Cig lighter & darkness.

[Wilf58]

Evening all, 2008 Auris 1.4 Petrol Hatchback. Cigarette Lighter output only works when external lights are OFF.....once darkness comes,you need the Swan Vestas !

Is this an Oriental trait or has there been a miswire along the way ?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Didn't have this on either of my two Auris. Has someone replaced the cigarettte lighter?

[Wilf58]

I'm the (new) 3rd owner,so it's quite possible.Merit's further inspection I reckon ?

[Mooly]

Strange question but here goes... when it does appear to 'work' and your lights are off, does it actually have enough current to heat the lighter... or are you using some other lower current equipment running off the socket.

Also... and strange one again... do any of the lights (headlights/sidelights etc) glow dimly if you heat the lighter in the socket?

Just wondering if there is either a bad earth somewhere, or whether the lighter return (the negative) is somehow wired to the light feed positive.

All very strange.  

 

 

[Wilf58]

Strange indeed,I'm using a Zus phone charging adapter plugged in to the outlet. Charges normally when lights off,but as soon as they switched on....Zippo !

[Mooly]

A phone charger is low current in the scheme of things. Try the actual lighter if you can and see if that operates.

What I was getting at earlier was that if the circuit was wired so that the earth return of the socket went back to the switched 12 volts for the lights then you would have a 12 volt supply available when the lights were off. Turn the lights on and the 'earth return' to the socket would then come up to 12 volts giving 12 volts on both terminals of the socket.

When the lights were off, the return would be via the bulbs to chassis... that was why I asked if it could support the full lighter load, and if so, did the external lights glow. They would glow because the lighter current would be flowing through the filaments to ground.

You need to try a lighter as a test.

You could also do a voltage check on the socket and see if the voltage really does disappear when the lights are on.

 

[Wilf58]

I see your point Mooly,I tried the cig lighter and it's not heating up,even though the tell-tale ring is illuminating. Heading for a multimeter now...I'm tending towards an earth issue myself ?

[mrfixer]

I suspect someone has played with the wiring at the cig lighter and the cig lighter illumination feed has been connected to the lighter earth. That would give the symptoms you describe.

[Wilf58]

I have just returned from an exhaustive rummage around the Cig Lighter,which for a non-smoker is saying a lot !

It's a Valeo unit,with a small piggy-back illumination pod on the side.

What I have found is the presence of a small "fusible link" built into the base of the unit,which when I earth it to the sidewall brings everything to life,lights on or not.

It appears that good ol UTUBE has an American who has stripped out his one and repaired it,so when I am fully rested I shall head in that direction.

Stay Tooned ?

[Mooly]

Sounds promising... good luck.