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Smoking vents
#1
After some high speed driving I pulled up to a queue of traffic and within seconds saw wisps of smoke slowly emitting from my air vents above the stereo. At the time the aircon was off, sidelights were on and so was the Alpine Stereo. I quickly pulled over and shut the engine off (headlights too). Smoke wasn’t coming from any other area and couldn’t smell or see any source.

I then cautiously after a few minutes started the car, left the headlights off and travelled the ten minutes home. Near home I put the sidelights on again to see if the smoke would re-occur but no repeat result. I couldn’t smell anything burnt.

Does anyone have any experience of smoke coming ‘only’ from the twin vents above the stereo and what the cause could be?

If its electrical which it surely must be then the only electrical part within the aircon system is the resister that fits in under the core.

If there was a problem with the stereo or wiring behind the aircon panel surely the smoke couldn’t make it through the rubber ducting between the evaporator and vents?

No mods have recently been made. Stereo upgrade was fitted around four years ago and aircon was redone around the same time. The headlight switch is original.

Battery is currently disconnected. Will remove the centre console in the next few days and start investigating. Any input would be appreciated.
Regards,

Chris Hawes
DOC 138
Ex owner of VIN 5255 Grey, 5-speed
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#2
spirited driving from you Hawsey? Never!!! lol :lol:

Cant offer any constructive advice unfortunately, but I had summat similar a few years ago
with a VW Jetta that I had, and the numpty who fitted my stereo wired the constant live
to the headlights Shock Obviously, this wont be the problem in your case as your stereo
has been in a while.

I'm sure RichH or Martin will be along soon enough with a reply thats a bit more use to you Smile

Seeya soon,
Claire Wright  - Club Treasurer
Jul 1981 DeLorean - Flopsy #2292 
Aug 1989 Cavalier 1.6L - Guinney
Apr 2021 Mokka-e Launch Edition - Evie
#170
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#3
Fan motor gone bad?

Chris
Membership Secretary DOC UK
2021's DeLorean event: http://www.deloreans.co.uk/forum/showthr...p?tid=6056
VIN#15768 Ex VIN#4584
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#4
Hi Chris,
The aircon/fan motor was in the off position. As the motor was only replaced around five years ago it is quiet etc when running.
Regards,

Chris Hawes
DOC 138
Ex owner of VIN 5255 Grey, 5-speed
Reply
#5
To confirm, the blower motor was off but I have checked the resister pack and all seems okay. Motor was/is okay too and so are the related plugs.

I've removed the centre console and found the headlight switch and plug to be fine. I did find the cause of my number 12 fuse for getting a tad melted, the fog light mod crimp had partially failed and with little of the related wire remaining crimped had a caused a heat build up that has melted the internals of the fog light switch (normally hidden under the right dummy toggle swtich). I'll be soldering/heat shrinking today. This location of course i.e. near the ashtray is no where near where I saw the smoke drifting out of the vents. I can find NO evidence of heat damage from behind the centre consolse. No melted plugs, no exposed wires (bar those in the photo below) and everything works. I tried on two previous occassions to have the sidelights on and the blower motor off like before to help recreate the smoking scenario and nothing will repeat.

On a slightly different note I have NEVER had my hazard switch illuminate when the headlights are on. I've found the switch and bulb to fine but did notice the below:-

[Image: HazardSwitchplug.jpg]

I take it that one of the wires above should have a feed to give illumination. Does anyone know what the other wire that has been cut would be for?
Any suggestions on where I should take a new feed from?

Any other thoughts as to what I could check for the source of the smoking?

Thanks in advance
Regards,

Chris Hawes
DOC 138
Ex owner of VIN 5255 Grey, 5-speed
Reply
#6
...I know this might sound a bit weird, but i've owned two cars in the past which all of a sudden suffered the "smoke pouring out of the centre console / steering column".

A 1991 Vauxhall Astra Mk II, whilst i was driving down to Edinburgh from Aberdeen, suddenly spat a thick fog of smoke into my face for no apparent reason. It was really quite thick too! i had to open the window to continue seeing where i was going! I owned that car for a further 3 years or so. Everything continued to work in all that time, no evidence of the smoke was EVER found, and it NEVER did it again!?

The second time, this time with my still current car today, a 1999 Honda Civic, suffered exactly the same as above, except not quite as bad. once again, no problems. Everything still works as normal, and that was about 3 years ago now. I'm still owning and driving the Civic today. Brilliant car!
(Saying that, the slowest fan speed for the Reostat doesn't work. I believe its a simple unplug and replace job, but i've never done it. I'm always happy to use the next fan speed up from the slowest. ....I wonder if that was it!??... :-D )

I know its hard to say, bit perhaps you shouldn't worry about it so much. It might just be a random event.
(I know what you're gonna say....without fire, there is NO smoke... :-) ) ....anyway....
Rissy
(Forum Member 288)
(DOC Member 663)

May 1981 vin#1458 "LEX"
Grey, Flapped, Black
Chassis: #1073
Engine: #2839

Main Car(s):
2005 BMW M3 in Velvet Blue
2010 Honda Civic Type R in Sapphire Blue (1 of 115 made)
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#7
According to my wiring Diagram the purple wire goes to Fuse 6, and black to ground, I guess the wires are lurking around in there somewhere!
Chris
Membership Secretary DOC UK
2021's DeLorean event: http://www.deloreans.co.uk/forum/showthr...p?tid=6056
VIN#15768 Ex VIN#4584
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