Cigarette lighter in old cars are used to blow the cigarettes and decrease vehicle fire risks. The small electric current heat the thin nichrome wire present in the electric socket, and you can blow the cigar from this hot wire.
If the car cigarette lighter is not working, it can be due to blown-out fuses, use of incorrect accessories, obstruction and debris in sockets, faulty wiring, bad cigarette lighter inverters, use of wrong chargers, short circuits, broken coil or contact points, and corroded or bent contact points.
In modern cars, charging ports replace these cigarette lighters. People use these sockets to charge their electric equipment, including mobile phones, laptops, and other accessories.
| Causes | Solutions |
| Blown out fuse | Replace fuse |
| Use of incorrect accessory | Use a circuit tester to check the power supply |
| Obstruction and debris in sockets | Use Q-tips and a vacuum cleaner |
| Faulty wiring | Check wiring by connecting the multimeter |
| Bad cigarette lighter inverter | Replace power inverters |
| Short circuits | Use tweezers to remove coins |
| Broken coil or contact points | Check power supply |
| Corroded or bent contact points | Use metal cleaners and readjust their shape |
Blown out fuse
Cigarette lighters are electric equipment and contain the fuse to inhibit the surge power supply from reaching the respective component.
The fuse blows out when more current travels through them, and these cannot handle it. The blown-out fuse cannot provide sufficient power to these devices.
The fuse blows out when you attach incompatible devices to them. Moreover, adding accessories that draw too much current from the system causes the fuse to blow out.
You can open the fuse box that is present under the steering column or hood. These are present in different locations depending on the model and brand of your vehicle.
The fuse in most cars is labeled with LTR, which represents the cigarette lighter fuse. You can see burn marks on their surface, and you can also hear the shaky noise from them.
Use the plastic tools and pliers to remove the burnt ones and add new ones to the fuse panel.
Use of incorrect accessories
People often complain that the cigarette lighter in their cars works fine for a few minutes, and the other second, they see no power in the power sockets.
The issue comes due to the tripping of the fuse, which restricts the current supply. The fuse tripping comes when you use the incorrect accessories with them.
These are only compatible with a few devices, and you cannot connect the unrecognized ones. The fuse can also trip when you connect the high-current drawing electric equipment with sockets.
My friends who have modern cars equipped with 12V charging ports complain that they cannot charge their phones with them.
The issue comes when there is a fault in the charging devices or USB ports. These cannot provide sufficient current to recharge your electric appliances.
Check the amperage of connected devices. In addition, it is also necessary to check the power in the sockets.
I used the circuit tester and placed the tip on the chrome wire or contact points to ensure the power supply. The lights of the tester turn on, and it shows that there is no issue with the fuse.
Dust and debris in sockets
Dirt, debris, and grime easily build inside cigarette lighter sockets. These cause obstructions in the current flow, and you cannot use the electric devices because of insufficient power supply.
The plugging accessories cannot connect properly with electric contact points because of these obstructive materials.
The dust and dirt build on their surface as they become old and are in more use. For example, people often use heated wire to warm their coffee or tea in the morning.
The spillage of food crumbs and liquid can make them dirty. You can resolve the problem by cleaning the sockets and removing the dust and debris.
People use different cleaning methods, but my friend told me to use the Q-tips to clean any dust, dirt, and small particles from the inner side. Moreover, you can also use a vacuum cleaner to remove dirt and grime.
It is necessary to carefully deal with sockets because these are hot and burn your skin. Avoid using metallic tools like pliers and other things to pick up obstructive materials.
Faulty wiring
The cigarette lighter and not working because of insufficient power supply from the electric wires. In addition, the broken or frayed wirings inhibit the normal flow of current towards these devices for heating of nichrome rod.
The issue occurs when wiring connections become faulty and loose over time. In addition, broken wires also interrupt the electric current flow.
Short circuits can damage the wire and cannot supply sufficient current to their connected accessories. It is also necessary to check the ignition button of your cars because some 12V sockets do not work when these buttons are off.
You can check the power supply using the multimeter or voltmeter. The wires are not damaged or loose if the multimeter shows the correct reading.
It is better to call the mechanic when you see no reading on the multimeter.
Bad cigarette lighter inverter
Cigarette lighter inverters are the devices that are connected to these systems to keep the current supply at a normal range.
The sockets are suitable for devices that run on 12V or less than that, and these can blow out when you attach high-current drawing equipment with them.
The primary function of inverters is to draw the extra ampere of current from them for their efficient functioning. Sometimes the power inverters become bad and do not perform their function.
The fuse suddenly blows out when you overload the circuit with devices that draw more than 12V of current. In addition, it can also damage the wiring, and you can see that your mobile phones stop charging.
Furthermore, the issue comes when you add the wrong power inverters with them. You can resolve the problem by using inverters only suitable for 12V current.
It is also better to replace them when they become faulty to avoid power surges.
Short circuits
Short circuits are common in electric equipment because of their poor handling and incorrect use. For example, the short circuits in cigarette lighters hinder their functioning and make them faulty.
Short circuits occur when metal objects come in contact with them. The coins and other things fall in them and which causes the sudden blowout and short circuits.
It occurs due to their poor and vertical installation. The chances of foreign objects falling inside their sockets increase due to their vertical adjustment.
The short circuits occur when metal coins come in contact with metallic rods and contact points.
Turn off the current supply from the main switch and use the tweezers to remove the coins and other debris from them.
Broken coil or contact points
You can see the broken contact points and coils depending on the type of user. The coils are the small rods or nichrome wires that blow the cigars.
These can bend or break due to their frequent use and age. Therefore, checking the coils when using these sockets for blowing cigarettes is necessary.
The tobacco can also build on their surface when cigars come in contact with them. The tobacco accumulation of their tips decreases their efficiency, and you cannot light up the cigars.
It contains the 3 contact points when using the socket for charging ports. The charging ports can also break due to frequent plugging and unplugging of charging equipment.
Check the power supply from the contact points and coils to ensure their functioning.
Use the circuit tester or multimeter to test the power supply.
Corroded or bent contact points
The cigarette lighter stops functioning when corrosion comes on its surface and stops the current flow. The corrosion usually comes on the bottom side of the sockets and then moves toward the upper contact points.
In addition, the issue also comes from broken or bent contact points that do not make the proper connection with electric chargers.
The contact points bend easily when you push the charging devices into the sockets. Excessive pressure can bend the bottom contact points.
You can call the expert to readjust the contact points and keep them in their proper shape. However, you can use different metal cleaning objects and sandpapers to remove corrosion from the contact points.
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