Hi,

I am having a problem with the cig lighter.

I checked it with a volt meter and it gets 11.7 ish when the car is off and 13.5 ish when the car is running.

But, nothing works in it. It wont light the lighter, USB adapter doesn't work. And the GPS unit doesn't work.

It looks clean, I removed it and cleaned it up more. You can visually see through the side, so I test fit some of the power adapters into it and they were making good contact.

Strange symptom, the GPS unit seems to get power for about a second.

I'm wondering if I am not getting the necessary amperage to it.

Any ideas?

Thanks

95 850

 

Bad ground maybe? What were you grounded to when you tested it?

 

@#$%@&

 

Doesn't the socket provide power and ground? I was using the socket wall for ground, than additionally checked the plugs once the socket was removed.


The lighter element doesn't work either. I have a brand new USB plug for the cig lighter socket that fits tight. Also, the GPS worked a couple months ago when I first got the car. Both power adapters have dual grounding tabs.

-I should have added this before, but I didn't think of it.
Between the time when the cig lighter socket worked and stopped working, the fuse had blown. It has not worked since replacing the fuse.

 

Do you have power on both sides of the fuse? Try another fuse. Make sure one of the tab in the fuse holder didn't get bent down.

 

@#%$^@

 

I checked the voltage at the harness as well as the socket.

Those tabs are what hold the lighter in while it heats up? I think they are ok, my lighter pops in, but never pops out. When I remove the lighter the element is not even warm to the touch.

I'm thinking more along the lines of short or damaged power/ground wire feeding the lighter. Not sure how to check that though.

 

Just an FYI, the socket should have voltage when the key is on but NOTHING when the key is off. If you have voltage there when the key is off you should pull the center console and see if someone has tampered with the wires.

 

Fixed it!

Turns out it was related to the fuse. I had voltage at the cig. lighter socket, but I am assuming that I wasn't getting enough amps. I pulled the fuse out and the prongs didn't look as shiny as they should, probably because that fuse has been sitting in the engine compartment since 1995. So I put in a brand new one with a little electrical contact stablent/enhancer and it now works.

thanks for the suggestions and help.