Fire behind my steering column!

[PrOxLaMuS©]

Today when I was driving I turned on my turn signal and i heard a spark... and a few seconds later, I saw smoke coming out of my steering column..

I took it home and investigated that everything works fine except the turn signals....

However, the hazards work and so does the parking lights and the headlight "brights" switch. So I know it's not a fuse or the bulbs.

But the turn signals don't work, and I looked at the wires and couldnt see any damage from a fire, although I had to use my fire extinguisher to put it out....

Do you think it could be the wires somewhere where I can't see or can it be the actuall turn signal assembly in the column>?

[sblake01]

. . . the hazards work and so does the parking lights and the headlight "brights" switch. So I know it's not a fuse or the bulbs.

But the turn signals don't work, and I looked at the wires and couldnt see any damage from a fire, although I had to use my fire extinguisher to put it out....

Do you think it could be the wires somewhere where I can't see or can it be the actuall turn signal assembly in the column>?

The hazards, parking lights, and brights are on different circuits (battery) than the turn signals(ignition). Although the turn signal circuit is completed by the hazzard switch. Sounds like you shorted out the turn signal part of the switch/assembly that controls the turn signals and high beams. You may be able to fix it but I think replacement is in order. These observations are from my car, a 78, but I think the other years are similar.

[wal280z]

However, the hazards work and so does the parking lights and the headlight "brights" switch. So I know it's not a fuse or the bulbs.

But the turn signals don't work, and I looked at the wires and couldnt see any damage from a fire, although I had to use my fire extinguisher to put it out....

Check your turn signal flasher... the '77 (and I'm pretty sure the '78 is the same) has two flasher units, one for the hazards, one for the turn signals. I could be wrong but the hazard is more towards the drivers side footpanel and the turn signal flasher is mounted near/on the column.

Mine is completely disassembled so I can't tell for sure, and the locations may vary from year to year.

Wayne

[PrOxLaMuS©]

Well i replaced the flasher units for both the hazards and the turn signals... nothing changed.

SO I used my voltometer and tried to check the resistance flowing in and out of the wires to the turn signals....

All of a sudden, everything went out... my voltage guage on my dash is f*cked up and reads at like -10, my hazards don't work, my headlights don't work, and my turn signals don't work. But the parking lights work?!?!

I checked all of the fuses and they are fine, I have no idea on where to begin. Fuse bus and inwire fuses are fine.

Ohh help help!

[Bambikiller240]

Step#1

Think you need to get under there and really look hard at ALL of the wiring to see if you have melted/burned wires that are shorting to other wires.

Use your nose too. That smoke came from somewhere, and sometimes your nose can help lead you to the area.

[Chino 240Z]

Sounds like it started out as a turn indicator switch mechanism was wore out or one of it wires broke off and grounded, but then you may have introduced a second problem with your tester lead, shorting out a hot wire to ground, the streering colum metal or another hot wire, while you were testing you wires? It is easy to short out a wire you are trying to test in tight places with your test probe. You can wrap your test probe tip with some electrical tape with only the tip exposed so you won't touch 2 things at once.

[wal280z]

Use your nose too. That smoke came from somewhere, and sometimes your nose can help lead you to the area.

:devious: Don't forget that electrical components have special smoke built into each of them....some have really rare smoke, making that component expensive...

once the built-in smoke is released into the atmosphere, the component unfortunately cannot be recharged with it's special smoke and must be replaced... :devious:

Like to see how this one turns out... Keep us updated Proxlamus....

Wayne

[Bambikiller240]

:devious: Don't forget that electrical components have special smoke built into each of them....some have really rare smoke, making that component expensive...

once the built-in smoke is released into the atmosphere, the component unfortunately cannot be recharged with it's special smoke and must be replaced... :devious:

Like to see how this one turns out... Keep us updated Proxlamus....

Wayne

The "smoke" in components is called "PFM" otherwise known as "Pure Freak'in Magic". It's what makes them work, or not. Depending on whether you want/need it. It's an inverse relationship.

[PrOxLaMuS©]

I put the positive RED test probe on the wire for the RIGHT turn signal, and I think that my BLACK negative test probe, hit the steering column, and that's what caused everything to short out.

But how would that affect my VOLTAGE meter and ruin my headlights?

[Chino 240Z]

I don't think you shorted out anything when the red lead is at a test point and the black lead is at another or even ground, since they are hooked up to the meter, it may just take a wrong reading. It is most likely that the tip and maybe the middle of same lead touched two places at once. Some of those test-lead-tips are so long and are exposed to touching more than you really aim to. I have been upside down in the seat with my head under the dash and don't always have a steady hand so I have zapped ground once or twice before! :eek:

[PrOxLaMuS©]

So if I zapped a ground, how would I be able to fix this?

*Sorry guys my electrical knowledge is very limited *

Today i'll be back in my car checking all the wires again, and the fuses and fusable links.

Would I have to re-ground some wires, or what?

[Chino 240Z]

I was meaning, I made sparks & some smoke. Nothing happens to the ground, just leaves a mark on your metal surface, screw head or steering colum where the spark was. It should have popped the fuse that the wire you were testing was fed from. Sometimes a fuse will survive when the wire is shorted or is touched to a grounding surface. If it is a good solid hit, or the wire is held on a grounding surface the fuse should blow. Now there are hot wires from the battery source that may not have a fuse in line with the wire, so then what happens is the wire becomes the fuse. And that is when the secret smoke is released from the wire insulation burning off the wire. That wire will become so hot the copper glows red hot and melts! Caution- besure you take off your rings and watches when working under the dash or on any electrical. Cause if your ring touches 2 surfaces, say a wire and a metal surface or 2 wires at the same time- you will have an instant glowing red ring burning your 3 fingers. 1 finger that it is on, and then the other 2 fingers on the other hand that is trying to pull it off!

So I would disconnect the battery and remove each fuse and link to test, then put battery back on line and carefully check the wiring where the smoke was. Sometimes a fired wire will be stiff or bubbly looking, maybe a different texture from the others, if it got hot enough to distort it? I sometimes get a very bright light to see the wiring and the connections better.

Be careful.

craig