# Smoke from ignition

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-from-ignition/34454>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** ford\
**Created:** [August 3, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-from-ignition/34454 "2009-08-03T15:28:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jmgriffin1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@jmgriffin1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jmgriffin1)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 3:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-from-ignition/34454/1 "2009-08-03T15:28:04Z")

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Anyone ever heard of smoke coming from ignition and steering wheel?

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-from-ignition/34454/2 "2009-08-03T15:30:38Z")

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Yes, I have heard of this, and I have seen cars burst into flames shortly thereafter as a result of this situation.

You have a short-circuited wire somewhere in the steering column. I would strongly suggest that you disconnect the battery immediately and have the car towed to a mechanic.

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**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 3:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-from-ignition/34454/3 "2009-08-03T15:33:04Z")

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Yes–I had it happen on a 1965 Rambler and saw it happen on a 1962 Chevrolet Corvair that belonged to a friend. In both cases it was the ignition switch. In these cars the ignition switch was on the dashboard. It is a a likely suspect in your case, but be certain it isn’t the turning signal switch or any other electrical circuits that go through the steering column.

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**Author:** ![jmgriffin1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@jmgriffin1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jmgriffin1)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2009, 3:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/smoke-from-ignition/34454/4 "2009-08-03T15:58:55Z")

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Thanks for the comments everyone. It is at the mechanic right now, just had never heard of such a thing.