I don't know why its doing it but the first time it happened is when I put my left blinker on, and instead of it blinking the arrow stayed a solid green then a puff of smoke came out of the hazzard button, then yesterday I went to turn the truck on and it did it without using the blinkers, and the left arrow was a solid green. Today it started doing it randomly while I was driving. I was thinking it may be a burnt fuse, or something. Any ideas to what it might be?

Also a couple days ago I noticed that the backing where the labels are for the controls of the A/C and heater controls would get really hot, hot enough that you couldn't keep your fingers on it without your fingers starting to burn. Am i having electrical issues?

 

yes

 

lol I'd say so.

 

hazard button smoke is the multifunction switch shorting. mine did it. had to repace it sucked bad...

really not to hard to replace just costs a little..


where the lights on for the HVAC panel to get hot those incandescent bulbs great pretty toasty some times

 

Thanks for the quick posts guys.

the lights were on I believe So I shouldn't need to worry about this then. Did you replace the Multifunction Switch yourself or did you send it into ford? Would it b a good idea to get it fixed now or can I wait a little while? cause its only done it 3 times.

 

If it is smoking, I'd try and get it fixed ASAP. Like the old saying goes "Where there's smoke, there's fire."

 

NOW ... I did it myself.. took like 30 min

 

What all do you have to do? Do you have to take out the airbag? wheres it located?

 

check for recalls, this sounds somewhat common, we have all seen fight club, and know how recalls are calculated. i'll bet ford will do it for free

 

I'll check into it but I doubt its gonna be free. Anybody know How to replace it?

 

the multifunction switch should take a lot less than 30 min to replace, probably half that

remove the upper and lower steering column shouds (there are i think 3 or 4 phillips head screws holding them together like a clamshell from underneath)

separate them

remove the wiring harness connector from the multifunction switch (be careful, i had to replace my harness connector because the previous owner had broken the clip on top)

i think there is a torx screw holding the switch in. take it out.

remove the switch, put the new one in, and reverse directions for installation

FWIW, the cheapest place i found to get the switch was amazon, surprisingly. it was about $60 shipped, IIRC

now this is all from memory, so i could have messed up a little :-D

 

Get some LED bulbs for the HVAC panel.

 

Mine did this too, every once in a while, for a couple months, a couple years ago. I never changed it and it hasn't done it since.

 

Picked the switch up today. It cost $140. Didn't think it was going to be that bad but, atleast I won't have to worry about it ever again. Thanks guys for the info.

 

Got it swapped out and, It was so easy to replace took probably 15 minutes. It helped that I had that Size torx screw in a driver and not a socket. Thanks again guys.

 

w00t

 

ya good times but the possibility of your truck going up in an electrical fire is high now.. so why play fate...

 

Why fix it if it ain't broke?

I'm not convinced this issue would actually cause a fire. If something in the column shorts to ground its going to blow a fuse before catches on fire.

 

Smoke... something is burning.. mine never tripped a fuse and did it bad twice in a few min.. why it still worked but something has to be wrong..

 

IT IS BROKE! THATS WHY ITS SMOKING!

Well, I used to have pics, but I took mine apart after it was smoking and the dielectric grease that covered all the contacts had turned black... Thats no good! Plus with all the electronic near there, I wouldn't want to risk any stray voltage...

 

HOLY CRAP!! $140?!?!?!?! I hope it came with a happy ending atleast.

I could have gotten you one from the local JY for $9. I had to order mine off ebay because its the newer style and they didnt have them in the yard. Only cost me $40.


As for the smoke the one in my old corsica used to smoke all the time. It never caught fire.