheel/141321/5 "2019-05-30T22:59:54Z")
Hmmm perhaps you should head back to that “installer” he seems to have let the original Mazda 626 smoke out of the steering column. You can either buy new smoke directly from Mazda as well as the adapter that allows you to refill the column with oem Mazda 626 smoke… OR you could immediately call the idiot who installed this device incorrectly and tell that person that your next 6 mo’s of “calibrations” are going to be on the house. Hint: Go with option #2 ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2019, 3:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-coming-from-steering-wheel/141321/6 "2019-05-31T03:34:48Z")
> [@co452319\_152657](#): > > Could they have messed something up when installing the interlock? Years ago a VW Dealership shop made a wiring mistake when reconfiguring a fuel pump relay for my Rabbit. That mistake smoked the fuel pump relay. So yeah, such a thing is definitely possible.