Suspicious smoke coming from my A10 510 steering console..

[IsaacHeink]

Hey everyone, I have a mystery for ya.

I was driving down the street on Friday and I smelled a burning plastic smell, not a second later I saw a pale smoke rising from my steering console (between the actual wheel and square plastic piece). I pulled off the road as quickly as I could (25 seconds at most), but by the time I stopped the smoking had subsided and the smell had dissipated. After stopping, I checked both the area underneath the steering wheel and underneath the hood of the car, but found nothing. I drove the car home (less than 2 miles) and watched closely for any sign of smoke or any strange smell, but nothing came up.

When I got home, I left the car running and tried to "trigger" the smoke by turning on various components of the car, but nothing I tried made the smoke return. After turning the car off, I took off the plastic piece that "hides" the electrical wiring underneath the dash/wheel and looked for any signs of burned wire casing, plastic, etc., and failed to find anything suspect. However, I did find that one of my fuses was blown...? It was the top left-most fuse, with the holders labeled 9 and 10. The diagram on the fuse box indicated it was TAIL LAMP 15A, but my tail lamp and license plate lamp are working normally. Also, the fuse box diagram indicated that the fuse should be a 15A but the fuse itself is a 10A fuse. Perhaps this is the reason for the fuse being blown, and the fact that I happened to find jot while searching for the source of the smoke is circumstantial? I embarrassingly admit that is the first time I've thought to check me fuses. 

I also examined under the hood and did not find that anything was obviously burned. All of the belts looked great, none of the wiring I saw was exposed to an are that might get exceptionally hot, and none of the wire casing was burned. 

 

Does anyone have an idea of what may be the cause of the smoke, or have an idea of where I could look next for the source of it? 

Also, is it safe to drive? If I can't find the source of the smoke myself, I would like to have a mechanic take a look at it.

[KoHeartsGPA]

Are you sure you didn't pick up a piece of plastic bag on roadway and got stuck near exhaust system somewhere?, it's happened to me and I'm sure others as well...

[datzenmike]

Put the correct amperage fuse in. 

 

The headlamp switch is on the end of the turn signal stem on the column so no surprise that the smoke would come from that area.

[thisismatt]

Do your turn signals still work? 

[datsunaholic]

There are 4 electrical units under the clamshell.  The main one that forms the white plastic "collar" contains circuits for the headlights, taillights, turn signals, and horn.  Attached to that is a separate unit for the wipers.  Mounted to the clamshell is the hazards (the turn signals feed through that as well), and clamped to the column is the ignition switch.  So if all that is still working, and you see no burnt, melted, or singed wiring or connections (and the headlight harness plug is almost always slightly melted after 35+ years use.).  But perhaps you got some dust between contacts at the horn contacts in the column and it burned off. 

 

What's scary is that your taillights still work with the taillight fuse blown.  I've seen folks bypass stuff when the fuses keep blowing, only to end up with a crispy car.    Hell, happened to me.  Prior owner replaced the fusible link to the rear lighting relays in my Grand Marquis with 10 gauge solid HOUSE wiring.  Didn't find it until my trailer shorted... underhood fire and a destroyed harness from battery to taillights.

[IsaacHeink]

Thank you all for your insight!

 

KoHeartsGPA: I'm pretty sure I didn't, because I'm pretty conscious about avoiding all road rubbish. Although, I guess it could've happened. 

 

KING RAT: Why would it make sense that the smoke was coming from that area? Damaged headlamp wiring?

 

Matt: Yes, the turn signals are working.

 

Datsunaholic: There's no sign of damaged wiring or connection points. But it just came back to me that my horn only works half the time I try to use it, so perhaps the damaged wiring is in the wheel itself? Is it practical for me to attempt to disassemble the wheel to looked for damaged wiring?

What do you suggest I do about the blown fuse and working taillights? 

[HRH]

You're not supposed to let the smoke out of the wire!! :D