Robing

Changing to the USb system really sounds like a plan. Regarding the question of removing the lighter socket.... have already researched it and, you don't need to remove console (I understand) but you do have to depress two little plastic "pips / claws" which are opposite one another inside the lighter socket body and then lever it out. Have seen a vw tool that does this. Somebody else said they did it using two little allen keys but it ain't easy and I haven't suceeded yet.

Ok.....finally found out the fault..... The two tangs that stick up from the bottom of the socket, one either side, had been bent in too far, thus stopping any charging plug centre contact from reaching the bottom. To correct, Unless you take the fuse out...BEWARE, use a hard nylon / plastic item to bend the centre contacts and NOT metal otherwise you will be bridging plus to minus.

I should add that the front cigarette lighter socket , despite having power, doesn't even power the lighter. However, when I look at the lighter, it also, cannot make contact so that reinforces my thoughts that its a non standard socket with perhaps the correct lighter. What I am trying to highlight is that I am thinking that some sockets are designed to just take a matching lighter and nothing else.........then, my brain tells me that is rather weird in modern times. Does anybody know whether this is possible or rubbish. ?

Well, I have this same problem with the front and rear cigarette lighters. The rear works but the front doesn't for ancilleries. I checked the front one, and to my amazement, 12v was present yet it wouldn't power any plug in ancillery. THEN, I looked at the engineering of both and they are totally different inside I don't think that the front one is designed to receive anything other than the ciggy lighter and therefore, anything else doesn't make full contact. It may be that someone has already changed the front one and its not standard Skoda but will investigate further.