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smoke from steering column after new 2057 bulb in front right side

edpdx

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dash left turn indicator has been lighting when headlamps are turned on. Replaced both front bulbs and noticed a small stream of smoke leak from the top of the column near the base of the turn signal lever. Now both dash indicators stay on all the time. What burned?
 

porkysplace

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dash left turn indicator has been lighting when headlamps are turned on. Replaced both front bulbs and noticed a small stream of smoke leak from the top of the column near the base of the turn signal lever. Now both dash indicators stay on all the time. What burned?
It is pretty obvious what ever burnt is in the column if the smoke was coming out of it . The only way to find out what burnt is to open it up , but my guess is you going to be replacing the turn signal switch and wires in the column .
 

sneekyeye

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Before you replace parts in the column, or your headlight switch, remove and clean the grounds for the headlight, the dash, and the cab to block. If you have something back feeding electrically, it might burn out your new parts as well. Don't discount the sniff test for finding burnt up electrical parts.
 

edpdx

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Yes, all in good fun, but not helpful. Just because I asked doesn't mean I haven't a clue. I just thought that since there are so many that have the same vehicle, experiencing the same repeatable problems, that someone might have run into the solution for the problem I outlined and might save me the hassle of digging to the depths of the steering column by saying something useful like. "I had the same problem, Ed; check the turn signal cam- it gets brittle, but you may not have to replace the whole thing. Just get the cam kit- its part number xxx-xxx."

... and look who gets thanked:
[h=2]For This Useful Post:[/h]It might be time to revisit/re-evaluate the purpose of the forum. I ask for help and I often get it. Others ask and I chime in when I have something useful. You want to be funny, ok; I like to be funny, and imagine my posts to respond are often laced with humor, but humor is not the single reason I hit the REPLY button. I'm not thin-skinned, but these kind of non-answers can come off as smarmy. I've been a productive member of this forum for 7+ years- that's paying some dues. I would never talk down to another member, responding with this type answer, and nothing useful to add; might end up looking like one of those guys that like to rack up post counts.
 

dependable

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dash left turn indicator has been lighting when headlamps are turned on. Replaced both front bulbs and noticed a small stream of smoke leak from the top of the column near the base of the turn signal lever. Now both dash indicators stay on all the time. What burned?
I don't know about the smoke part, but if turn signal indicator is on when parking lights are on, it is usually the ground wire that goes into the side of plastic socket that holds the 1157 bulb for the turn indicator/parking light.

Without the ground wire, the bulb scavenges electrons from side marker and somehow lights the turn signal indicators on dash. I recently had two of these fail at same time (probably because I had the lights out painting the truck), and confused me enough I was checking the headlight switch.

Often one can wiggle the black ground wire on side of socket and get them to work, but have found the long term solution is to replace the socket, as it is hard to get in there and make sure there is a good contact.
 

doghead

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I deleted the 2 humorous posts.
 

Tinstar

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When I was hunting down a horn issue, it turned out to be a short in the turn signal cluster.
Theres a lot going on in such a small space.

I would dive into column and see if anything obvious was source of smoke.
Smoke rises, so the source could actually be lower in the column and just found its way out where you saw it.
Your only guessing until you have it apart.

Agree what others have said about grounds.

If you do replace the turn signal assembly, try and find a NOS one.
ACDelco and others still make them, but have read that the turn lever “clunk”, when you signal a turn, isn’t nearly as firm as the NOS ones. New ones are a much more softer feel.
I read that a lot when researching about my horn issue.
Luckily I found a NOS one.
 

porkysplace

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Yes, all in good fun, but not helpful. Just because I asked doesn't mean I haven't a clue. I just thought that since there are so many that have the same vehicle, experiencing the same repeatable problems, that someone might have run into the solution for the problem I outlined and might save me the hassle of digging to the depths of the steering column by saying something useful like. "I had the same problem, Ed; check the turn signal cam- it gets brittle, but you may not have to replace the whole thing. Just get the cam kit- its part number xxx-xxx."

... and look who gets thanked:
For This Useful Post:

It might be time to revisit/re-evaluate the purpose of the forum. I ask for help and I often get it. Others ask and I chime in when I have something useful. You want to be funny, ok; I like to be funny, and imagine my posts to respond are often laced with humor, but humor is not the single reason I hit the REPLY button. I'm not thin-skinned, but these kind of non-answers can come off as smarmy. I've been a productive member of this forum for 7+ years- that's paying some dues. I would never talk down to another member, responding with this type answer, and nothing useful to add; might end up looking like one of those guys that like to rack up post counts.
You complain about replies to your post and proper use of the forum , why don't you use the forum properly
and continue the thread you started a month ago on this same problem ?
Left signal indicator on dash goes on with headlights. I finally figured it out.

Or maybe it is a problem now showing up from chopping into your new wiring harness . ( of course no mention of this ).
Your wanting instant answer for a electrical problem without providing any information on what you did other than check the bulbs .
Adding Driving lights on new LMC harness OR is another harness needed?


Or maybe you nicked a wire in the blinker switch/harness when you changed your ignition switch that is just now showing up. Most electrical problems require basic testing and visual inspection to even start to diagnosis. No mention of you inspecting anything where the smoke came from or searching for similar threads ( searching before stating a new thread is proper use of the forum ) . So before complaining about how others use the forum maybe you should look at how YOU use the forum.
[h=1]My new ignition switch has an accessory stop but...[/h]
 

edpdx

Active member
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28
Location
Oregon
You complain about replies to your post and proper use of the forum , why don't you use the forum properly
and continue the thread you started a month ago on this same problem ?
Left signal indicator on dash goes on with headlights. I finally figured it out.

Or maybe it is a problem now showing up from chopping into your new wiring harness . ( of course no mention of this ).
Your wanting instant answer for a electrical problem without providing any information on what you did other than check the bulbs .
Adding Driving lights on new LMC harness OR is another harness needed?


Or maybe you nicked a wire in the blinker switch/harness when you changed your ignition switch that is just now showing up. Most electrical problems require basic testing and visual inspection to even start to diagnosis. No mention of you inspecting anything where the smoke came from or searching for similar threads ( searching before stating a new thread is proper use of the forum ) . So before complaining about how others use the forum maybe you should look at how YOU use the forum.
My new ignition switch has an accessory stop but...
porkysplace, I see your point of view. I do. Thank you, I'll put my vehicle back to OEM spec as you say, no more chopped wire. No unresolved threads.



Aren't You?
 
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