Like many people I have been using the cigarette lighter in my MCS to power a couple of other devices. In my case it's an XM radio cradle and an iPod charger (not simultaneously, of course.)

On a recent road trip the power to the iPod charger died. I just checked and there was no power going to the lighter, and the fuse was blown. I replaced the fuse, and plugged the XM cradle in to test it.

There was good power to the XM for about 30 seconds, and then it blew again. The new fuse was burnt out just like the first one.

This seems weird, since I had been using both of those devices in the lighter socket for a long time. Any guesses about what might be going on? Why is something that worked great for years all of the sudden overloading the circuit?

 

Anyone?

 

look for damage or crud in the socket

sounds like it is shorting out ... we busted ours from son constantly yanking things in and out for phone and GPS. you may need to pull the console off and check the wires on the back of the plug.

Once you get it working again consider buying a gizmo from Radio Shack that allows you to plug in multiple devices.... We used this in the car's socket and then all the in and outs were to the gizmo saving wear and tear on the car's socket

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...odsInSession=1

 

Thanks for the advice. I routinely have changed back and forth from the iPod charger to the XM, and the lighter is definitely loose in the socket. I'll have to pull the whole thing out and find the loose connection I guess.

I wish they had put the cigarette lighter somewhere more accessible. It's a pain to get stuff plugged in under the center stack.

 

That was another advantage of the RS gizmo .... we bought a 2 socket expansion and it has a swivel neck which made in and outs even easier ....

Radio Shack also sells an extension cord for the cig lighter. We plugged that into the rear socket and ran the cord up front until I got around to fixing the front socket.

BTW my son had an 02 S in Tallahassee until recently....he's at FSU and lives east of the campus near Best Buy....he delivered Pizza Hut in the car .... maybe you spotted it.

Traded it in on a Cube .....

 

Which fuse was it that you had to change? I think I blew the fuse, too as neither the front nor back lighters work. I can't really make heads or tails of the pictures in the fuse box.

 

Both my lighters seem out. I could not figure from the drawings which fuse needs replacing.

Glad I am not alone

 

I realized I placed in wrong forum but F42 (20 Amp) is the loaction of the lighter fuse on 2007- up.

 

Lighter is F32. Mine is blown i think but...pardon my noobness...how can you tell? I didnt yank it out yet. can you tell by just lookin? Plus, where do i get a replacement?

 

yes you can see the filament in the fuse oce you pull it out of the fuse box (put to do that you MIGHT need a simple plastic fuse puller to grab the sucker) and usually can tell it is blown and you can get replacements at any auto parts store ... and often a simple gas station or drug store .... just be sure you get the right amperage....

no more difficult then changing a light bulb

 

There should be a fuse puller at the bottom left corner of the fuse box. It is a red plastic tweezer tool.

 

Why is my socket stuck in the luminous ring?!? I'm about to rip the darn thing out, screw the lightbulb. Argh