why cant i charge my phone using cigarette lighter ?
 

What can i do? the lighter works fine, but when i plug phone charger or anything else that needs power nothing happens.

Could be that the contact in the plug aren't touching the cig lighter contact. Also check the ground tab on the side of the charger plug.

Does it work in other cars? Some charger cords have an integral fuse in the housing that may have popped.

I don't have any problems with my C4 or C5.

mmm i thought that i need to do an upgrade since its an old car 1987 vette. i have tried my charger in another car and it works! but like i said the lighter works in the vette.

The socket in my '96 works just fine for my GPS, iPod and Phone.

But, I have heard of others having the same issue you are.
I think they just put a new socket in to make it work. Should be available at just about any auto parts store.

i havent been able to find the correct socket.. all the auto stores ive looked at have one that says it fits, but it doesnt. i would love to get that fixed just so I can charge things, gps phone etc :cheers: anyone?

So i guess your having the same problem, hopefully we can get this fixed. maybe someone here can point us in the right direction so we can get this fix.

You need to get a good 12 volt power connector and mount it in a different location, when I added my Garmin I installed a separate connector behind where the bread box pannel was. I have a 87 and the lighter connection didnt work well. I used a switched power connection so the socket is not hot all the time.

Some aftermarket chargers just don't work very well. I'd try another. I have two, one works.

fuse

I had the same type of thing happen. Checked voltage on lighter with dvm and had 12 volts. Plugged satellite radio and no go. I kept turning the plug back and forth and it finally took off. No problems since. If you clean the socket up and maybe bend the grounds on the side of the plug out a little I'm sure it will work.
BTW, doesn't anyone wonder why we're still using that antiquated plug? I don't think new cars even come with a cigarette lighter anymore. Just the receptacle.

Moon

I too have this issue. Lighter heats up yet gps and cell won't charge. As stated, others have installed additional power plugs. Good luck...

:cheers:

There is wiring for an additional outlet just in front of the console. Your chargers are probably not owrking because their design does not allow them to insert far enough into the socket.

Mount a secondary socket somewhere inside the car. Alternately, try an extension cord in your factory socket and plug you cell phone into that.

The OP has an 87, the additional wiring didn't show up until a few years after that.

But it is easy to splice in a wire from the existing cig lighter wire to power a connector that will work.