Q: Smoke from the dashboard, parking lights won't turn off

asked by on September 08, 2016

My car has gone 136,000 miles. Yesterday I was driving and noticed a bit of smoke that was coming from the dashboard on passenger's side. The smoke disappeared after I turned the car off and took the key out. The parking lights stayed on, so I had to disconnect the battery. I checked the fuses and they are fine. What could cause this?

Hello. It sounds like there is a short in the wiring harness of the car. If the wiring comes into contact with other wiring, this may cause a short and smoke from the dashboard. This sometimes happens due to old age of the wiring, or because damage has been done to the wiring. This is considered a serious problem as shorted wires can cause a fire. Take the car to a shop that specializes in electrical work and have the car checked and rewired.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

Air conditioning gasket in cabin leaking
The information provided for your Saturn is very limited. There can be a couple of things that would cause the AC to leak into the cabin of the vehicle. A more common thing I have come across is the condensation...
Car slowly lost power
Hello, there are two possibilities for why your truck is doing this. The first possibility is that your catalytic converter is severely clogged. If this is the problem, the car will start, but once the catalytic converter reaches operating temperature...
Opinion on wheel spacers
No, wheel spacers are a horrible idea because you want your wheels to bolt on solid. When you are bolting on a spacer, then the spacer fits on, there are too many things that can go wrong. In general, things...
transmission input shaft
Hello, when you removed the pump you may have relocated clutch plates in the input housing. These plates must align with a hub assembly. What happens is that the pump puts pressure on the housing because there is no...
Is there add'l cost for diagnosis?
In order to find out the reason the engine is overheating the cooling system needs to be checked to see if the thermostat is stuck, there is a coolant leak, cooling fans do not come on or there is another...
Fuel spills out when fueling, even if the tank is near empty. What's happening?
Hi There, What you are describing sounds like you may have a faulty purge solenoid in your EVAP system. Your car has a small purge valve called a purge solenoid (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/evaporation-vent-solenoid-replacement) that controls the venting of fumes from the fuel...
Car won't go into gear or it will slowly go into gear but hesitates to pull.
Whether you have a manual transmission or an automatic transmission, if the rpm's are going up and the vehicle is not moving, then the clutch on the manual or the clutches in the automatic are slipping causing the vehicle to...
Driver side window started making a loud grinding sound when rolled down! Wondering what it could be? Motor? Switch?
Hello there. It is possible that your window has become loose and is not entirely on the 'track' that raises and lowers the window. This is typically what causes the grinding noise. It's also possible the window motor is damaged...
Codes p1705 and p1768
Hi There, Code P1705 relates to the throttle position sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/throttle-position-sensor-replacement). Since the transmission control solenoid relies on inputs (in addition to hydraulic pressure created by transmission fluid), if the throttle position sensor is not relaying the correct information to...

Related articles

Signs Your Car Has a Blown Fuse
If you own your car long enough, you can assume that at some point, one or more of your...
How Long Does an Automatic Timing Advance Unit Last?
The The automatic timing advance unit is a component in vehicles with diesel engines. Of course gas and diesel engines both work on the internal combustion principle, but they are quite different, and require different means of controlling the flow...
How Long Does a Cooling/Radiator Fan Motor Last?
The The cooling/radiator fan motor is part of your vehicle’s cooling system. It transports heat away and dissipates it into the outside air. The fan motor is the part that actually powers the cooling fan. The cooling/radiator fan motor keeps...