NHTSA Complaint #10072384 — 2001 SATURN LS

A SHORT CIRCUIT OF SOME SORT IN THE THE HEADLIGHT/TURN SIGNAL SWITCH CAUSED A SMALL ELECTRICAL FIRE. WHILE DRIVING, THE DASHBOARD INDICATORS SHOWED THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS AND HIGH BEAMS WERE TURNING ON AND OFF ON THEIR OWN. WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF, THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS REMAINED ON. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS, I BEGAN TO SMELL THE ODOR OF SOMETHING BURNING AND SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. THE SMOKE SUBSIDED ONLY AFTER I PULLED THE FUSES ON THE TWO HEADLAMPS. THE FUSES DID NOT BREAK THE CIRCUIT ON THEIR OWN -- THE HEADLIGHTS DID NOT GO OUT UNTIL I PULLED THE FUSES. I THEN CALLED THE SATURN ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE HOTLINE AND ASKED THEM HOW TO COMPLETELY TURN OFF THE ELECTRICAL POWER TO THE ENTIRE CAR (TO PREVENT ANYTHING ELSE FROM CATCHING FIRE) BUT THEY WERE OF LITTLE HELP. I WAS LOOKING FOR A MASTER CIRCUIT BREAKER BUT THEY COULD NOT TELL ME WHETHER OR NOT THE VEHICLE HAS ONE. THEY SUGGESTED DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY AT THE TERMINALS, BUT I WAS WARY OF DOING THIS FOR FEAR THAT THE AIRBAG MIGHT DEPLOY.