1997 SATURN SL Electrical Systemwiringinteriorunder Dash Problems

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED TO START CAR. AFTER A FEW TRIES, THE CAR FINALLY STARTED ONLY TO HAVE MOUNDS OF SMOKE ROLLING OUT FROM UNDER THE DASH. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE SWITCH WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. WE REMOVED DASH COVERS AND IGNITION CYLINDER LOCK, AND LOWERED THE STEERING WHEEL TO FIND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS LEADING TO THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD WHAT WAS A BLACK WIRE THAT WAS MELTED BARE FOR A COUPLE INCHES, AND DISFIGURED THE ENTIRE WIRE, AND MELTED THE INSULATION TO OTHER WIRES WITHIN THE HARNESS. JUDGING BY THE DAMAGE OF DONE TO THE WIRE, IT APPEARS THAT THE MOST HEAT WAS IN AN AREA WHERE THE WIRE WAS CLOSEST TO THE STEERING COLUMN, LEADING ONE TO BELIEVE THAT IT WORE THROUGH AND GROUNDED ITSELF TO THE STEERING COLUMN, WHICH LED TO THE OVERHEATING OF THE WIRE AND SUBSEQUENT SMOKE/FIRE. *JB

1997 SATURN SL2. STARTED ENGINE, IT RAN A FEW SECONDS, THEN STOPPED WITH ELECTRICAL SMELLING SMOKE FLOWING FROM UNDER DASHBOARD INTO CAR. AFTER IT STOPPED, IT COULD STILL BE CRANKED OVER BUT WOULD NOT FIRE AND RUN. WE GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND PUSHED IT INTO OUR GARAGE, WHERE IT STILL SITS.*AK

NO PRIOR INDICATION OF A FAULT. ON MARCH 26, 2005 MY WIFE WENT TO START THE CAR AND NOT ONLY WOULD IT NOT START, BUT SMOKE STARTED COMING UP FROM THE DASHBOARD. UPON HAVING IT TOWED TO A SATURN DEALER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE IGINITION SWITCH HAD FAILED AND HAD BURNT OUT THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS CAR HAS 48849 MILES ON IT. THIS JUST DOES NOT MAKE ANY REASON, AS SHOULD IGINITION SWAICHES GO BAD ON A LOW MILEAGE CAR AND CAUSE SO MUCH ADDITIONAL DAMAGE?

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. DEALER STATED WIRING HARNESS MELTED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERATIVE. *AK

WE EXPERIENCED A DASHBOARD FIRE IN OUR 1997 SATURN SL1 IN THE FALL OF 2003. MY WIFE TURNED THE KEY, STARTED THE CAR, SHIFTED TO REVERSE, AND BEGAN BACKING UP WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT, THE CAR JOLTED TO A STOP, AND THE INTERIOR IMMEDIATELY FILLED WITH ACRID SMOKE. THE KNOXVILLE SATURN DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND WIRING--NOT CHEAP. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY-RELATED EVENT.*AK

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASH. VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY DEALER.*AK

AT START UP HORN SOUNDED, THEN, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH. CONSUMER SHUT OFF ENGINE, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER DETERMINED THAT WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DASH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK