smoke come up from under the dash! HELP!

[Graphfixz]

Hi Guys,

Today I went to start my car and it didn't. So I tried again and smoke started coming up from the under the dash/steering wheel column. What is causing the smoke and why?

Help me fix it!!

[vancouverbc]

check for loose wires. bad alarm or kill switch install, etc. a loose solder joint smokes.

[Graphfixz]

ok.. so if my car had a problem starting before... like when I turned the switch notyhing would happen, would this pin point my problem a little more?

[Adikt]

Do you have an alarm or remote start installed in ur car? if you do those tap into the main ignition wiring harness and usually the starter wire gets cut in half for the starter kill.

If i were you i would take a look down there and start pulling out everything that doesn't look factory. tape up all the bare wires

[Graphfixz]

thanks for your help. The car does have an alarm but it has had one for years.

I am going to look down there and see what I can find. The only thing I saw yesterday was a yellow wire getting really hot and I *think* what started to smoke was the black tape around it.

*shrug*

again, thanks for the info!

[SOHCSE]

... joint smokes.

My sentiments exactly!

[hek1620]

next time it happens, pour some water behind the dash.

[moegenki]

Something like that happened to me when someone hooked up a dual electric fan to the ignition wire. If I remember correctly it desoldered some points and caused the car to not start.

[ricebike]

Graph, let us know what u find...

I had a crappy alarm disable/drained my battery this summer... so I had it removed & the battery replaced.

now to plan a kill switch or two instead...

[240Titan]

My sentiments exactly!

lol