Gone through 3 Fuses in a span of 7months

[djchow85]

Hi

Currently own a 98 Corolla that's done about 80,000kms.

I've owned this for about 7months now and the issue is that the cig/radio fuse has blown 3 times

I currently have in the cig lighter an aftermarket Ipod dock where I listen to the music via an FM station

The ipod dock itself sometimes pops out of the cig lighter but I just push it back in and turn it on again to start using it..

Im wondering if the ipod dock itself is draining too much power for the cig lighter causing the fuse to blow?

I used to have this setup on my previous car and never had any fuses blown (a 99 lancer and this setup was used at least a year) and wonder if the electrics in this car isn't as good as the previous..

ta

Edited October 10, 2010 by djchow85

[DJKOR]

You mentioned there that the dock has a tendency to 'pop' out. Well, have you ever connected something up (like a car battery) and noticed how you get a little spark. Well when your dock pops out and/or during the process of plugging it back in, you can occasionally get this spark (or in electrical terms, and arc). Now an electric arc can increase power draw for the time that it occurs. Usually it's that quick that nothing will result, but if it lasts just for that millisecond too long, it can potentially cause a fuse to blow.

So basically, what you want to do is secure the dock in a fashion that prevents it from disconnecting.

[djchow85]

thanks for that

had a feeling it may have been something like that...

[DJKOR]

Not saying that is the cause, but just one thing you should keep an eye out for as it can happen. Otherwise, it could be a faulty dock.

[Hiro]

Check that the cigarette lighter socket itself is nice and tight too - I blew the fuse in mine at the national meet because it had slowly worked loose over months and years of twisting from phone chargers etc (which had caused the locking ring to come off).

[djchow85]

Check that the cigarette lighter socket itself is nice and tight too - I blew the fuse in mine at the national meet because it had slowly worked loose over months and years of twisting from phone chargers etc (which had caused the locking ring to come off).

yeah it comes out from the console... did you just have to disconnect from the wiring and just tightened it?

old pensioner really did it good from smoking.. damn

[eviltwin]

That same fuse went on me because of a ****ty Nokia charger which i remedied by removing the cig lighter housing and then the unit and making sure it was tight at the rear which it wasn;t , now tightened no more issues!

[djchow85]

That same fuse went on me because of a ****ty Nokia charger which i remedied by removing the cig lighter housing and then the unit and making sure it was tight at the rear which it wasn;t , now tightened no more issues!

when you say the rear, is it just the rear of the cig lighter or there's more to it?

[eviltwin]

Nah mate it's as simple as it's worded!

[Hiro]

Check that the cigarette lighter socket itself is nice and tight too - I blew the fuse in mine at the national meet because it had slowly worked loose over months and years of twisting from phone chargers etc (which had caused the locking ring to come off).

yeah it comes out from the console... did you just have to disconnect from the wiring and just tightened it?

old pensioner really did it good from smoking.. damn

Assuming it is the same/similar to the AE102, the cigarette lighter is held in the console by a locking collar at the rear - by twisting the lighter/socket over the years the collar slowly works loose and the whole socket can slide in and out and twist around, which can cause a short and blow the fuse. Pull the centre console trim out and make sure that the wiring loom is connected correctly, the socket is aligned properly and the collar fully tightened, and that should solve most of the problems (assuming it was the problem in the first place).

[djchow85]

thanks hiro

great explanation..

got it sorted!