Cigarette lighter fuse keeps blowing... advice?
 

Just discovered that my cigarette lighter keeps blowing the fuse as soon as the ignition is turned on. I don't ever use the thing, but it'd be nice to have for a power source.

Any ideas for what to look for? I don't know how long its been since it worked...

A short in the wiring somewhere. Or just take the blown fuse out and keep a good one in the car for if you ever need to use it.

Check in the bottom of the lighter receptacle to see if something metal fell off from something that you plugged in there and is shorting it out. That's pretty common.

Dave

I pulled the lighter out, so there isn't anything loose causing a short...

Should I just run a new power/ground line for it? That's probably easier than finding the problem with the stock wiring...

Make sure there isn't a coin stuck in the bottom of the socket.

(Ask me how I know...)

check:
Power outside mirrors

Theft system (CPU no.1)

Power antenna

Audio system (if you have BOSE)

A/C relay circuit as well.


ref. work shop manual...

Did you actually look into the bottom of the hole to see if there was anything in there that shouldn't be?

Dave

^The hole where the light would go? Yeah, I had it out & upside down... I was checking it out... maybe the lighter just went bad... planning on trying a replacement lighter tonight to see if that sold the problem.

Someone mentioned checking the side mirrors... I have the mirror switches disconnected... I didn't realize they were on the cigarette lighter fuse... I assume this is what is causing the short?

^if the power wire is touching something GND'd

What all is run on the cigarette lighte fuse? Is it JUST the cigarette lighter? I can't find anything that isn't working aside from that...

Because if it's just the lighter, I could just run a new line for the lighter...

good idea, this keeps happening to me.

hows the wiring behind your radio looking?