Cigarette lighter won't stay pushed in. FIXED!!!!!!!! read on
 

First of all, I don't smoke and will not allow any smoking in my car. But in the interest of trying to get Rufus PERFECT, I noticed that the cigarette lighter won't stay pushed in while it heats up. I just bought (and received) a new lighter from a great Rennlister, and it does the same thing. There is power to the lighter (it will heat-up if I hold it in). This is something I can live with, but now its starting to bug me. Anybody ever fix something like this? I assume its something mechanical in the socket.

Hey, I've got the same problem. Not really bothered with it so far but hope someone has an answer.

I too have the same problem.... :(

Vince,

Sorry, but you can't have the same problem... it only happens to Arena Red cars. Something to do with the magnetic flux field and the position of the stars.

LOL...I wish that were true :crying:

I have the same problem with my Glacier White car. But it is understandable because most of the factories efforts were placed on putting the strongest engine in the white cars.

Hmmmm.... I though this was the way the system was designed. My 944's did the same thing. Maybe I made an incorrect assumption though...

Eric

Eric,

I hope you're wrong. I wouldn't want to think that Porsche would stand alone in the world of cigarette lighters and require you to hold the damn thing in while attempting to drink hot coffee, talk on the cell phone, and perhaps even drive at the same time. No way.

Steve, I got a great idea.... :rolleyes: Just roll up Rufus to about a buck fifty, and slam on the breaks for a good 30 seconds... and the G-Force should allow the cigarette lighter to stay in place till it gets nice and hot.... if not, just have your smoking friend stick his or her head to the rotors, and this too should be hot enough.... :roflmao:

Same problem too. Anybody check the manual? I would check myself, but that would require getting off the couch.

Rob

What part of the lighter did you replace? The heating element (part you yank out of the socket and hold against the cigarette) or the whole unit? If just the heating element, replace the whole danged thing, dummy! If you did replace the whole thing, and both the socket and heating element came together, then you likely got a bad lighter - get one from a dealer, not a "great Rennlister" who probably sold it because it didn't work for him. From your description, you replaced only the heating element, then started whining.

One thought: I have had some trouble with non-Porsche heating elements not working properly. They do what you are experiencing - won't latch in when you press them in. Make sure it's a Porsche lighter.

Steve
There's a 2 prong spring at the base of the socket that catches the lip on the plug-in heating element. When the element heats up it heats the spring which expands & releases. No doubt your spring has been expanded from use - probably plug-in adapters. You can either replace the socket or try to tighten it up slightly (w/the power off) until it catches.

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:


Thanks Ray. I was the "great Rennlister" who sold the lighter insert to Steve. It was brand new and was an extra that came with my car.

The socket in my car does work. Thanks for your cynicism.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/Lighter2.jpg

Andreas

Vince,

I'm going to test out your technique, but I don't think 150 gives enough braking time. Gonna try 200.

Dan,

Thanks for the freat technical advice... as usual. For me, since there is no smoking in my car(s), its simply not worth the bother to replace the socket. The repair??? Maybe.

Ray,

You really are too cynical.

Andreas,

Thanks again, and thanks for posting the picrure so it is clear... its a BRAND NEW Porsche lighter element.

I pitched my lighter, but I've noticed that neither the rechargable flashlight nor the battery trickle charger that I plug in there fits very tightly. It doesn't take much of a bump to dislodge them. Thanks, Porsche! :grr:

Porsche (and perhaps MB?) use a slightly larger than standard socket size. Why? Indeed.

A new pinnacle of cynical?

He needs a new username -- Ray of Sunshine. :D :D

Edit - I suffer from the same "ailment". However, I just assumed it was caused by the battery maintainer being plugged in for 4-6 months a year.

Hmm. This would mean that the current P.O.C. figurehead would be de-throned. Not sure if he would like that.

Andreas

my lighter used to stay depressed....but it stopped afet i borrowed a friend's V1 for a few weeks. i am guessing the V1 power supply that plugs into the lighter socket bent something in there.

I FIXED IT. Me, the king of the doofii! I simple stuck my finger in there and pryed the little springy things a small bit with my fingernail. Yehaw. Thanks to this forum for giving me the idea on doing this. Yehaw!!!!!

hmmm. I haven't checked this in the 993. will have to check when I get home.
FYI my '95 audi S6 has a similar too-large diameter cig lighter. maybe all german cars use a different gauge?

Well, I tried it and mine stayed in but didn't get hot. Maybe the element is bad or no power to the socket. I'll debug that later.

Steve, with this stroke of genius I now consider you "Doofii Emeritus" :bowdown:

epj993,

As Doofii Emeritus, may I suggest you start by checking the fuses! Oh... the power... the glory. Somebody go fetch me a beer. Oh wait... I'm afraid I just said that aloud... my wife just rolled her eyes.

After reading this thread I tried mine and the same thing, wouldn't stay in....I bent the little tabs out just a hair(pictured under the 652 of the part #) and the little spring in the socket and viola' it started working. I think it's a combination of those tabs and the spring in the socket that make the thing stay in, at least for mine.
As for the cord from my V1 staying in, I use a small piece of plastic as a shim so it doesn't pop out on bumpy roads.
I have heard there is a sleeve that fits in and reduces the dia to US spec but have yet to find it, I'm going to try Mercedes parts suppliers next to try to find one as my C-230 has the same problem.

ZP44