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Why is the Sat Nav not working?

Car cigarette lighter/power socket not working ? - Help..need it to power sat-nav device for upcoming journey?

  • My sat nav doesn't hold a charge for long so i have to keep it hard wired via the cigarette power socket in the car. However its not showing the light on the plug that its receiving power from the car power socket. My sister told me it was probably broken as got the lighter stuck in the socket for quite some time, where it stayed hot for a long time, and it wouldn't spring out... until it cut out, and had to tease the thing out. I thought it would be a blown fuse... but I tried to replace it now (with a 15 amp fuse as per in manual) and the fuse blows as i put it in. Happened twice in a row with new fuses. Can see the new fuses flash and hear them fizzle when try to put them in. Any ideas what could try next ? Or could it be a maybe a more serious $$$££$$$£££ issue with the circuitary maybe having melted ?

  • Answer:

    get yourself a torch, look into the hole where the lighter would have been and the lugs which hold the componant will have been bent over and will be touching the bottom live contact causing the fuse to blow, using a screwdriver bend them out of the way and try putting another fuse in and try it. When it was working before, whilst it was hot it may have also melted the socket and it will be fusing out internally. If a new power socket is req'd, they are pretty inexpensive parts and should only take your local garage half an hour to fit. When you eventually get it working or replaced make sure that any plug placed into socket is a good fit as loose connections cause a greater resistance in the circuit which causes heat and then the same will happen all over. Cheers Merry Xmas.

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Other answers

Sounds like the socket is knackered, the two contacts touching, which blows the fuse. New socket required, I reckon.

efes_haze

There's an internal short in the socket. These are cheap and easy to replace. Just make sure that the new one fits as many newer cars have different sizes that what they sell at the auto parts store.

Walter G

Replace the lighter socket. It's not that hard and is fairly cheap to do. Your local auto parts store should have replacement lighter Assemblies that you can purchase. The lighter socket basically just pops out. It has 2 little tension tabs on the sides that hold it in. Just pop it out with a small flat head screw driver. Unplug it. install the plug on the new one and pop it in. That's it. Will cost less than 20 bucks to do your self Keep the ignition switch off when you replace it

whtsthislif4

The other answer is best. Try disconnecting the socket, and then insert a fuse. If it doesn't blow, the socket is bad and needs to be replaced. A fairly simple and inexpensive thing to do. Good luck.

Broke_Daddy

sounds like a dead short in the socket you can pick a new one up for about a fiver and are easy to fit

cartmanswork

I think that you have a dead short in the lighter unit itself. If you are putting fuses into the fusebox and there is no lighter in the unit, then this would indicate that you have a short. Try disconnecting the actual lighter unit that initially gave you the problem and then try a fuse again. if it doesnt blow, then you have traced the fault. You may need to replace the entire lighter unit. Do you have another lighter unit/power source in the car. If you trace the fault and you dont have time to get a new 1, would the charger reach that far?

jonjosar

You'll find that when the lighter got stuck and was hot for a long time it damaged the holder, creating a short. You'll probably have to get a replacement.... It would be easy enough to connect your Sat-Nav to an alternative 12v source but this requires some knowledge of the cars electrical system/layout....

Bill H

Sounds to me like a rewire!. If you know what you are doing you could take a direct feed from the battery and put an in-line fuse in and wire that to the back of the cigarette lighter socket!. Good luck!. Oh and merry Christmas!.

Gilly

use a map theyre more accurate

Snot Me

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