Cigar Lighter Problem

[mouseymousey]

Hopefully one of you kind people can help me out with a problem I have...

I've just bought a Road Angel and when I plugged it in, it didn't work. Turns out the cigar lighter is dead, which I really should have checked before buying the Road Angel I know! Anyway, I've checked the fuse and it was fine. Next I took the lighter apart and found one red wire Attached to the centre of the lighter housing, I was expecting to see 2 wires, a live and an earth. Has a wire become detached somewhere?

I wanted to test whether the red wire was live so I bought a draper multi tester (looks like a screwdriver) but I can't figure out to use the pesky thing. Can anyone advise on a simple way of testing the red wire? Presumably I could hook up a small bulb or something?

Any help greatly appreciated, I have tried searching the forums but haven't been able to find anything useful.

Matt.

[Peterc]

Are you sure that earth has been lost or is it just not immediately obvious?

To check if remaining red wire is actually live, I suggest you try red wire connected to a suitable 12v bulb and then temp earth point from bulb to under bonnet (somewhere like the engine) Bulb should illuminate as cigar lighter is live at all times.

If this works then correct the earthing problem in the door. This should be easy as there is an electric motor for windows. If bulb fails to illuminate check fuses to cigar lighter - see bible for details

NB. Earth could have been disconnected to stop anyone smoking in the car?

[disco bob]

This probably down to corrrosion mine was the same ,try to pull the lighter out and clean up all the connections.
Worked for me.

[mouseymousey]

Thanks for your helps chaps.

Turns out the live wire was dead. Guess I'm going to have to take the door panel off at the weekend and run a new wire...

Wish me luck!

[Ribol]

There will be three cables, one live, one earth and one illumination. If there is not a good earth it will not work or illuminate.

Ivan