URGENT: Smoke from steering wheel

[brassic_lint]

Hi Guys, been browsing the site for a while, but I need some assistance!

My wife has just called to say that whilst driving, smoke started coming out of the steering wheel, specifically through the volume wheel on the steering wheel controls. She stopped straight away , got out of the car and Audi Assist are on their way.

Any ideas what it could be, Audi suggested she drive from Southampton to the dealer in Guildford, but as she's pregnant, I'm not happy about her sitting in front of an airbag unit with smoke pouring out of it!!

Any ideas what it could be?!?!

BTW car is a 2004(54) 2.0TDI140 Sportback with steering controls and all the curtain airbags etc.

 

[NHN]

Well I'm thinking airbag issues there mate possibly as nothing in the steering wheel itself that has anything that would do that apart from airbag

Any smell to it, was it burning smelll, anything else going on at same time with car?

I cant imagine the current feed to the wheel controls would be high enough to cause melting/burning unless some modules gone a miss interms of functionality, but as it goes through a very thin slip ring with very thin tracks cant see it being that as that would burn out 1st & also you'd probably get dash warnings

be intrigued to know mate & glad she got out being pregnant huh

 

[brassic_lint]

Unfortunately I am about 100 miles away from the car at the moment and Audi are being useless! She is useless with smells and said "it smells like smoke!" TBH my first reaction was airbags so told her to sit in the back of the car rather than the front!!

The tech has called her and said nothing he can do, he'll turn up and have arrange for a tow truck. I called Audi Assist myself to get a tow truck directly based on that and they tell me that he can tow her!! Useless!!

Will keep you posted on Audi's diagnosis!

 

[brassic_lint]

Just a little update, ther car has now (finally!) been recoveed and is on its way back to the dealer. They will contact us in the morning to let us know the prognosis.

 

[PW-Motorsport]

Some of the older A4`s have had problems with the ignition switch melting on start up.

Simple to change if a bit of a worry when it happens......

 

[brassic_lint]

Some of the older A4`s have had problems with the ignition switch melting on start up.

Simple to change if a bit of a worry when it happens......

Interesting, but surely the source of the smoke would be in the ignition switch rather than coming through the steering wheel buttons after driving for 30 mins?

 

[eugegall]

sounds dodgy to me

 

[ianspibs]

Amazing that they would suggest she drives to the dealer with a car that could set on fire!
Since the car has been recovered by Audi assist they owe you a courtesy car.
I don't think taking it to the dealers yourself would qualify.

 

[brassic_lint]

OK, quick update...

Audi originally said they could not find anything wrong and suggested us having the car back to see if it had now gone away... yeah, OK!!!

I insisted I didn't want it back until they had found the fault, so the serrvice manager took the car home overnight and brought it back saying that he indeed could smell burning when driving, but no smoke. His suggestion was that a plastic bag was caught on the manifold. None found.

They the found that the MFSW no longer worked and that all the switches were burnt out, but no wiring faults found. A new MFSW is on order and should arrive today or tomorrow. "Let's see if the car burns this one out"!!

Will keep you updated though.

 

[Khufu]

bit concerning since its close to the airbag!

 

[Mr.G]

MFSW? Multifunction switch?

 

[JohnS3]

MFSW - Multi function steering wheel

 

[brassic_lint]

Right guys, just to keep you updated...

We got the car backjust over a week ago (life has been too busy to post before now!!), and they have replaced the switch units in the MFSW (not the whole wheel). They say they cannot find a reason why but the switches on the right-side (volume/SDS) were completely burnt out.

Fingers crossed, we've now done around 600 miles with no problems but I am a little concerned that they didn't find the reason!

Also very annoyed with the dealer... Had the car for over a week and it came back half a tank of fuel lighter (it was almost full when it was recovered and came back with less than half), and absolutely filthy, mud in the drivers footwell and covered in Bird doo-doo!

Called the service guy immdeiately and he said he'd get back to me but have heard nothing, going to get a piece of my mind today followed by a letter to the dealer principle copied to Audi UK if it's not resolved.

BTW does anyone have the contact details for customer services at Audi UK?

 

[10blazin]

i tryed to complain to costomer services of audi they just said get in touch with your dealer they refuse to talk after delivering the car with the alloys scratched to bits audi..... NEVER AGAIN ..... TOSSERS