1. Home
  2. Toyota Camry
  3. Cigarette lighter no longer works after plugging in air compressor

Cigarette lighter no longer works after plugging in air compressor

I have a very strange electrical problem with a 1995 Toyota Camry. I bought one of those heavy duty air compressors that can plug into the 12V cigarette lighter receptacle. I plugged it into the cigarette ligher receptacle of my Camry and about 3/4 of the way through filling the tire the compressor stopped. At first I thought it was the compressor but later troubleshot it to be the cigarette lighter. I immediately checked the radio/cigarette lighter fuse and that was fine! The radio works no problem! I am guessing it is a wire perhaps????

Now here's an interesting twist. I also noticed that my sunroof is not working as well. So perhaps (with the factory installed sunroof) the fuse is in another location for those models? Any other suggestions on fuses or circuit breakers? I was thinking of replacing the cigarette lighter receptacle but with the sun roof not working now I am not so sure....

BTW, if it does come down to replacing the cigarette lighter receptacle are there better alternatives since I am using it primarily as a 12V power source? Any suggestions regarding this would also be very much appreciated!!!!

-Peter

Reply to
Peter
Loading thread data ...

Hi,

I just had a similar problem on my 95 CAMRY. I was trying out a new speed camera detector. It works on GPS positions of site registered as camera sites.

The psu that is supplied goes into the Cigar Lighter Fitting. I would never run it from there as it looks real naff.

But when I was plugging it in the new unit was intermittent.

It turned out that one of the spade terminals on the rear of the Lighter fitting was not plugged in properly.

Its easy to get to it. That little bit of plastic wood where the lighter is fitted and then held in the dash. Just lifts up from the bottom and unclips very easy. I have no idea about the sunroom but maybe look at lighter first.

Cheers Johnny UK.

Reply to
JM

Cigarette lighter sockets are designed primarily for cigarette lighters not commercial plugs for other accessories. Forcing a commercial plug into the lighter can damage the clasp inside the socket which is an integral part of lighter timing function. Also because there are often slots in the car's socket, the earthing clips on some plugs can get caught making retrieval difficult with damage to those cheaper black bakelite plugs.

If you aren't concerned with the lighter itself, this doesn't matter.

The best way out is to use a quality plug designed properly. Some fused plugs which come with chargers are a good example..

Jason

Reply to
Jason James

Yota use a fuse link in the wiring for the lighter -- it is easy to blow and a pain to replace.

Reply to
Wolfgang

Okay I did take apart the lighter as suggested and it was indeed very easy. The voltage from the dash checked out okay. I then ohmed out the connections on the plug itself and did find a problem. I checked for continuity of the ground connection (middle far end part of the plug) and found a problem. There are two pieced of copper on the dash side that are held together with a nut. Between the two pieces of copper is some sort of (grey) washer. For some reason that washer was the problem. It wasn't easy to pull the two pieces apart to get at the washer so I just put a dab of solder to provide a connection between the two pieces and then everything worked! Thanks very much for your suggestions!!!!

-Peter

Reply to
Peter

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.