HELP! -Smoke coming from steering column

lrgray

Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2000
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
This morning as I was driving into work, I noticed smoke coming from my steering column. I have a 96 TDI Passat wagon, with 193K. The only accessories were the A/C and occassionally the wipers. Any suggestions please?

Laurie
 

lumberjackbob

Veteran Member
Joined
May 6, 2003
Location
Sherwood, OR
TDI
2000 Getta
If I were you I wouldnt risk driving it anywhere if it were smoking from the stering column, or smoking from anywhere for that matter. I had a friend loose his car recently due to a short in a wiring harnees in the column, burnt to the ground in a matter of minutes. My advice to you is to leave it where it is and see if you can get a mechanic to come to the car and give it a look over. Good luck.
 

weedeater

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 17, 2001
Location
Reston, VA
TDI
Jetta, 2001, Baltic Green
96 Passats had bad ignition switches. Sounds like yours is burning out. Have it towed to a dealer and get it replaced (under recall).
 

weasel

Deactivated Member Account
Joined
Sep 12, 2000
TDI
None.
Mines been doing that for about a year now. I removed the plastic around the steering column to see if I could find where it was coming fromand it appears to be the ignition switch. Funny thing is it rarely happens. All I have to do to stop it is turn the ignition off and its gone, then turn back and everythings fine again. Only shows up while waiting for the glow plugs, has never happened while driving. One of these days I'll get it replaced ...
 

Captaingomes

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 11, 2002
Location
Toronto, Canada
TDI
97 Jetta TDI
My 97 Jetta has done that too. The first time I saw that I believe was two and a half years ago. I was driving home, and not far from Oakville VW, so I decided I better stop in and see what they say. The service advisor looked at me like I was nuts. I wasn't impressed. The next time I stopped in for service, I told the service manager about that small white smoke stream coming from the steering column, and he said next time I see it, let them know and they'll have to replace, I think he mentioned the ignition coil. I think I prefer that answer compared to the "look" like I was nuts.

In any case, I haven't replaced it and have only seen it about 4 or 5 times in all. If I do see it again, I will have them look at it though.
 

lrgray

Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2000
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Thanks for all of the responses! I took it to my mechanic this morning and he talked about tearing the whole steering column apart to do an "exploratory". After I found out how much that would cost, I opted to "let it ride" for now. It was the first time it happpend, and it really freaked me out!

Laurie
 

plum

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 6, 1999
Location
SW, CT usa
TDI
03 A4 Wagon grey
Smoke from steering column still after new ignition switch

Appears to be only when waiting for glow plugs-glow plug light and cel light goes out immediatly when turning switch, prior to starting-any ideas?
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
Any sign of smoke or fire from inside the passenger compartment is a cause for concern. If that smoke is from wiring insulation melting from internal, amperage generated heat, and if the insulation should soften enough to expose the internal filament strands, it might NOT be possible to shut off the electrical current by the switch. Bare wires against a grounded column don't care what you do with the key.
 

lupin..the..3rd

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2004
Location
USA
TDI
Passat B4 1996
You may have an excess of smoke built up in the wiring loom. Some models came equipped with more smoke than others - simply take a few minutes and bleed the smoke out next time you're doing an oil change. :p
 

pinehead

Veteran Member
Joined
May 19, 2003
Location
Treasure Coast, FL
TDI
Passat
Lupin_the_3rd said:
You may have an excess of smoke built up in the wiring loom. Some models came equipped with more smoke than others - simply take a few minutes and bleed the smoke out next time you're doing an oil change. :p
Whew!!!!!!:D
 

tdidieselbobny

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Location
Stafford,NY (WNY)
TDI
'03 Galactic Blue Jetta TDI, '15 Silk Blue Golf Sportwagen TDI
Yeah, this has happened to me a couple times over the past year on 98 Jetta- no issues.Will get checked out when I have time.
 

Hintertux

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2001
Location
Fort Walton Beach, FL
TDI
2013 Beetle TDI DSG Candy White
Three years now

I have had smoke puffs for about 3 years now. I do need to pull the column apart and change my ignition switch, and wiper switch while I am at it.

Recall??? Is there a recall for this?
 

VWWV

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2003
Location
Florida and WV
TDI
passat 96, candy white
Re: Recall.... I received a letter from VW a couple of years ago re: a "recall" re: the ignition switch. Took my 96 to a dealer who could not find anything wrong but they did "lube the switch". Turns out that the "recall" was just for those switches that were problematic and since mine was not - nothing was done. I didn't know that VW used Lucas wires? :) Saw some Lucas wire smoke for sale on E Bay a couple of years ago.
 

Rickstdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2004
Location
Auburn, WA
TDI
2002 Jetta
Your ignition switch is on it's way out. End of story!
One of these days you will: Start the car - hmmm... no wipers - hmmm... no heater fan - hmmm... no headlights but hey, the car runs.

New igniton switch & labor = start saving $$$ now!
 

Hintertux

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2001
Location
Fort Walton Beach, FL
TDI
2013 Beetle TDI DSG Candy White
I saw the DIY thread... Man it is pretty involved.. Well to me it is. I am not big on pulling my car appart....

I might take it to a local guy parts and instruction and find out a cost for labor..
 

smart

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2002
Location
Mi, USA (southwest Michigan by Indiana Border)
TDI
97 Passat
VW B4 smoke

This is part of the VW vehicle design (Ah ! German precision engineering !) and happens on an intermittent basis. I see that a lot of you seem to attribute this to the ignition switch, that seems to be a problematic component. Personally I have observed that there is more correlation to the use of the intermittent wiper function. I have stopped using this feature and have put my vehicle on a much healthier non smoking regimen. Only car I have ever found it necessary to carry a fire extinguisher in, just in case. I'm on the original ignition switch with 190K on vehicle.
 

Hintertux

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2001
Location
Fort Walton Beach, FL
TDI
2013 Beetle TDI DSG Candy White
Interesting, I am too on the original ignition switch with 150k... My wiper switch is having issues as it sticks when switching it to activation points. The smoke however is completely intermitant. Sometimes on startup other times waiting at a light, other times driving down the road. I have not seen it for a while now though. (did I just jenks myself)
 

Donny O.

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Location
Edgerton WI
TDI
96 Passat TDi
I jsut had this recall done on the ignition swithc in my passat on tuesday. even though 345K miles and no problems they sent me a notice that it had not been done so i went and had it done. now when i picked it up my steering wheel is not straight and my airbag light is on.....should have left well enough alone. they are fixing it thursday!!

but anyway why do it yoruself or pay someone when it is a free recall.
 

myke_w

Vendor
Joined
Jan 30, 2003
Location
Cbus, Ohio
TDI
03 TDI Wagon
ignition switches are incredibly easy on b4 passats and mk3's. You just have to be careful not to tear up the airbag clock spring, and have the right tool, which is a 2 jaw puller with a support clamp like this:

If the shop isn't using that tool, or something similar.. proceed with caution
 

RIP TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 16, 2000
Location
Santa Barbara, CA
TDI
'15 GSW SE 6MT...... '01 Golf GLS 5MT.... '96 Passat Variant....
An even better tool for this purpose is a small bearing separator in a puller arrangement like this. The separator's chiseled edges grab behind the spline adaptor better than conventional jaws.
 

Donny O.

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Location
Edgerton WI
TDI
96 Passat TDi
myke_w said:
If the shop isn't using that tool, or something similar.. proceed with caution
I don't know what the dealer used but i can tell you my steering wheel is no longer straight and they claim they don't have to pull the wheel off to change the switch so it was not straight when it came in...I know better. also my airbag light is now on. they claim the airbag module must not have been getting power because of the bad switch and now it has power but soemthing is wrong with it so that is why the light is on now. I knwo if it wans't powered up the light would have been on anyway. they are designed like that so if anything at all is wrong even no power to it then the light comes on. it goes in monday and they better fix it or i'm going to park the car in the showroom right through the front window!!
 

myke_w

Vendor
Joined
Jan 30, 2003
Location
Cbus, Ohio
TDI
03 TDI Wagon
They lie, they broke the clock spring... and the wheel absultely has to come off..

I'd get a claim going with vwoa... that's BS
 

Donny O.

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Location
Edgerton WI
TDI
96 Passat TDi
myke_w said:
They lie, they broke the clock spring... and the wheel absultely has to come off..

I'd get a claim going with vwoa... that's BS
I agree. car goes in to them in 5 hours....we shall see what they say!!
 

Donny O.

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2007
Location
Edgerton WI
TDI
96 Passat TDi
Donny O. said:
I agree. car goes in to them in 5 hours....we shall see what they say!!
they 'forgot' to reset the airbag light after removing and putting back together. as for the steering they straightened it back to where it was and told me I needed an alignment to get it perfect. i said it has been aligned 4 times in the past year and I jsut wanted it back to where it was when i dropped it off the first time. so i'm all good now!! now if i can jsut get me some smaller injectors!!!
 
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