white smoke

[zippyy]

I sometimes get the above when I first turn on the ignition. Very slight white smoke. Dosnt smell of burning and Ive checked the wiring and nothing has melted. Any ideas or anybody else had this happen?

cheers

[CopeyCupra]

mine smokes when its cold, i have a 1.4 sport thats running rich i think.... i doubt its anything to worry about.

[zippyy]

mine smokes when its cold, i have a 1.4 sport thats running rich i think.... i doubt its anything to worry about.

From behind the steering wheel around the indicator stork area?

[treblet]

I'd get the steering wheel off and have a look to see what's burning!

There's no smoke without fire

[zippyy]

so hows the steering wheel come off? I dont want the airbag going off. Ive took all the plastic off behind the wheel and it looks ok

[danmcl]

so hows the steering wheel come off? I dont want the airbag going off. Ive took all the plastic off behind the wheel and it looks ok

Same thing happened mine, turned out it was an accumulation of hair, dust and fluff on the indicator stalk contact ring, the grease catches the fluff and the indicator arcs a bit and ignites it. This is sometimes accompanied by intermittent indicator relay clicks and also intermittent indicator activation or indicators not activating.

To remove the steering wheel is not a difficult task but you do need a breaker bar and a 24mm socket. There's a guide on here somewhere but it basically breaks down to

1. Disconnect the battery for at least 30min before commencing work.
   
2. Remove the steering column cover and disconnect the (If I remember correctly) yellow connector for the airbag, it's a flat cable.
   
3. Turn the steering wheel so that it is at 90o. There are two openings on the back, insert a flat bladed screwdriver and turn it until you feel the airbag retaining clip release. Then turn the wheel through 180o and do the same on the other side.
   
4. Gently pull the airbag module towards yourself and be careful that you do not damage the connector and cable between the airbag module and the wheel.
   
5. There is a 24mm nut on the top of the steering column, throw your breaker bar on that and loosen it up. You can do this whole operation without removing the module but I would recommend it as I wouldn't want it going off either in my face or into my nads.
   
6. Mark the nut with a centre punch after you have removed it, it is only good for 5 removals and reattachments.
   
7. Mark the steering wheel and the sterring column with a permanent marker across both, this is so you can realign the wheel when you replace it. It is a tightly splined wheel so you can be close but not close enough and have a non-level wheel, not dangerous (I don't think at least) but really annoying and not visually pleasing.
   
8. Remove the wheel by gently pulling towards you, you might need to rock it side to side to get it to release on the splines.
   
9. the indicator stalk should now slip off easily, replace with the new one.
   
10. Replace the steering wheel being careful to line up the alignment mark you made earlier. You did make one right?
    
11. Reattach the nut and tighten to the correct torque. I don't know what the value is unfortunately. Mine was set to "tight enough, but not ripping the arse out of it" i.e. by hand.
    
12. Reattach the airbag module connector
    
13. Replace the airbag module, starting with the lower clip, then pushing it home at the top where the horn "buttons" are located
    
14. Reattach the airbag connector on the steering column.
    
15. Replace the steering column cowl.
    
16. Reconnect battery and cross fingers airbag does not deploy.
    
17. Start car, again cross fingers that airbag does not deploy in face.
    
18. Test indicators.
    
19. Job Done.
    

I think my new indicator stalk cost £40 odd at the breakers, I had had it replaced from a scrappers before but it didn't last any length of time, may have came from a similarly aged car so might have had the same amout of wear.

[zippyy]

Same thing happened mine, turned out it was an accumulation of hair, dust and fluff on the indicator stalk contact ring, the grease catches the fluff and the indicator arcs a bit and ignites it. This is sometimes accompanied by intermittent indicator relay clicks and also intermittent indicator activation or indicators not activating.

To remove the steering wheel is not a difficult task but you do need a breaker bar and a 24mm socket. There's a guide on here somewhere but it basically breaks down to

1. Disconnect the battery for at least 30min before commencing work.
   
2. Remove the steering column cover and disconnect the (If I remember correctly) yellow connector for the airbag, it's a flat cable.
   
3. Turn the steering wheel so that it is at 90o. There are two openings on the back, insert a flat bladed screwdriver and turn it until you feel the airbag retaining clip release. Then turn the wheel through 180o and do the same on the other side.
   
4. Gently pull the airbag module towards yourself and be careful that you do not damage the connector and cable between the airbag module and the wheel.
   cheers mate
   
5. There is a 24mm nut on the top of the steering column, throw your breaker bar on that and loosen it up. You can do this whole operation without removing the module but I would recommend it as I wouldn't want it going off either in my face or into my nads.
   
6. Mark the nut with a centre punch after you have removed it, it is only good for 5 removals and reattachments.
   
7. Mark the steering wheel and the sterring column with a permanent marker across both, this is so you can realign the wheel when you replace it. It is a tightly splined wheel so you can be close but not close enough and have a non-level wheel, not dangerous (I don't think at least) but really annoying and not visually pleasing.
   
8. Remove the wheel by gently pulling towards you, you might need to rock it side to side to get it to release on the splines.
   
9. the indicator stalk should now slip off easily, replace with the new one.
   
10. Replace the steering wheel being careful to line up the alignment mark you made earlier. You did make one right?
    
11. Reattach the nut and tighten to the correct torque. I don't know what the value is unfortunately. Mine was set to "tight enough, but not ripping the arse out of it" i.e. by hand.
    
12. Reattach the airbag module connector
    
13. Replace the airbag module, starting with the lower clip, then pushing it home at the top where the horn "buttons" are located
    
14. Reattach the airbag connector on the steering column.
    
15. Replace the steering column cowl.
    
16. Reconnect battery and cross fingers airbag does not deploy.
    
17. Start car, again cross fingers that airbag does not deploy in face.
    
18. Test indicators.
    
19. Job Done.
    

I think my new indicator stalk cost £40 odd at the breakers, I had had it replaced from a scrappers before but it didn't last any length of time, may have came from a similarly aged car so might have had the same amout of wear.

[zippyy]

cheers mate