Dash/Tail lights+smoking column!!!
 

Day before yesterday, bought a cherry 1998 Montero Sport Ls with 179K. A few hours after I got it, I turned on the left turn signal, small amount of smoke came out of column near turn signal stalk for 10 sec or so. Dash and tail lights out. Checked all fuses (under dash & hood) twice and they all seem good. I'm not familiar with the big fuses that don't have test points, but the metal in the view window on top looks solid. Not sure how to check relays. All fuses are as rated, so why would it not blow? More than likely a short near where the smoke came from.

Had to take lower half of dash off to get to all of the screws for tilt column cover, but cover still not coming off. Do I just pull the two halves apart or are there clips? I have a manual on the way but could really use the advice.

Once I get the column cover off, I may or may not be able to see what is fried. Any suggestions on which color wires or location of harnesses I should check?

Left a post in "wiring" but no reply. Any help much appreciated! Can't wait to give the new 30X9.5s a work out. Thanks Pajero/Montero/Shogun and all Mitsu fans for your help!!

there is a link to the manuals at www.mitsubishilinks.com

it is a great site so for the manual look there. My son had to take our turn signal switch out - so it seemed a straight forward job to pull the column covers off. It is a plug and play replacement, but mitsubishi is proud of a new one. It could just be a short in the column but I'd suspect in the switch somewhere. Agree, a fuse should have blown somewhere before wires smoked though. Good luck.