NHTSA Complaint #10162513 — 1997 OLDSMOBILE AURORA

I WAS BEGINNING A SUNDAY MORNING DRIVE TODAY IN MY 1997 OLDSMOBILE AURORA. IT WAS A FEW HOURS AGO WITH MY FAMILY ON THE EXPRESSWAY ON I-480 WEST ENROUTE TO OUR VACATION. AFTER I HIT MY RIGHT TURN SIGNAL TO CHANGE LANES SO I CAN GET OFF AT OUR EXIT. THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER WAS STUCK. THERE WAS AN INTENSE BURNING SMELL AND SECONDS LATER SMOKE START STEAMING FROM MY STEERING. I PULLED THE 1997 OLDSMOBILE AURORA OVER AND PRESSED DOWN ON THE HAZARD BUTTON TO RELEASE IT AND NOTICE THAT THE HAZARD BUTTON WAS STUCK TOO. FINALLY, I TURNED THE KEY TO THE IGNITION OFF AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE SMOKE STOPPED. SOON AS I STARTED UP THE CAR THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER WAS UNSTUCK HOWEVER THE HAZARD BUTTON WAS STILL STUCK AS SMOKE BEGAN SEEPING FROM BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL AGAIN. I WAITED A FEW MINUTES AND STARTED UP THE CAR AGAIN, EACH TIME THERE WAS THE SAME OUTCOME, STUCK HAZARD BUTTON, BURNING SMELL, AND SMOKE. MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT I GOT THE CAR TOWED HOME AND WAS TOLD FROM THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER THAT IT PROBABLY WAS SOME ELECTRICAL WIRING BURNING BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL AND WAS FORTUNATELY THAT IT DIDN'T CAUSE THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NOTHING DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM SINCE GM AUTO REPAIR SHOPS ARE CLOSED ON SUNDAY. *JB