WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH, BLACK TOXIC SMOKE SUDDENLY STARTED BELLOWING OUT FROM AROUND THE RADIO AREA IN THE CENTER DASHBOARD. A LOUD RAPID CLICKING SOUND WAS ALSO HEARD. UPON REALIZING WHAT WAS GOING ON, I STEERED THE CAR SAFELY OFF THE HIGHWAY RAMP AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. I INSPECTED THE ENGINE UNDER THE HOOD AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. UPON A 15 MIN SHUTDOWN I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND BOTH THE SMOKE AND CLICKING SOUND HAD CEASED SO I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALER. ON 28 DEC 00 THE MERCURY DEALER ONLY REMOVED THE RADIO AND GLOVEBOX AND NOTED NOTHING ABNORMAL. AS A CONSUMER I AM NOT SATISFIED, THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.*AK