I’m trying to use different chargers in my cig lighter (ie. phone, ipod) but nothing is working. The lighter itself, when pushed in, only gets warm at best not hot. I checked the fuses, none are blown. At this point my guess would be a broken or bad ground. I looked behind the lighter and the ground is attached. Unfortunately I don’t have a multimeter here with me to check voltage. Any suggestions on where to look next? Perhaps where to look for a broken ground? Thanks.
Lighter ground is through dash harness grounds.
It is very hard to troubleshoot electrical problems without a multimeter, you can pick one up at Radio Shack for $20, it will pay for itself in no time.:think:94
You don’t really need a multimeter, you can test for power and ground with just a test light. That way you can tell if you have power or you don’t…
You don’t really need a multimeter, you can test for power and ground with just a test light. That way you can tell if you have power or you don’t…
Well your right that you don’t need a multimeter to test if you have power or ground, but you do need one to test to see how good the power or ground is, a test light will not do that.
If you had read the OPs post you would have seen that he did have power and ground, as lighter does work, just does not get very hot.
Also, there is nothing that will take out an ECU/ECM faster then probing the wrong wire with a test light, so before you tell some one they don’t need something someone else told them they need, think about what your saying.:bang:94
DiGil13 When you say the lighter works but does not get very hot, do you mean you plug it in and when it pops out it’s not very hot?
If so, try this, when it pops out push it back in and hold it for a 30-60 sec. longer then pull it and see if it got hotter.
If it did get hotter when holding it in it is the by-metal “clamp” that needs adjusting and not a power or ground problem.
The above has nothing to do with the chargers not working, if the above is the problem with the lighter not working properly the adjusting of the “clamp” will fix that and may or may not solve the problem of the chargers not working, they are not working because of a contact problem and it is probably the pos.(+) that is not making contact.:hmm:94
[QUOTE=fcm;1709548]Well your right that you don’t need a multimeter to test if you have power or ground, but you do need one to test to see how good the power or ground is, a test light will not do that.
If you had read the OPs post you would have seen that he did have power and ground, as lighter does work, just does not get very hot.
Also, there is nothing that will take out an ECU/ECM faster then probing the wrong wire with a test light, so before you tell some one they don’t need something someone else told them they need, think about what your saying.:bang:94[/QUOTE]
Sorry didn’t read the original post through enough…
I saw this…“I’m trying to use different chargers in my cig lighter (ie. phone, ipod) but nothing is working.” and this “I checked the fuses, none are blown. At this point my guess would be a broken or bad ground. I looked behind the lighter and the ground is attached. Unfortunately I don’t have a multimeter here with me to check voltage. Any suggestions on where to look next? Perhaps where to look for a broken ground? Thanks.”
I must have totally missed the cig. lighter not getting hot. My bad!
But anyways, why would you (fcm) just start probing any wire?? I guess with my thinking/experience I would have a wiring diagram and know what wires I’m inspecting/testing rather then going into it and probing every wire…
Oh BTW you better have a good multimeter that is shielded cause you can also ruin the ECM just the same as you can with a test light.
Thanks!
Thanks for the replys everyone. I’m at a loss right now. I did grab a multimeter and tested the circuit. I’m getting 12 amps across the lighter. At night the cig lighter itself is getting hot enought to glow red for a few seconds (all good there). However I still can’t seem to draw enough power for an iPod charger, cell phone charger, or my Bluetooth hands free kit. Weird… Will try to troubleshoot this more this weekend. Again, thanks.
fcm…what clamp are you talking about?
and i’ll try and see if i can do something about the (+) not making contact
Oh, for gawds sake!. Hit up Kragens or someplace and spend a couple bucks. Unscrew the beloved original OEM plastic holder and put it on a new one with a good known element that warranteed.:rockon:
I’m glad you said that. I was going to but I bit my tounge. 
But yes, if you are getting power and a good ground to the cig. lighter, then yes you have a bad cig. lighter assembly. Good luck!
But anyways, why would you (fcm) just start probing any wire??
