My GF has a Pontiac Grand Am that the cigarette lighter will not power her FM tuner or charge her IPod. I have went through and checked all of the fuses and they are all intact. I took a voltage tester and checked the power coming to the cigarette lighter. With the key off and car not running it is getting 12 volts. With the key on and the car running it is getting 14 volts. I wasn't sure if this was what it was supposed to be so I compared it to the cigarette ligher and power point in my Ford pickup (that will power and charge the FM tuner and IPod) and it had the same exact voltages. Does anyone know why she could possibly be getting the proper voltages but nothing she plugs in to the cigarette lighter will power on or charge?
This is a very common issue, either the ground at the back of the lighter socket is pulled off, or more likely the socket is defective, they are very easy to change, u can use a generic replacement from any parts store, the factory part will be at least 2X as much..
It is obvious to me that the issue must be with the plug she is using to tap the sockets. I was handicapped by the fact that you didn't tell me what u had already done to try and fix this issue, If I had known my answer would ave been much different. I don't understand the Thanks For Trying rating. Good luck on the problem
I have no more suggestions except to ask if the plugs power up in other cars sockets? U can change the rating u know, do this for free, not employed by fixya just a retired tech trying to help.
next time for the benefit of an accurate diagnosis please provide all the info about the problem, thanks and good luck.
I do have one last suggestion, there are cigar lighter sockets and Power Point sockets, they look the same, but power point sockets are deeper and designed for 12 volt tap plugs like cell phones and GPS's and of course other types of devices, All modern cars and trucks have power points, on the dash under a little door or in the center console, if use that type of socket I am sure u will solve your problem, any good dealer parts tech will know the diff, Ford used them on all Explorers 95 up, as well as F series pickups and the Expedition, one note am retired from Ford.
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Thanks for the reply. I have already thought of that and everything that is supposed to be there and hooked up...is there. I checked the ground and all the wires and I have even tried replacing the socket...once with a cheap replacement and once with an expensive replacement...neither of which worked. Any other thoughts or ideas? The thing that baffles me is the fact that I am getting good voltage to every socket that I have tried...just won't charge or power on any of her units. :-/
Sorry if that was the wrong rating...my bad. I am at a loss because everything that I have tried results in the proper voltage to the socket yet it will not power her devices. Sorry if there was not enough information before. I am a computer and electronics technician and I work with computers....the cheap socket that I installed had cheap connectors that connected to the back of the socket and I soldered and heat shrunk the connections where I had to. I thought the same thing...that the connectors must have been whacked out where it was connecting to the back so I purchased a more expensive socket that had the wires coming out the back of the socket and all I had to do was solder and heat shrink this new socket in. With the same...no working result. I appreciate your help and any other information that could possible be provided.
Thanks for trying. But as I posted in the original post...the devices power up just fine in my '02 F150. Guess I will just have to take it to a dealer and remember to bring a tube of lubricant.
Thanks...
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