Smoke from steering column...

[e thirty 325i]

If there's a more appropriate place for this thread please lead me to it. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm very familiar with the e30 and have been working on mine for quite some time but have never come across this problem before.
I went out and sat in my car, before i even put the key in the ignition i noticed there was smoke coming from the steering column. It smelled like burning wires. I immediately disconnected the battery and it stopped. If i reconnect the batter it immediately starts smoking again. Any ideas what this may be? Thanks very much for the help.

[frankie591]

take your underdash panels off and start looking for melted wires, then trace em back from there

[Gregs///M]

I've seen traces in the cluster burn up before. Maybe pop the cluster out a bit too and see if you can see it coming from cluster or dash wires.

Good luck man

[e thirty 325i]

I've seen traces in the cluster burn up before. Maybe pop the cluster out a bit too and see if you can see it coming from cluster or dash wires.

Good luck man

That's what i'm thinking. We had a bad storm not too long ago and i think some moisture may have gotten in there. I'll look into it first thing tomorrow. Thanks bud.

[e thirty 325i]

take your underdash panels off and start looking for melted wires, then trace em back from there

Thanks Frankie

[Exodus_2pt0]

Get a fire extinguisher and set it on the passenger seat before you do anything else.

[TobyB]

Steering column makes me think turn signal stuff.

the flasher's in there, and the wires get pinched sometimes.

Take the covers off, and see what you find.

t

[AlphaE]

ah.. yes.. well everyone knows that what we all call "electricity" is really just smoke. Thats why when an "electrical" disaster happens there is smoke. Once the smoke gets out, it wont work any more. You need to find the smoke leak or you r gonna have more problems.

But for real, you have a serious short somewher in the column. DONT HOOK THE BATT UP AGAIN. the battery is the source of smoke..

[u3b3rg33k]

Eh. You can put the smoke back in, you know. The British have extensive experience with this.

[frankie591]

^^ was wondering when that might show up :D

[u3b3rg33k]

With the direction this thread was going, what choice did i have?