Well I wouldn’t, but telling someone, who may not know what can happen, that they do not need a multimeter and to just use a test light, may probe a wrong wire.
Oh BTW you better have a good multimeter that is shielded cause you can also ruin the ECM just the same as you can with a test light.
Thanks!
Shielded, what are you talking about, shielded how/where?
DiGil13 You did not answered my question.
When you say the lighter works but does not get very hot, do you mean you plug it in and when it pops out it’s not very hot?
is that the case, if so did you hold it in longer to see if it gets hotter?
The “clamp” is at the bottom of the lighter receptacle, it is what grabs the lighters heating element and holds the lighter in, when you press the lighter in, as the lighter element heats up the clamp also heats up, [no where near as much] “expands” and releases the lighter, lighter pops out.
If they are spread out too far, they will release the element too soon, lighter pops out before it is hot enough, that’s why you hold the lighter in longer to see if that is the problem and if it is it is a simple fix, the the two sides of the “clamp” have to be bent in a little, a very little at a time till it’s right, you can do this with a flat blade screwdriver, however not when lighter is plugged into power.
evtsteward Although it may come to that, why would you replace something that may only need an adjustment?:hmm:94
Thanks to all who replied. The problem was solved, the positive was not making a good contact. It only took a little adjusting of the seal around the plugs on my chargers to get them to push in an extra 1/16" or so. Guess I didn’t have to “Oh for gawds sake” spend a few bucks after all.
Haha, damn long thread for such an (I’ll admit it) asanine question. Thanks again.
Glad you figured it out. Its hard to diagnose fully a problem on a computer screen without having the car in front of you. Good luck!
" Guess I didn’t have to “Oh for gawds sake” spend a few bucks after all." 
94
Yep! Thats what I like to do, take a worn out heating element thats 17 years old and on its way out and lock it down tight, pour the coals to her and melt the dash while trying to get it out. Sheeeeeesshhhh. Why not replace the element? At least it won’t draw as much juice as the OLD one. Maybe we need a “how to” section on rubbing the rust off of disposable parts. Lastly, why don’t ya’ll take shots at people who deserve them:rockon: Cause I wasn’t looking for glory if I was correct. Oops, gotta go, beer thirty!:dance:
Yep! Thats what I like to do, take a worn out heating element thats 17 years old and on its way out and lock it down tight, pour the coals to her and melt the dash while trying to get it out. Sheeeeeesshhhh. Why not replace the element? At least it won’t draw as much juice as the OLD one. Maybe we need a “how to” section on rubbing the rust off of disposable parts. Lastly, why don’t ya’ll take shots at people who deserve them Cause I wasn’t looking for glory if I was correct. Oops, gotta go, beer thirty
As you can see, the lighter element was not the problem, it was the power/connection problem as I suggested.
Who was taking “shots” at you, I only suggested that the OP find and try and repair the problem before going out and spending money, [on something that would not have worked anyway].
“Glory”, Brahahahahaha, you think any of us are on here for the “glory” of being right?
You want a shot?
Here is one, You jumped into this tread, probably without reading the OPs original post, and made a suggestion,
Oh, for gawds sake!. Hit up Kragens or someplace and spend a couple bucks
like the advice the rest of us were giving was useless and the problem would be solved by just spending money.
You don’t want glory, well you were wrong, so you get none.:nana: :nana:, now that’s a shot.:rimshot:94
Well, I guess I deserved that.
Maybe I’ll just go out and dump the sand out of my brain pan.:werd: :bang:
Although, before I go, I’d just like to thank FCM for all his help over the years and hope that I personally didn’t drive him over the edge. I remember when he didn’t partake to stooping to some of our levels. Thats one reason I keep coming back to this site. The eloquence of technology is something thats lacking in most of our posts.:bowdown:
I just happen to like the fountain of burro-like eloquence brand of writing.
And some people need to learn how to read and provide solutions.:think:
If I wanted to be ridiculed I’d go hang at the local skate park.