marker227

I'm having an issue with my cigarette lighter socket. On every appliance I plug in to it, I have to lean it to one side to "sort of" make contact. It barely works... I was thinking that just replacing it would fix the issue.

Are there instructions out there that I haven't found using google to guide me through taking it out and putting a new one in?

Does it matter what type of cigarette lighter I buy as well?


Thanks




97 GT

157dB

Its not a cigar lighter.
Its a power outlet.
Ford sells them
but nothing is
wrong with the
one you
are using.



Use the sleeve adapters for the power plug that the accessories you
are trying to use came with to make them fatter and more secure in
the american made power outlet with the plugs you are using for the
smaller import lighter outlets. (yes, they are different in size hence
the need for manufacturers of lighter powered devices to include the
adapter sleeves, geeves...)

marker227

I never heard of a sleeve... I've bought tons of car power adapters. TomTom unit, Radio, iphone charger, splitter, stuff for fire dept. etc. They all have to be leaned to one side to get power and the SLIGHTEST touch will make them shut off.

What are they exactly called? I'm trying to look them up in google and can not find a single one.

157dB

Cigar lighter plug adapter sleeves and the manufacturers include them.
Try wrapping the plug in aluminum foil to make it fatter....
Cigar lighter plugs are the worst way to steal power from a vehicle.
Hardwire all of your accessories to a tap a fuse and avoid the adapter
problems alltogether....

marker227

I still haven't found one on google. I'm not doubting you, but I've never seen what you're talking about come with any of the electronics I've bought before. I'll try the aluminum foil method.

I would consider hard wiring one of the power plugs (I did that with a lot of gadgets), but I can't because it has to be moved a lot. It's also a LED warning light and the toggle switch that changes the flash pattern is on the power plug itself as well as the On/Off switch. I didn't want to have to deal with wiring in two buttons for it. Again, not to mention that it is being moved a lot.

SirKnightTG

I've never seen an adapter sleeve in anything I've ever bought that's made for a car.

I've also never used the power plug in the center console, only the one on the center of the dash (for my radar detector or GPS). So I unfortunately do not have any experience with it.

BTW marker, do you realize you're posting in the 2005+ seciton? Just FYI.

marker227

Oops!

157dB

Escort Radar Detectors came with adapter sleeves....
If its creap China stuff, then no adapter sleeves wont be included.
But if it comes from a company in MASS and its a $400 item, then
yes adapter sleeves are included.
Get a Y adapter and cut off the plug leaving the receptical to be hard wired in.
Problem solved with one stone.... Fuse the **** out of every wire you add.....

HypromanGT

He's right about the plug sizes being different, sadly. I found out the hard way after spending 20+ bucks (okay, so it was a gift certificate, but still!) on a sweet looking mini LED flashlight that I thought would look fantastic in the plug smack dab in the middle of the dash (honestly, could they have picked a worse spot?). Finally came in the mail with this silly looking adapter for "larger plug holes". Thinking I could throw that thing away, I went outside to try out my new toy, only to find it a bit too small for the power plug Unfortunately the adapter makes the flashlight stick so far out of the dash that I just couldn't face leaving it plugged in.

Then I looked up cigarette lighter power outlet on wikipedia, and they list 2-3 different sizes. Yay, stupid manufacturers and their stupid non-standard standards.

So anyone thinking to buy the LED Lenser mini LED flashlight from thinkgeek.com for your stang, save your money!

/rant

marker227

Maybe I'm just not remembering enough, but I have all my packaging that came with my Escort and don't remember seeing a sleeve. It's hard wired anyway, so it really doesn't make a different though :P.

I would really like to avoid splicing and wiring in more wires if I can. I have a single splitter for 2 devices. My Sirius radio and my LED emergency light. I can't really modify those.

I have yet to try the wrapping of my splitter with aluminum foil. I'll try it tomorrow on my splitter and let you know how it goes.

It's weird, I only have ever had this problem on the center cig lighter outlet... Not the one in front of the shifter.