hey there, i just bought a nice pimp new radar detector last night, and i went to hook it up in my cigarette lighter spot, and it didnt work, i tried the lighter as well, it didnt work either
i checked the fuse and it looks fine, so im wondering if its possible that when i took out my console cover area on my 83 gs to repaint it, maybe when i put it back in a may have not hooked it up properly,

how exactly should it be hooked up if anyone can help me plz!!!

 

there are only 2 wires, the center connection on the ligter is positve, the outer connection is ground

 

Actually, there could be three wires if the cigarette lighter has a light in it like mine. if the lead for the light is installed where the ground is supposed to be, the thing won't work. It's easy to tell the hot lead for the lighter, it's a female round bullet connector and wont fit on either of the other two spade lugs. Fuses can blow inside the metal end cap so that you can not tell it is blown by a visual inspection. Use a test light at the lighter connections and that should pinpoint the problem. -WG

 

Yea, there are 3 wires, I think all of them had the light around them.

 

ok thanks a lot guys, im gonna go check it all out now, btw is the cobra radar dectector a good brand?

 

also, check for rust inside the lighter. nearly every car i've owned has had some in there. clean it off (dremel and a wire brush works wonders) and it should work. or you can replace the lighter assembly itself. walmart has 'em for like $3. just be sure to take yours with you and find the one that looks closest to yours. lots of lighters have outer casings that can be removed. basically, mine's piecemealed together from 3 different lighter assemblies. not sure about cobra's, i've got a cheap whistler, and it works fine. most radar's work ok... you just want a fair bit of warning to hit them brakes. when mounting the detector, make sure the sensor is below the tint band on the top of the windshield. tint reduces radar signals by a good amount.

 

fudge, i dont understand
i went out there and took off the console cover etc. so i can get in behind it
there is one red cord attached to it but the other end is not connected to anything? where should it be plugged into, i mean one end is on the cigarette ligther, and other is free, as well there is a black cord coming from it, that is plugged in, and in the back of the lighter there is a long thin piece, im not sure if something is supposed to be plugged on it, or if its like a piece of plastic or what
basically i want it to work, so where does the red cord go to does anyone know?
i dont really care about the light working in it, just the lighter unit itself.

 

it should have power in the center back of the lighter on a nipple (hehe) connector. a spade connector (ground) plugs onto the side(housing) of the ligher assembly. if it has a light, it'll have a tiny box on the side with a bullet connector coming off of it.

 

nice i finally got it to work!
which means my radar detector works too!
thanks guys for all your help!
i love this forum!