wipers dont work...

I know I am having some electrical problems with the wiring within the steering column. Occasionally there is a puff of smoke coming from the steering column and after the last one, my wiper switch doesnt work. Has anyone experienced problems similar to this? Perhaps the switch shorting out? Any ideas what else it could be?

What year? Most years of the A3 body had ignition switch problems.

its a 95 GL... does the entire steering wheel have to come off to replace the switch?