smoke rising up from steering colum where hazard light are?

[Britman]

My dad started my car up today(mk3 gti 16v) when i wasnt there and smoked rose from steering colum he switchedof igntion immediately but it was worrying, it wasnt started up just first two clicks, im stumped as to what it was i did take my head unit out the other day and i found it hard to get out again maybe it was  pinched wire can this cause it? as it came out easily before but was jammed when treying to remove it there nothing behind my headunit and allt he wires look ok and lots of room, i doont know much boutr car electrics but must be to do with it, ive had the ignition cover off and looked around cant see and dodgy wires, i dont know why the burning smoke rose up through that part and if its the head unit or something else but its not doing it now the headunit been out and reconnected im worried about pushing it back in the hole where it sit in now incase it starts again, it nowhere near the ignition maybe its connected further down somwhere and a pinched wire caused a surge? i dont know

also my headunit work without the keys in ignition so i dont see how it can be linked to it anyway, i dont want it to catch fire or anything

does anyone have any ideas or had similar issues im very worried about shortin everything or a fire as ive not figured out what it was hopefully it was to do with the headunit,

also today my glove box handle snaped off and locked my face plate in it, and had to force it of, bet i will have to buy a new handle and lock now too, grr

hope nothing else happens

[noms]

Everytime I leave my car for a few days and then start it up, I've had this issue of smoke rising up from the steering column. I thought it was really dangerous at first, so the mechanic took the wheel off and took everything apart. Nothing. It happened again. And again. Smoke with burning smell. But nothing is shorting out. I put it down to dust getting into the crease and burning when I start up.

[spankyVR6]

This happened to me the other week (smoke coming from the around the hazard light area). I took all the stalks off the column and couldn't see any burn marks, so put it back together but it did it again.
I took it apart again and realised that the the grease off the scraper ring for the horn had got old and turned to liquid and seeped into the indicator and the MFA stalks, and every now and then getting onto the electrical connections, therefore making them smoke.
I changed the indicator stalk for one from a scrap yard. I have also got some electrical connector cleaner (from Maplins) to clean the MFA stalk off too, as I got a tiny tiny whisp of smoke off that about a week ago.
Changing the indicator stalk has stopped the smoking from that side. As soon as I use the electrical cleaner on the MFA stalk it should be job sorted, touch wood.
Hope this helps

[Scooterist007]

I had the same problem, well my wife did! she phoned me up while she was going to work, 'help, my cars smoking!' well after i went and rescued her, yep there was smoke comming from the shroud covering the steering colum, it then stop and then no more, but after a few days, they wife complained that she couldnt turn on the wipers!! doh! after looking at it, the contacts on the wiper stalk had burnt out and i presumed thats the reason for the smoke! anyway, it must be a common problem cos the same thing has happened to my gti double doh!

[vicky]

i am having me same problem at the moment.  i s**t myself and now i dont wanna drive it.  it only does it every now and then (mainly when its wet).  i rang a car electrician up the other day to come out, but he never turned up, so now im left without a car.

[Britman]

you can still use it till you buy a new one ive order a indicator and wiper stalk for £20 of a breaker oiut of a 100k r plate car thats all it will be as took my cove rof and it rises out of there, it goe sthough if you turn of powerfrom key and start it again, also i spary electriacl lube into mine, people sell th estalks on ebay and in breaker for quite cheap saves an delectricain coming out then just get it fitted