Cig Lighter Not WORKING!

[Cheekz185]

OK so I bought a 140W AC-DC cigarette lighter adapter from RadioShack. I was going to use it to plug in my laptop. So I hooked everything up and i started driving and after 10 min the adapter stopped charging my laptop. There is a little green light on the AC-DC adapter and when it is getting power it lights up so after 10 minutes that light went out. SO i was like OK thats really weird. SO DUMBASS that i am i decided to plug it into the bottom cig lighter and after a half hour it did the same thing!. I tried pluging other things into the clig lighter and nothing. Doesnt heat up the cig lighter.


SO here is what i did....I check the fuses in the fuse panel and they are all good! Every one it still working. I checked them all. I also checked under my hood and found nothing.


Can someone please helpe me!

[IceDouTGaLanT]

best adivce i can say is replace the fuse even if it looks good for the cig outlet i did it before when it looked good and it came right back..

[Cheekz185]

That happend to you with the cig lighter or something else? WOuldnt you think it would blow the fuse before i ruin the wiring rite?

[Cheekz185]

So i just changed the fuses and still nothing. I hear there are relays on the sockets. Could it be the realy? And if so where is the relay?

[GreyGoose01]

there could also be the fact that the laptop is giving more power than the fuse you have. so its gonna blow...thats only if the fuse keeps blowing...

just a thought

[Kalamidad]

only thing that comes to mind is check the fuses for current. also try checking the connections behind the sockets...they may have become loose with the movement of the plugs in and out.

[Cheekz185]

there could also be the fact that the laptop is giving more power than the fuse you have. so its gonna blow...thats only if the fuse keeps blowing...

just a thought

My fuses did not blow. They cig lighter dont get power anymore. I changed the fuses for the hell of it to see if that would help.



only thing that comes to mind is check the fuses for current. also try checking the connections behind the sockets...they may have become loose with the movement of the plugs in and out.

I highly doubt that the connections came loose. Especially on both sockets. What should i do just get a multimeter and check for current?

[Cheekz185]

Does any1 think it is prolly the wiring? If it is how much would it cost to rewire it?

[Kalamidad]

Does any1 think it is prolly the wiring? If it is how much would it cost to rewire it?

highly doubt it.

[o1naturalhigh]

u know what?? maybe it was something u stuck in the cigarette lighter before...like the adapter for a cell phone or ipod or something, and it got loose (not the cigarette lighter but whatever was stuck in there)

[Cheekz185]

Does any1 think it is prolly the wiring? If it is how much would it cost to rewire it?

highly doubt it.

It should blow the fuse before it destryoys the wire rite?

Are there any "fusible links" in the cig lighter power lines?

https://secure1.nexternal.com/ae/images/90-811.jpg ('https://secure1.nexternal.com/ae/images/90-811.jpg')

[pinoyesv6]

i'd go ahead and pull off that panel that holds the cigarette lighter and the accessory outlet. check to see if the outlets are damaged and same with the wiring. break out the volt meter and see if you are getting current to the wiring.

im guessing you bought this ('http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=22-148')

if you look at the specs on it, it has a hardware protection fuse of 20 amps. meaning that this product might just draw close to 20 amps.

now open up the fuse box, or even the owners manual. look at the fuse for the cigarette lighter. it has a what 15 amp fuse.

with that said, have u lost any other functions besides the lighter. maybe some lights, the horn, something?

open up the engine bay fuse box. if you have a flashlight and a magnifying glass (if if you have really good vision, just your eyes) inspect the fusible links in the fuse box. see if those are still good. if you have a continuity tester that would work even better since a broken fuseible link can sometimes be hard to recognize.

[Cheekz185]

i'd go ahead and pull off that panel that holds the cigarette lighter and the accessory outlet. check to see if the outlets are damaged and same with the wiring. break out the volt meter and see if you are getting current to the wiring.

im guessing you bought this ('http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=22-148')

if you look at the specs on it, it has a hardware protection fuse of 20 amps. meaning that this product might just draw close to 20 amps.

now open up the fuse box, or even the owners manual. look at the fuse for the cigarette lighter. it has a what 15 amp fuse.

with that said, have u lost any other functions besides the lighter. maybe some lights, the horn, something?

open up the engine bay fuse box. if you have a flashlight and a magnifying glass (if if you have really good vision, just your eyes) inspect the fusible links in the fuse box. see if those are still good. if you have a continuity tester that would work even better since a broken fuseible link can sometimes be hard to recognize.

That is exactly what i bought!

I have not lost anything else that i know of. Where are the fusible links inside the fusebox? For example bottom left top right where? I am gonna grab a continuity tester tomorrow and check!

[Cheekz185]

Does radio shack have continuity testers?

[pinoyesv6]

Does radio shack have continuity testers?'

yea they have continuity testers. but i'd spring for a multimeter if you have the cash. it would have the cont. tester you'd need and a volt meter and all these other things that can be handy. i think i paid 60/70 bucks for mine but i know they have ones for less than 20 bucks too.

but yea, the fusible links are those giant fuse colored pieces in the engine fuse box. they have like a clear top on them.

[Cheekz185]

I actually have a multimeter but it doesnt have a continuity checker on it.
THis is the one i have:

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?cata...t%5Fid=22%2D810 ('http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F008%5F002%5F000&product%5Fid=22%2D810')

Are those fusible links round or are the squarish?

[pinoyesv6]

i odn't think there really isn't anything in the fuse box that's roundish. the fusible links are rectangularish.

[Cheekz185]

Wouldnt the fuse in the fuse panel next to the stering wheel pop first before the fusible links?

[pinoyesv6]

not always. i blew a fusible link way way way long time ago by overloaded the accessory outlet. heh, started a small electrical fire too.

[Cheekz185]

how easy are they to replace? Can i buy the fuse at a local Radio Shack?

[pinoyesv6]

the auto parts store should have it for sure. they just pull out just like a fuse.

[laxattack2001]

they are just as easy to replace, much like a normal fuse

hey pinoy ive blown one of those before and it too caused an electrical fire and melted a relay

[Cheekz185]

Ok well i just went out to my car and took my multimeter with me! I read the +/ - wires going to the sockets. They both read 12V. Also I have a female cig adapter that taps into the +/- wires and i plugged something in there and it works! So i know all i need to do is replace the sockets! Can i get them at a local auto parts store? Or should i go to the dealer?

[pinoyesv6]

you can get universal sockets at the auto parts store. but if you want oem fitment, the dealer or the junk yard is one ofyour only choices

[Cheekz185]

how much at the dealer?

[Cheekz185]

OK so i just came from the junkyard and picked myself up some new sockets for $20. Everything works now! But when i press the ceg lighter to heat up it only hold for like 5 seconds? Doesnt get hot enouh? Ehh well whatever im happy it works!