A simple fix gets complicated... Cigar Lighter

Calspeed · Calspeed's Garage

Hello,

It is amazing how something as simple as a loose Cigar Lighter can turn into a huge job.

As I plugged in my cell phone charger to the lighter unit it just fell to the floor. I looked inside the hole and there was this bare wire staring right at me. Over the last eighteen years it slowly became unscrewed and then finally last night it fell out.

Well, I immediately disconnected the fuse since that was a hot wire. This morning i planned on just replugging in the wire and then screwing back the lighter unit. Nope! The wire is too short to pull out and there is absolutely no access underneath the dash. Asn to make matters worse, access under the hood is minimal at best.

After about an hour of twisting and swearing I was able to locate the wire and socket behing the HVAC unit. Since there was no way that I would be able to reattach the wire plug to the back of the Cigar Lighter I decided to make a jumper lead.

Anyway, after a badly cut thumb, lots of arm scrapes, too much swearing... and two and a half hours I was able to get it all back in place.

Here is a pic story for those who may encounter the same. I would also advise you to tighten the socket so that you never have to deal with this issue. It would be a simple 1 minute check. You have been warned...!

Calspeed

As you can see the charger pulled out the unit completely.

With no room under the dash and very limited room under the hood I was soon to become a contorionist.

Calspeed · Calspeed's Garage

I had to make a jumper lead because I was not able to reconnect the unit unless I removed the entire HVAC from under the hood. No way was that going to happen.

This is the back of the cigar lighter. It holds the female connection for the hot lead.

Inside this area behind the plastic sheath is the female connector that also acts as a small bolt to tighten against the internals.

Mike Miller · 02-19-2003, 03:40 PM

If you pull out the A/C vent on an older 80's model it's easier to get to.

Mike Miller 89 911

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

owww....nice thumb!

yet another cell phone-related injury.

Calspeed · Calspeed's Garage

Mine was loose and it took a 7/32 to tighten it down. If it is loose the contact tabs inside the unit will short out against the housing. I blew a 25A fuse finding out. Tighten it up finger tight! Very important!

Here is the jumper lead plugged in to the Cigar Lighter Unit. Next step is some electrical tape and then installation.

This is the tightening of the unit to the "car"? It tightens up back there somewhere. I used a rubber glove to do this for two reasons. First of all, I cut my thumb pretty bad when installing it earlier. (It shorted out and I had to redo it. Lucky for you because this time I took pics). And secondly it offered more grip when I tightened the unit back in the hole.

I encourage you all to stick you thumb into the hole and twist it clock-wise. If it is loose then you not only prevented this thing from falling out but possibly an electrical fire too. Unless the fuse does its job and "pops". Of course it will "pop". Porsches would never catch fire like a British car. Now would it...?

All it takes is one minute!

pwd72s · 02-19-2003, 03:58 PM

you might consider wiring in another female 12v plug-in...tucked under the dash when not needed, and use it for your cell phone and laptop charging. Works great for radar detectors as well...

Ned, NYNA 11 · 02-19-2003, 04:01 PM

You know, the lighter hole size in my 87 Carrera is a little too big for the standard plug that came with my Valentine. Doing something about it is on my long term low priority list.
Surprising the someone hadn't noticed this before.

Calspeed · Calspeed's Garage

Yeah baby! It works fine and all is well.

Besides a wire cutter and crimper these were all the tool required. And they are all in your Porsche tool pouch.

This is me half way through the mess. My daughter Rose of 3 years wanted to photograph me. It was the least I could let her do since I couldnt play with her for a few hours.

I hope this helps some of you folks. Now can anyone donate to me a spare 25A fuse that I blew in the process?

Calspeed

Bones · Bones's Garage

Have you ever that about becoming a vet?

jason2guy · 02-19-2003, 04:17 PM

great story!!!!!
what is the year and COLOR of your car?

masraum · 02-19-2003, 04:23 PM

I had to put mine back together too. And, yes, before I realized what was happening I popped the fuse.

jmohn · jmohn's Garage

It's a good man that can still smile for his daughter to take his picture, after all that.

Good luck with the thumb,

Jerry M
'78 SC

stone43 · 02-19-2003, 07:46 PM

3 year old little girls have a way to do that. Mine has stopped me a few times from just about going ballistic on the ol' German Mistress.

Calspeed · Calspeed's Garage

Hello,

Thanks for the positive responce on my little write-up. I figured that it may help a fellow 911 owner prevent the suffering that I went thru today.

Jason2guy - The color of the car is a light gold. Some call it Champagne? Otherwise, see the pic for more detail.

All others - yes my little girl does it for me too. When it all come down to it for me its my little Rosie.

Calspeed

Purrybonker · 07-02-2003, 05:06 AM

An update for anyone searching down this subject in future...

Faced with the same problem as Calspeed, I chose to go through the HVAC to get at the back of the lighter to reattach the famous loose hot wire.

This method proved to be quite simple and also provided an opportunity to clean up a few years worth of accumulated dust.

I...

(1) Removed the fresh air blower (disconnecting air hoses from blower end only).
(2) Removed the "Y" pipe from the A/C piping and the two associated air hoses. This unit sits in front of the fresh air plenum and is held down with a single phillips screw in front.
(3) Removed the fresh air plenum by removing the intake grill. After removing the two retainer screws under the intake grill the plenum could be "wiggled" out.
(4) Removed A/C piping to center duct. This unit simply slides on/off the back of the duct.

Access was now available to the back of the cigarette lighter.

Total time about 1 hour.

PDACPA · PDACPA's Garage

I am screwing around with my lighter too. Basically it does not work. Was going to pull it apart to clean and all...but I am wondering if the fuse might be bad.

I believe it is fuse #9 (didnt have my camera with me) but the metal strip on it is sort of arched. Would this indicate it was bad? IT is not broken...just not flat.

The lighter does not work nor does my V-1. Hence my trying to fix it.

Thanks

Schuey · 07-02-2003, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Calspeed

[

Um, Doc, you gonna use the whole hand?

sammyg2 · 07-02-2003, 07:29 AM

Did you have to talk dirty to the car before you stuck your finger in there?

Purrybonker · 07-02-2003, 10:32 AM

"...the metal strip on it is sort of arched. Would this indicate it was bad? IT is not broken...just not flat. "

Naw, the strip needs to be broken for the fuse to be bad. Those bent and arched ones just have a warped sense of humour.

If the lighter is bad order and the fuse is OK, then it's either a bad element or a bad contact inside the lighter itself. If the hot lead is off at the back of the unit - it's almost certain to contact ground at some point and fry the fuse.

PDACPA · PDACPA's Garage

I am guessing the contact in the lighter as the lighter NOR the radar detector nor the cell phone charger work.

I cleaned the inside of it with some steel wool (thought I read that in another post) but no help.

Should I proceed with pulling the lighter housing apart and replacing it?