I plugged my GPS into the cig lighter socket, only to have the socket short out and produce smoke. I replaced the burnt socket and blown fuse, and later realized that the plug unit on the GPS cord shorted out causing the problem.

 

With the socket and fuse replaced, my circuit tester light tells me that I am now still not getting power to the socket. Replacing the fuse with another good fuse still did not solve the problem.

 

Any thoughts on what to do next to solve this problem??

in addition to the back of the socket itself being fused, I think there's a fuse in the fuse box too.

in addition to the back of the socket itself being fused, I think there's a fuse in the fuse box too.

 

I replaced the fuse in the fuse box. Is there an in line fuse as well?

Do the contacts inside the socket look ok? Especially the + connection for the tip? Maybe it melted somewhat and isn't making contact. Or maybe the connection kind of unsoldered itself from getting hot enough.

Where are you grounding the meter?

Did you make sure the ground wire connection to the new socket is good? Been a while since I had one of these apart but I do remember there being two plugs that fit the ground terminal, but only one is connected to body ground.

Where are you grounding the meter?

Did you make sure the ground wire connection to the new socket is good? Been a while since I had one of these apart but I do remember there being two plugs that fit the ground terminal, but only one is connected to body ground.

 

It is a two wire connection to the cig lighter. I used a circuit tester light, but could not get the tester to light. I even grounded to a bolt head, but still no light. I connected the two wires to old socket and new socket, and got no power, when I plugged in either the cig lighter or tire air pump, that is when I started looking to see if I had power.

If it's a true lighter socket, as a 1999 car would have, it might have a one-time thermal fuse, to prevent a fire in case the lighter doesn't disengage. Although, since there is a mention of a new socket not working, that might have been already ruled out.

There may also be an SBF covering that circuit, but it shouldn't blow before the fuse does. Lastly, if there is an accessory relay, make sure it didn't get cooked. Sorry, the only wiring diagram I can see right now is for Tribeca.

Edited December 4, 201213 yr by avk

If it's a true lighter socket, as a 1999 car would have, it might have a one-time thermal fuse, to prevent a fire in case the lighter doesn't disengage. Although, since there is a mention of a new socket not working, that might have been already ruled out.

There may also be an SBF covering that circuit, but it shouldn't blow before the fuse does. Lastly, if there is an accessory relay, make sure it didn't get cooked. Sorry, the only wiring diagram I can see right now is for Tribeca.

 

After thinking of how to fix this problem, I have come to the conclusion, that it is much easier to just splice into a hot wire, use an in-line fuse on the new wire, then wire that directly to the socket. I will use the existing green colored wire, which is a ground. The heck with trying to trace down relays, thermal fuses, searching for a wiring diagram, and what ever.

Just to clarify: the thermal fuse, if present, would be a part of the socket, and a new socket would solve the problem if the fuse is open. But in this case, something else seems to be going on.

Just to clarify: the thermal fuse, if present, would be a part of the socket, and a new socket would solve the problem if the fuse is open. But in this case, something else seems to be going on.

 

Yea, as the hot wire going to the center post of the socket is dead, as in not carrying any juice.