A cigarette lighter is practically installed in every car and also serves as a power source for phone chargers and Co. If the socket does not work, there can be various reasons. We have summarized which these are in this article.
Check fuse
Like many other electrical components of your car, the cigarette lighter has a fuse. You should check this first. Many fuses break after several years of use and must be replaced. However, the exchange is quick and easy and you can do it yourself.
You can find out where the fuse is on your vehicle in the operating instructions. As soon as you have found the fuse, you should install a new one. The old one serves as a sample when you buy. Since a backup only costs one or two dollars, this is the first step you should take.
Replace the button
If the fuse was not the reason for the defect, the button itself can also be the cause. You can safely replace it on all vehicles with an original button from the manufacturer. Depending on the model, the costs are around 20 dollars.
Note: Before you buy a button, you should check the actual socket. You can do this, for example, by plugging in a charging cable for the navigation system and checking whether it is being charged. If this is the case, it is because of the button and this must be replaced. If the navigation system does not charge, the button is functional and does not need to be replaced. Then there is another reason.
Have the socket replaced
If you were able to rule out both factors as the cause of the defect, the lighter socket itself may be defective. However, this happens relatively rarely and should therefore be checked in a specialist workshop before you buy a new socket.
If the socket is defective, you only have to replace it. You should always have this checked in a workshop, because not every socket is connected equally. If you have little experience with electronic devices, it is better to have the repair carried out by a mechanic. The costs are around $50 to $100, depending on the model.
In newer cars the power socket will work fine, but will not be set up to work with a cigarette lighter. So if you are trying to get a lighter to work and it doesn’t, but it does work to charge your phone, etc., then it is likely that everything is actually working as designed.
To get cig lighters to work in newer cars you need to either replace the socket to one which will operate lighters or buy a plug-in adapter specifically for cig lighters.
Omg finally someone answered my question. Thank you so much….I bought a cigarette lighter to use in my newer vehicle in the 12v port but lighter wouldn’t work or even go in all the way. So I need to replace the socket inside. Omg thanks!!! I’ve been searching for a week now….googling everything!!