Occasionally I notice a very small amount(a whiff) of smoke come from my steering column of my 2000 Lincoln Continental. I have taken it to a mechanic who replaced the ignition switch and the turn signal cluster switch. But, every once in a while(every two weeks or so) I see the brief puff of smoke. Any suggestions?
I would get this Lincoln to either a shop that specializes in electrical problems or a knowledgeable Ford dealer. My son’s father-in-law had a Lincoln that developed a short circuit late at night and not only burned up the car, but the fire jumped to the house (the car was parked outside) and did considerable damage. His in-laws were out of the house for 9 months.
Some Ford vehicles had problems with the cruise control. The horn circuit also goes through the column as well as the circuits that you replaced the switches.
I strongly suggest parking this car in the driveway and not the garage until the problem is definitely fixed.
Some Ford products of that vintage were the subjects of a recall due to electrical problems that sometimes resulted in a fire. Some of these fires destroyed homes, as well as the cars.
This is an instance where a dealership is likely to be more helpful than an independent mechanic, because the dealership can quickly determine if your car is one of those that was recalled. And, if it is the subject of a recall, the repair will be done free-of-charge.
As was already said, be sure that this vehicle is parked outside, a good distance from your house, until the problem has been rectified.