smoke came out of my steering wheel

2005 SATURN VUE
120,000 MILES
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ASDFASDF
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On my way home i noticed a burning wire plastic smell and saw some smoke come out the side of my steering wheel, my low beams stopped working but my high beams and turn signals continued to work, yesterday i removed my dimmer switch and there where 4 wires a red one , two black ones and a brown one the brown one was melted and the melted was burnt and not connected anymore to its place is this the low beams? if so is it as simple as just getting a new dimmer switch?
Jun 13, 2012 at 5:13 AM
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SATURNTECH9
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Does your vue have auto head lights or regular head lights?
Jun 13, 2012 at 3:01 PM
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REDCD10
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not a 100% sure what would be the answer to both?, i know if there auto maybe the shortage blew both my bulbs
Jun 13, 2012 at 3:08 PM
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REDCD10
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i have to manually put it in auto mode
Jun 13, 2012 at 3:11 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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So the melted wires are on the dimmer switch not the head light switch?If you have auto head lights it will say auto on the head light switch.
Jun 13, 2012 at 3:14 PM
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REDCD10
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ok yes theres is an auto feature its one melted wire and the dimmer switch, i looked it up and for some reason it is also called the headlight switch, i looked up both up and they are the same product
Jun 13, 2012 at 3:23 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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I see a light blue wire a pink wire a dark blue wire a gray wire and a black wire.Which one is melted?
Jun 13, 2012 at 3:31 PM
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REDCD10
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i only see two black, one red and one burnt off brown one, i think there are two types of, i have looked up the parts and they offer two one that has only the wires i describe and another that has the wires you describe I'm not sure but i think that one also controls other things as well as the lights

its an 05 saturn vue
Jun 13, 2012 at 3:42 PM
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REDCD10
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i think the brown wire was originally purple and because of the burn wire it turned brown
Jun 13, 2012 at 3:56 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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Here is the head light wires coming from the switch.
Image (Click to enlarge)
Attached Media
Jun 13, 2012 at 4:02 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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Iam not there to see whats going on so your my eyes you need to cut back the tape and see what color the wire is?I dont see purple ethier in the wires going to the head lights.The low beam is dark blue coming off the switch.
Jun 13, 2012 at 4:14 PM
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REDCD10
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im talking about the headlight switch that is on the console by the steering wheel
Jun 13, 2012 at 4:16 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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Right behind the steering on the column on the left side correct?Because thats where the head light switch is.
Jun 13, 2012 at 4:37 PM
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REDCD10
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yes that is it
Jun 13, 2012 at 4:38 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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Then were both talking about the same thing the low beam wire that supplys the ground to turn the low beams on is blue.I need you to cut the tape back and let me know what color the burnt wire is?Iam trying to help you here.
Jun 13, 2012 at 4:45 PM
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REDCD10
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oh thank you but i see what your talking about and its in the back of the mechanicsm not the attachment
Jun 13, 2012 at 4:48 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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The wires come ok of the connector there all taped up and run down the steering column.
Jun 13, 2012 at 4:53 PM
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REDCD10
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all those wires are fine I'm talking about the actually mechanism itself
that has only 4 wires and the wires you talked about connect into it
Jun 13, 2012 at 4:54 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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Ok sounds like you have a head light switch that shorted out i have seen that one before.
Jun 13, 2012 at 5:01 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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Your also going to want to unplug the connector and make sure the connector didnt get melted.
Jun 13, 2012 at 5:03 PM
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REDCD10
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ok thank you yea i checked the other wires that you plug into it and they look fine and not damaged
Jun 13, 2012 at 5:14 PM
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SATURNTECH9
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Your welcome glad i could help you out.
Jun 13, 2012 at 5:28 PM