Said It Here

Smoke coming from steering wheel when cruise control is on

Smoke coming from the steering wheel after hitting cruise control indicates an active electrical hazard that gets worse when turning on the AC or higher temperatures. Ignoring this creates a dangerous situation where persistent electrical faults and toxic fumes prevent safe vehicle operation.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

  1. 1
    Bringing the car to a shop
  2. 2
    Disconnecting the battery
  3. 3
    Having the car towed to a shop
  4. 4
    Looping the heater core lines in the engine bay
  5. 5
    Avoiding turning on the climate control system

In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.

r/AskMechanics1 person · January 2026

“Started after I hit the cruise control, now smokes any time I turn it on.”source ↗

“Also all lights have been on for months and have persisted through mechanic visits, which probably shouldn't be the case”source ↗

EmprexEJ · r/AskMechanics · 3,275 upvotes
r/MechanicAdvice2 people · September 2026

“I've been told that antifreeze is the most toxic chemical found in a car. Based on that knowledge I wouldn't breath it, not for a second.”source ↗

downthedra1n · r/MechanicAdvice · 1 upvotes

“Started today, AC will constantly blow smoke if running, weather is not humid so slightly confusing, is worse the higher I turn up the temperature”source ↗

BoondocksInvesting · r/MechanicAdvice

Where this came up

People with this problem also raised