the car did what!?

Question

ok...I need expert advice from people who knows cars because I'm not paying a high fee for a mechanic to tell me everything is fine. My car worked fine last night when I drove in a blizzard....leave it over night and the next morning the steering wheel doesn't work and my car is smoking. I have a '95 cutlass supreme and on the panel it has a circle that says ABS...what the heck does that mean and whats going on?!

Answer 1

your low on turn signal fluid.

Answer 2

Driving in a blizzard, then letting the car sit overnight probably in quite cold temperature will cause a few things to happen...mainly being that the condensation has turned into ice and thus some of that ice is now adhered to your brakes, the reason your ABS light is on (ABS is your brake system...ABS brakes pulse while you stop to allow for smoother and more controlled braking (no locked skids etc). Although ABS systems can be a pain at times, for the most part they are very valuable to have a car equipped with.

Steering would be dependent upon what you mean by 'doesn't work', if it is stiff to turn the wheel you could either have an ice build up again or you could have what is classed as 'morning sickness' when the steering becomes stiff at start up particularly on cold mornings/nights. If this is a 95, there's a good possibility you have the onset of morning sickness (all mechanics know this term so I won't bother going into detail).

If you've never noticed this steering stiffness before, it's likely due to the conditions you drove in and the car sitting over night with no way to remove this gunk build up of slush...thus it froze. Run the car 10-15 mins, trying the steering every 5 mins to see if it frees up.

The smoking is from the steam being caused by the car running ... as it warms the exhaust/engine etc are heating up thus melting the gunk underneath...expelling steam.

All should be well once the car is thawed off...the steering stiffness if it continues will have to be seen by a mechanic for repair because eventually the morning sickness can turn severe.

If all was mechanically well last evening when you parked it, the extremely rare chance that you have both brake failure and steering failure over night caused by major components failing is probably highly unlikely. All mechanics, just like computer techs, know to investigate the simplest things first unless they are absolutely certain they know exactly what is wrong. I've known people who have gotten rid of a vehicle because a mechanic told them the repairs where in the $$$+++ range when in fact the part to repair was $50. Get the car warmed up before you call your local mechanic and if you have to call a mechanic, ensure he is reputable. Your ABS sensor unable to read correctly because of ice is a very real possibility...your steering same thing. Simplest (least costly) route first.

Answer 3

Well I know ABS is Anti-Lock Brake System. If the light is on then your ABS is not responding. That needs to be fixed.

As far as the steering wheel not working and your car smoking I would get it checked out. It could be a number of things that have gone wrong.

Answer 4

ABS is a warning light tellling you something is wrong with the anti-lock brake system.

As for the steering issue?? Maybe something happened to the powersteering pump. If the pump or line blew, that could be the cause of the smoke as the power steering fluid is leaking over a hot engine and burning off.

Get thee to a shop.

Good luck

Answer 5

OK I own one of those High priced shops, trust me it is not fine,
The temp was low while you were driving and you may have water in brake lines or a leak this causes the yellow Anti-lock brake light to come on. The smoking, From where, Under the Hood could be ice that is dripping on the exhaust. or complete failure of water/oil seals.
A mechanic will most likely not tell you it is fine unless he is a complete idiot.
RULE #5 Finding a reputable shop. The one with a lot of cars to be worked on that day. and empty lot shows he has no work and there is a reason for that. He is an idiot. I have a shop like that a mile from my shop, the owner asked me how do I keep repeat customers......I said I hand them a card when they leave his shop. I know cruel!

Answer 6

ABS means anti lock braking system - prevents the brakes from locking when you press the brakes too hard - result, - improved control of car when braking suddenly at high speed
several possibilities for your problem...
1.the steering fluid has frozen over..try keeping the car in a warm place for 30 mins & see(but for heavens sake do not hold a blowtorch near the engine..you'll go into orbit)
2.if your car has steering lock,then someone must have rotated the steering in locked position,causing it to lock.try gently rotating the steering first in 1 direction while simultaneously cranking the engine, & then rotating it the other side.
other than these i can't say more,

Answer 7

Although I am not a mechanic, my step father was one and he ALWAYS talked about the cars he was working on, the ABS light has to do with your ABS breaking system, I don't know about Cutties but my friend has a Grand Am and her ABS light is always on and it always says LOW TRAC, her machainc said that happens with ABS systems, you may want to look under your carrage to see if any snow is packed in your breaking system ( maybe why your steering doesn't work) but you do need to take it to a mechanic, call around and see if they do free inspections or estimating, and most of them will take the diagnostic fee off of the bill if you get the work done at thier shop. Good Luck!

Answer 8

sounds like you ran over something in the blizzard or a chunk of ice cut a line or damaged something.

ABS - anti-lock braking system. This is part of your brakes. Since the light is on there is a malfunction with them. Since you also mention smoke with this, I would guess you ripped a brake line and have brake fluid squirting out and onto the engine, in turn making it smoke.

Now this is an educated guess cause I can't see the car, hear it, etc. But it does sound like you have issues...might not even be wise to drive the car but have it towed in. A car with no brakes is past dangerous.

Answer 9

ABS is AntiLock Braking System. This has its own computer, usually seperate from the one that handles your engine emissions. Most likely a sesor has gone bad. You have to refer to your owners manual on this... On my GMC Safari an ABS light means my main hydraulic brakes (like any older car) are OK, but I have no enhanced stopping power - gotta remember to pump them if you slip. I don't know if that same sceanrio fits your car.

As far as the smoke - I'd have to know where its coming from. An engaged parking brake while driving will make the brakes smoke. I suppose it might get hot enough to cook a sensor, though I have never seen that happen myself.

If your engine is smoking, that would normally have nothing to do with ABS failures. Need more info to help on that end.

Answer 10

Sounds to me like you got some ice and snow in the engine compartment the smoke is from your belt slipping the abs light is a short due to snow build up you were driving the car so I guess the brakes were working. The wheel has snow packed in the wheel wells or other lower parts. I have had that in deep snow before you have to knock it out from there I had to go to the car wash to get mine freed up.
Good luck

Answer 11

it sounds like multiple issues.some "W" body cars have a steering assist that operates off of the brake booster.look under the hood,near the steering wheel on the "fire wall",there is a large round cylinder bolted there.there is a large hose that connects to that cylinder (5/8")diameter,check that hose at both ends to see if it came off.and check for cracks or breaks in the hose.