NHTSA Complaint #10154762 — 1992 BUICK LESABRE

WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. IT DOES NOT SMELL ELECTRICAL, NOR IS THE SMOKING CONSISTENT FIRST OCCURRENCE TONIGHT. CONDITIONS WERE, 40 MPH, PARKING LIGHTS ON, ECON/VENT SET AT 68 AND FAN ON AUTO WITH CRUISE CONTROL NOT ENGAGED. SMOKE CAME FROM OUTLETS WHERE TURN SIGNALS, TILT STEERING ADJUSTMENT AND RETRACTABLE STEERING COLUMN INSETS. I PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF THE CAR, OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW NO SMOKE FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SMELLED NO OTHER "HOT" INSTANCES. THE SMOKE FROM THE COLUMN CESSATED WHEN IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. I RESTARTED THE CAR WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AFTER SPEAKING WITH AN ENGINEER FRIEND, HE SUGGESTS IT MAY BE THE AIR BAG CONTACTS AND ADVISED ME TO NOTIFY YOU IMMEDIATELY AS A SAFETY NOTIFICATION FOR POSSIBLE RECALL/FIRE HAZARD. WHERE THERE IS SMOKE, THERE IS FIRE AND I AM REPORTING IT AS SUCH WHICH INCLUDES UNKNOWN DAMAGE DUE TO OVERHEATING OF SOME SORT TO THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG SYSTEM. *NM