Smoke from dash!

The other day while I was driving with a passenger, I was making a few hard turns and holding the wheel at an angle for the duration of an Oregon traffic light cycle (see: really long).

While at the light, I started to notice a fine string of smoke rising through the gear selection knob. Neither the A/C nor the fan was running so the air in the cabin was extremely calm.

The smoke looked almost like a fine spider web and as such, I thought that it was. The only problem was I couldn't grab it with my hands and the instant my hand was close to it, it disappeared.

Then, with a sinking feeling (as once being a CE (CS/EE) student) that spider web was much more likely smoke. At the next long-nice person-Oregon-traffic light I was able to re-create the issue again with more smoke by holding the wheel at an angle. This time, I was able to confirm that I wasn't going crazy by asking my passenger if they could see the smoke exiting from the gear selection fascia. (By the way, this is a great way to scare any occupants of a vehicle, as I have learned).

This time I was able to get a sniff of it. It did not smell like epoxy or plastic, which is good, because that means it isn't a CPU/Logic or wire burning. Instead, it smelled like theatrical smoke. That is to say, it smelled like glycol / mineral oil smoke. So, now I know that something is creating smoke under the dash that isn't a wire or epoxy encapsulated.

I know that the power steering unit is under the dash in the cabin, in the area by the gear selector.

The next question... Has anyone else seen this? I'm assuming that the power steering motor is stalling at some point and causing the smoke. Would anyone else like to give it a try to see if they can reproduce?

I still love my Prius! I've had 27,500 miles with out any issues. This is not a post bashing the Prius by any means.

 

Many thanks to Pinto Girl and Tideland Prius for pointing out the section in the manual.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Sep 5 2006, 10:08 PM) [snapback]314917[/snapback]</div>

Indeed, that very one. It's much smaller than the power steering pump on a 240 DL Volvo!!!

To reiterate, the smell if very similar to stage smoke... Or if anyone still has an old Lionel train set that uses the wax pellets or model train that uses 3 in 1 house oil for smoke...

I figured that under extreme conditions the power steering motor would strain/overheat. I was much more curious if anyone else has seen the smoke or if I'm the only one to notice?

This is _not_ something that I would consider taking to the dealer over as I know where its coming from and, thanks to two quick posters, what the dealer would say if I took it in!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Sep 6 2006, 01:29 AM) [snapback]315024[/snapback]</div>

Ah ha! A good question... and an even better analogy, although the wheel turns

Apparently, the traffic engineers for Washington County, Oregon went out for drinks or something that kept them _seriously_ inebriated while 'designing' the traffic flow and setting the light timing on my route home from work. I was transiting from a two lane to a four lane traffic intersection (one lane into three - one left turn, one straight, and one straight and right turn lane).

Most people traveling in the same direction as me make a left turn at said light. The inebriated traffic engineers made said left turn lane about three times too small in length and its light timing too short for the given traffic at 17:00. The left turn arrow turns red before the two straight lanes get a green light. Oregon doesn't seem to have very many left turn yield on green where it's completely appropriate!

Since most people are making a left, they block the one lane that also feeds the two other lanes - one of which I want to be in. I was trying to maneuver around the cars waiting to get into the left turn lane. This caused me to turn sharply. I needed to get the front of the car aimed in the right direction the instant the light changed to green for my direction to make it through the next two, un-timed, lights.

Sorry for the long post...