NHTSA Complaint #714820 — 1992 OLDSMOBILE ACHIEVA

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK I THOUGHT I SMELLED A SMOKE ODOR, BUT THOUGHT IT WAS FROM THE OUTSIDE COMING IN THE VENT. I DROVE ALL THE WAY HOME ABOUT 35 MINUTES. AFTER GETTING HOME WHEN I EXITED MY CAR I JUST HAPPENED TO NOTICE THAT IT LOOKED LIKE MY LIGHTS WERE ON, BUT THEY WEREN'T TURNED ON. I DOUBLED CHECKED AND THEY WERE TURNED OFF. MY HUSBAND THEN CAME OUT AND WE MOVED IT INTO THE SHADE JUST TO MAKE SURE IT WASNT THE SUNLIGHT, AND IT WASNT. WE THEN HAD A MUCH STRONGER SMELL OF SMOKE AND THEN SMOKE STARTING COMING OUT THE THE STEERING COLUMN. IT SMELLED LIKE A FIRE WAS GOING TO START. WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE CAR, BUT SMOKE CONTINUED SO WE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. IT WAS THEN TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY SAID I HAD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THE MOST SHOCKING THING WAS JUST ABOUT 1 MONTH BEFORE THIS INCIDENT MY CO-WORKER HAS AN 1993 OLDSMOBILE ACHIEVA ALSO AND IT CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN ALSO AND SHE WAS TOLD IT WAS CAUSED BY THE CRUISE CONTROL. SURE SEEMS LIKE AN AWLFUL CONSEQUENCE. THANK YOU FOR CHECKING INTO THIS. IT COULD OF BEEN A HORRIBLE INCIDENT IF I HAD TO OF DRIVEN ANY LONGER. *AK