chicachica16

Hello,
I need help regarding my car's ignition please. First off I feel that I need to say I have no experience, whatsoever, with cars which is why my dad suggested that i find an online forum to learn some things about my car from you experts out there. We are gong to take my car to get it fixed so I need to know, in advance, what I will be up against so any help will be most appreciated and thank you very much.

OK, yesterday I was on my way home and got in my 1997, 2-door Chevy Cavalier and turned the ignition on, after wards pressing the alarm button, located on the keypad, to activate the car to start, like I always have done, but the car didn't start so I slightly pulled the key out of the ignition and the car started. Thinking that to be odd, I pulled the key completely out of the ignition to try again so I repeated the same thing again and it happened again so I started getting scared because my car has never done that before in the 8 years I've had it.

This car has been the best and I rarely ever had any problems with it for the 8 years I've had it. I would say I'd only had 2 issues with it (got a new battery for in a year ago and the a/c had acted up) in all, so I was kind of surprised about what it was doing. I guess I just wasn't expecting any problems since it has been so good to me.

So I pulled the key out completely again only now I saw streams of smoke coming from out of where the steering wheel was located and it smelled like burning smoke so I really got scared and got out of my car and immediately phoned my dad. I raised the hood and noticed streams of smoke coming from where the oil thingy is located and even though it didn't need oil, I added more anyway.

My dad came and he tried to figure it out but couldn't. He attempted to start it up but this time the ignition wouldn't budge. It was almost like it was fused solid and wouldn't turn at all so he tried the gear shift and it wouldn't move at all, also, and neither would the steering wheel. Everything is stuck and won't move at all but the lights, wipers and everything else does still work. My dad knows about general maintenance of cars but he is not a mechanic/expert. We ended up having it towed back home.

If anyone happens to have some kind of idea, I will be most grateful to you as this will be a great learning experience for me and I am thinking I will take a mechanics course as well. Again, I thank you.

in2pro

Welcome to the forum, I think you will find lots of helpful info here and lots of helpful folks as well...
the important thing is to share what you learn as well, as this is what makes the forum work and helpful when other search it.
If something you learn here works let us know!

sounds like something shorted in the ignition but as for the smoke under the hood...humm
could be an electrical short down to the starter

in2pro

Here is an article from e-how on replacing the ignition switch if its needed...

http://www.ehow.com/how_6098489_chan...-cavalier.html

Timah81

Ur ignition is covered under recall check it out google cavalier recalls and a dozen or so come up including the ignition which if left on can short out even after ignitiion is shut off they will replace it for free at your local dealer.