Cigarette Lighter Replacement.

[Alec]

The cigarette lighter on my '00 W reg 1.8i 3 door Multispace has a problem.

I've never really bothered that it has never worked since I bought the car 2 years ago but I've just purchased a SatNav system that needs to plug in occasionally.

The fuse tray layout on the car is totally different to the one shown in my handbook but I managed to suss out which one it was with the help of an oscillator and amplifier (BT engineer by trade) Sure enough the fuse had blown (25A). I replaced it and the lighter worked again if I held it in, it wouldn't 'lock', guessed I had fixed it but as soon as I plugged the SatNav in it blew the fuse again :rolleyes:

 

A friend at work suggested replacing the socket, so armed with a screwdriver with a Torx bit I attacked the dash, after removing about 10 screws and various bits of plastic I still hadn't got to the back of the socket. It seems I have to remove the centre console bit that is around the gear lever but have no idea how to.

 

Any of you mechanically minded people out there got an ideas or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[iannez]

there a bit naughty to remove. look into the socket and you will see the bi-metalic clip that holds the cig lighter end when you push it in and make sure it not to close each side. all that can be happening is when you are pushing in the sat nav plug it is pushing the clip against the outside wall of the socket which will cause it to short out and blow the fuse. if it is just bend them so they are centre. remove fuse first tho.

[Oxymoron]

Hi,

I blew the fuse on my cigar lighter/12v socket recently, when I connected up my tyre inflator air compressor.There was a spare fuse in the spare bulb pack in the boot, which I must replace!

Cheerz. :rolleyes: