Fix your 12-volt outlet yourself

I posted the question here a month ago about how to get at the accessory outlet in the cargo space of my 1999 OB, which was giving me no power, but I got no answer. So I took the car to my local distributor's service dept. They said the socket is defective, they could order a new one, it would cost $133 with installation. No thanks! I reply. They say, $75, please, for the diagnosis. AARGH!

So I bought a replacement socket at Radio Shack for $9 and went to work pulling off upholstery and liners in the back trying to get at the socket myself. I should have saved the $9 and thought a little harder:

Lots of the upholstery and lining in the car just pops out. If you're lucky, you can re-use the little plastic buttons that pop out when you yank on things when it's time to re-assemble. But a little thought would have saved me lots of trouble.

Because you don't have to remove anything. Just wedge a screwdrver behind the rim of the outlet and it will pop out too.

The socket was not at all defective. It was just fused, not with an ordinary fuse, but with a fusible link of alloy wire ingeniously constructed inside the back of the outlet. I figured it was safe enough to rely on the fuse for the circuit itself, which also serves the seat heat in my car, so I soldered on a little jumper across the melted wire, and the thing works fine.

Saved $133. Would have saved the $75 + $9 and an hour of my time if I had had the knowledge beforehand as to how easy the fix was.

If anybody finds this useful, drop me a line, please. Otherwise I would feel that I had wasted even more time by posting this.

Reply to
Uncle Ben
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A good post is never a waste of time. If we don't have the problem now we may in the future.

-- Vic Roberts Replace xxx with vdr in e-mail address.

Reply to
Victor Roberts

The reason that extra fuse is there is for protection against overheating of the socket, it is a thermal fuse. By soldering a jumper across it you have defeated this protection, so although the socket now works again it is not as safe as it was before. The thermal fuse typically blows when a high-current device such as an AC inverter or air compressor is plugged into the socket and it gets too hot.

Reply to
mulder

I'm going to check the wire gauge on the outlet on mine. If it's #12 or larger and the fusepanel fuse (not that fusible link) is 20 Amp (which is probable), it's just another case of screwball Subaru engineering. I'm not pulling those numbers out of my hat, 20 amp fusing on a 12 gauge wire is automotive standard as well has house and business wiring.

If what I suspect is true, I'm going to solder-bridge that sucker ahead of time.

Reply to
nobody >

Hi all

I had a similar problem in my 98 Outback. I was running a fridge from it (3 way fridge which draws 4 amps at 12 volts). I was surprised that the socket failed since it is well below the 10 amps that the socket is rated for. I removed the socket and found the fusible link had failed, so I simply shorted it out and put an in-line 10 amp fuse in the lead to the socket.

Guess what? The socket failed again. I checked the current draw and all looked fine. I deduced that the cigarette lighter type socket used for the fridge doesn't connect reliably on a continuous basis. On a trip, the socket and plug vibrate and move slightly causing momentary reistance and ongoing heating until finally the fusible link dies. I have now added a new two pin push connector to the line and run it out of the small storage pocket in the back (just near the socket). This is also protected by the in-line fuse. I've never had trouble since.

Cheers Glenn PS Sorry I didn't notice your question: could have saved you time.

Uncle Ben wrote:

Reply to
Glenn

My 2000 Forester has the same problem. I discovered it just after the car came out of warranty. High time I tried to fix it - thanks

Reply to
sapper

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