timbritt

So I started up my car yesterday and as I turned the steering wheel smoke started to puff from behind the steering wheel. I thought I heard a spark (I can't remember) so I immediately turned the car off. I proceeded to take the steering wheel off and as far as I could tell everything looked normal with the exception of a deposit of a goldish powder sitting it the bottom of the cavity. I'm assuming the powder is from the wheel rubbing on the contacts for the horn when I turn the wheel. Also, I just recently replaced the turn signal switch (for about the3rd time) and was using one of those 3 spoke wood grain steering wheels. I put the original wheel on and haven't noticed any smoke yet.

Is it normal for the wheel to constantly rub on the horn contacts (I'm assuming yes since they have springs on them but I'm not sure) and if so is that dust normal as well?
Should there be any lubrication on the tip of the contacts?

Also, should the steering wheel come off as easily as it does? All I have to do is remove the nut in the middle and the wheel pops right off without any effort.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

ponyX65

its scarry but yes the wheel does come off that easy! and for the smoke coming out are you sure you put the right size fuse? and they sell some sort of greese for electrical contacts but i forgot what is was called(sorry) check youre local auot parts store.electrical problems are always a b#*ch[&:]good luck.

jlg2002

Wow, smoke and sparks are not a good thing. The horn buttons do contact the wheelat all time and carry 12 vdc, unfused, i believe (i haven't looked at the wiring dgm yet). It could have been a flash over spark from the contact dust but you really need to pull that TS switch out and take a look for any obvisous signs of spark damage just for your own safety.
The wheel comes off cause it has a spring and you're not overtorqueing it when you put it on ( it's not a bad thing) to really seat it in the splines.

davesanborn

The horn contact switches should always be in contact with the horn ring. When the horn is depressed, the ring compresses the switch and activates the horn.

Dielectric grease should be used on the contact surfaces of the horn switches. Gob it on.

Yes, when the horn ring is "dry" it will generate the gold fleck debris you described. Nothing to worry about here.

No, the steering wheel should require a puller in order to remove it. If yours "pops rightoff" after removing the nut, something is not quite right. Either the splines on the steering column shaft are worn out or the splines on the steering wheel are shot.

The spark situation is not good. Somewhere in your horn/turn signal wiring a hot wire is grounding out when you turn the wheel. Keep playing with it and you'll see the problem.

Dave

Oxnard Montalvo

+1

It definitely should not "pop right off."

Another consideration is that you're not cranking it down tight enough to force it onto the splines.

JohnnyK

I thought some repro switches had a problem with grounding out and needed to be covered with electrical tape or something?

photocliff

I think you should install some disco lights to go along with that smoke....LOL j/k

I couldn't resist that

Thats good to know about the electrical grease for future need

ninteen66mustang

ya, you have some wires crossing or something under the horn button. did anything look bent or out of place?