Hi All,

I am starting to think about winter storage of my car (97 C2 Coupe), and one thing on my list is to buy a battery maintainer. The porsche version plugs into the cigarette lighter. However, i have recently noticed that the cigarette lighter plug doesn't actually work (doesn't heat up). Does this necessarily mean that the socket doesn't work, or could it be just the plug? I don't believe I have any other things that i can use to test the socket.

Thanks for any help.

-Steve

 

Got a cell 'phone charger you can try or a cig. lighter from another car to test it with?

Might also just be a fuse - could try a swap with a known good one or a new one.

Marc

 

Mine blows immediately upon insertion. C'MON now, keep it clean!!! I'm talking about the cigarette lighter fuse!!! Anyway, I removed the lighter socket and found it to be providing a complete short circuit and needs replaced. If the fuse is unplugged, try testing it with an ohmeter and make sure your contacts aren't a closed loop. If the fuse is good and installed, make sure you're getting 12V. You really don't need to remove anything to get the plug OFF, but if you want to plug it back in you kind of need to remove the radio.

 

Steve,

My cig lighter heating coil head has never worked to heat up, but the circuit is complete for maintainer use. I've checked for power there with a VOM. Your's is probably fine, just a broken heating element in the plug.

Buy the maintainer, plug it in and if you get LED ON red lights, you're golden. Be careful checking the cig lighter with VOM probes - easy to short circuit and blow a fuse.

 

Mine??? exactly like Mike Cap

 

Brian,

Can't relate, but I am Italian, after all.....

 

nothing like a kicking a guy when his lighter doesn't work...really classy.

 

Phil,

Was going to call you, but figured you'd be gone to lunch by now. Looking for a line on a Big Healy, nope don't need to look at it, I trust you and your techs - tell me where to wire the funds.

 

When I purchased my car my lighter did not work. Turned out to be a fuse. Try that first. I took a quick look and figured it was something else but it was just a fuse.

 

I thought mine didn't work when the lighter didn't heat up. I opened up the front trunk and used the plug in air commpressor these cars come with (you should make sure these work) and she fired off no problem. So in my case just the heating coil on the lighter. YMMV

 

Another question related to the lighter. Is the diameter of the lighter larger in European cars than US cars? My original oem compressor plug would fit in the 993 but not any of my other cars and vice versa. My compressor in my Expedition seems way too loose in the 993 socket. Unfortunately, I can't try out my Expedition compressor in the 993 because the lighter doesn't work. I'm going to try and replace the fuse tonight. Anybody else notice that the aftermarket compressors have a smaller plug than the factory 993 compressor?

 

My understanding is that most German (don't know about other European makers) 12V receptacles are slightly larger in diameter. So it would make sense that the compressor might be a tight (or no) fit in "American" cars. There is a cheap plastic sleeve you can slide over "US" 12V plugs to make them more snug in the Porsche. Some appliances even come with it. I gave mine away (before I had a Porsche). Of course, now I haven't seen one since. (I keep forgetting to go to Radio Shack). As it turned out, 2 out of 3 12V appliances I intended to use on my trip from NJ (PO location) to MO didn't work out so well.

I also recall seeing somewhere that there is an adaptor designed for Porsche that fits well in the car and has one or two receptacles in "US" size.

IN any case, this is hearsay for me with some "clinical" evidence by my experience. Hope this helps. I am sure someone else will be along to confirm/deny my info!!

Polver

 

My cig lighter has never worked. It turns out the connector behind the socket isn't connected. I've never been able to reattach the connector because there is really no way to get your hand behind the dash to reattach it. The passenger-side airbag is in the way. So, whatever you do, don't pull the cig lighter socket out of the dash.

 

Thomas. I haven't tried to actually plug it in yet, but you can get to the plug from behind through the radio opening. It might be too tight in there to get any sort of leverage though, but might be worth a shot.

 

Heavenly sign: "Quit smoking"!