Smoking underneath

I would suspect oil! Check the level in the crankcase, and if it's an automatic, the level of the tranny fluid.

These cars had a problem with rings, that develops just about the mileage this car is at. But this sounds different. This sounds like a leaking seal or a break in a casing. Those are worst case, of course. But your mechanic should be able to discover those.

There really aren't any mechanical parts in rear other than the wheel bearings or the brakes that could cause smoking. Try pressure washing the oily stuff off and see if you can see where it comes from. Could be leaky struts or brake cylinder (or winter anti rust coating if you are north). Take a wheel off and with car front wheel propped and emergency brake off take off the rear drum and see if oily stuff is inside the drum -- if so its either brake fluid (master cyclinder would be down too) or grease from bearing. Brake problem - must be fixed ASAP. Sounds like control cable for opening vents is off connector or cable broken. Suspect you oly have heat at the defrosters too in winter. Dash is pain to get apart. Does it look like some swapped out the radio? If so they may have knocked off or jammed the control cable.

Well, I rummaged around under the car as best as I could with it on the street. It is transmission fluid and it seems to be co,ming from the front and flying all over the back. I had to put a full quart in to get it to the full level. I will check under it in the morning to see if it is leaking when the car isn't running and check it each day to see how much it is leaking. I have a feeling the previous owner knew this and that is why he sold it.

Wolfgang, you are right on the money with the radio and the defroster thing. The lady I bought the car from said her son had taken the radio from her Hionda and put it in this car and she made him swap it back. When I bought it, the radio was sitting in the trunk.

Thanks to all!

Suzi