I too had this problem, as do so many, especially the 1998 model it seems. It even followed the script when after a couple of days started to give off smoke.
Removing the hazard switch and cleaning it and the switch body itself did not help.
I did not feel like trying to repair the entire multifunction (lol should be malfunction) switch body so I went and got a new one locally, $150, not too bad considering everyone else was list at 195. gmpartsdirect.com wants $117 total.
Having never been in this part of the car before the replacement took a couple of hours. Steering wheel removal is *not* necessary.
Of course, disconnect battery power first.
The shroud about the column is removed via three torx screws, one of them being the infamous male torx head, which was easily backed out with a 4mm socket on a long extension.
The switch body itself is held in place with two torx screws. The bottom one is tight with the steering wheel in place and is removed using the torx bit only and a 1/4" wrench at 90 degrees on the bit. It isn't in tight and is easy to remove and replace.
To get to the main wiring connections down low you have to remove the plastic shrouding from the bottom of the dash. Before doing this reach under to where the parking brake release cable attaches to the parking brake pedal. This is like a bike cable - simply pop this off the lever. Now remove the bottom shroud and pull the release cable through the hole and free.
The steel shield surrounding the bottom of the column needs to be removed. Simple enough, 4 nuts.
OK, everything is now out of the way.
The wiring harness from this switch has two branches on it going to two other switches that have to be removed. The first is an interlock on the shift lever, I guess signalling when the shifter is out of park. The second one is down below the column, again appearing to be on the shift mechanism, but I am not sure what this one is. Remove both sets of wires from these switches.
Now the main wiring is removed. First, there are some tie wraps you will have to cut, the one main one though attached to the column can be opened up manually. The block they plug into, the connectors are part of an assembly that screws into the block. Remove the connector assembly by loosening this screw until the whole mess easily pulls out. 1/2 of the connectors are for other things, just pop loose the ones for the multifunction switch and replace with the ones from the new switch harness.
Reassemble and that's it!
Lol, first time you turn the key on stand back in case the air bag deploys! _________________________________________________________________ JG... Jeff Givens mailto: snipped-for-privacy@comcastXX.netXX
"My hovercraft is full of eels."