Hi. I just bought a 2000 SL1 sedan with just over 53k miles on it. It has been running great. Until yesterday. I went to start it and got nothing. The dash lights winked out when I turned the key. The person I bought the car from said that the car had been sitting for months because his mother did not like to drive it anymore. The battery was bad and I replaced it. Still the same, but this time I got smoke from the engine bay. I disconnected the new battery and thought I'd ask first before replacing anything else. This is the first Saturn I've owned. Solenoid? Thanks in advance.

 

specifically where was the smoke coming from ?
High , low, near windshield, near battery, pass/drivers side

we need to figure out what was smoking before we go any further

 

It was coming out low, passenger side, close to the firewall.

 

Ouch ......

I'd have the car up on a rack (or firmly on jackstands) and be underneath, looking for a badly fried main power cable going to the starter. Also, check the control wiring going to the same area. Please let us know what you find before proceeding further .....