1990 Cadillac Deville

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 CADILLAC DEVILLE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SMOKE FOR THIRTY SECONDS. THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS REMAINED ILLUMINATED FOR TWO MONTHS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE WATER PUMP CAUSED THE AIR BAG LIGHT TO FAIL. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED A RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM THE AXLE WHEN MAKING A LEFT AND RIGHT TURN. THE STEERING FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 175,512 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,480.

MY CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY-SEVERAL SECONDS AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE I SMELLED A STRONG BURNING ODER AND THEN SEEN WHISPS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK SIDE OF THE AIR BAG IN THE STEERING WHEEL-I SHUT OFF THE IGNITION AND THE SMOKE QUIT SHORTLY AFTER - I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAG STARTED TO SMOKE IN A FEW SECONDS AGAIN--I DISCONNECTED THE S.I.R. CONNECTOR ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE-NO SMOKE OR SMELL WITH S.I.R. DISCONNECTED-I REMOVED THE AIR BAG FROM THE STEERING WHEEL-ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE AIR BAG MODULE THERE IS A ROUND STEEL CAP ABOUT 4 INCHES IN DIAMETER AND 1/2 HIGH FASTENED TO THE BACK OF THE AIR BAG MODULE--THIS WAS VERY HOT AND HAD BLACK SOOT COMING OUT ALL AROUND THE EDGES WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE AIR BAG MODULE-----I TOOK THE AIR BAG MODULE TOO MY LOCAL CADILLAC DEALER-THEY CHECKED FOR ANY RECALLS OR TECH BULLETINS AND SAID I SHOULD CONTACT CADILLAC DIV. CONCERNING THIS AS IT WAS PAST WARRANTY--I CALLED CADILLAC CONSUMER RELATIONS CENTER ON 4/12/90 THEY SEEMED CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND TOOK A VERY DETAILED REPORT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED -EVEN THE TIME OF DAY AND TEMP.--THEY SAID THEY WOULD GET BACK TO ME IN3-5 DAYS--ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF LATER THEY GOT CALLED ME BACK AND SAID VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I SHOULD BRING IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND GET IT FIXED AT MY EXPENSE-.-I TOLD THEM I WOULD CONTACT THE NHTSA AS I FELT THIS WAS A DEFINITE SAFETY CONCERN-THEY JUST SAID THEY WOULD NOTATE IT IN THE FILE. *AK