Just looking for some advice regarding my 1998 Skoda Felicia, I have recently been using the cigarette lighter socket to power a small FM transmitter that I bought so I can use my mp3 player while driving, and just noticed tonight that when I switch my side lights on the power to the socket cuts out. Now I have never used the socket much before only use it gets is to power various devices like small compressor and a inspection light.

All I am wanting to know is this normal as I am not sure.

I have looked through the owners manual and not came across much about it.

I dont thats normal as mine is on all the time ignition on or off so I can charge a torch or sat nav.

If it isn't normal what would be the best way to sort it as I don't want to take it to a garage.

When you say cuts out?

as in stops then comes back on?

When you say cuts out?

as in stops then comes back on?

Cuts Out as in when the side/head lights are on the socket is off. Only comes back on if I turn the lights off.

Does the cig lighter light up with the rest of the switch lights etc? I can't think how one would stop the other working though.

I think it does - not really noticed. I will check it later on to see.

Just had a look at this again and here is the details of the problem

1. No power to the lighter socket when side lights are switched on.

2. The small light around the socket does not light up.

3. When I depress the lighter it does not stay depressed and if I hold it in for a while it does not heat up.

I was thinking of trying to replace the lighter socket but I am going to need some help as to how to do this.

Chances are there's some fault in the wiring although I cannot think what the fault may be. That or some fault in the fusebox.

According to the Felicia Haynes you have to

Remove instrument panel

Remove ashtray, unclip faceplate and remove from heater control panel

Remove heater control panel screws and free panel from rear in order to gain access to ashtray surround/cig lighter retaining screws

Use a right angled screwdriver to remove retaining screws in heater control panel then slide ashtray surround/cig lighter assbly out disconnecting wires as accessible

Cig lighter can be unclipped from ashtray surround.

I think I will be getting a Haynes manual for the Felicia then this sounds a rather tricky job for a little problem. I will check the fuse box and the wiring tomorrow. I will also try replacing the socket.

Could be a bad earth

does it work when one of the front doors is open with the sidelights on?

does it work when one of the front doors is open with the sidelights on?

Not tried that. Will see tomorrow.

I know that the Socket, Clock and interior light all operate off the same fuse and I have not noticed any problems with them.

I have only needed to change one fuse since getting the car 3 years ago and it was the fuse for this set if i remember correctly I think it was fused by a problem with the socket and at the time I didn't think much about it. Also thinking back about 3-4 months ago a small white plastic disk was rattling around inside the socket which I removed and have since binned.

This problem is annoying me now as I am studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering and it is something that I should be able to work out.

I am not an expert on wiring but bear with me and others feel free to add to this.

From the wiring diagram in haynes the low beam and sidelight switch seem to share an earth point which should be around the lights themselves.

There is a grey/green interior lighting feed wire that also feeds into the low beam light switch. Now this interior light feed also goes into the cigar lighter socket along with a black live wire from the fusebox that also services the front interior light.

There is then a brown earth wire from the cigar lighter that should join up as an earth point from the front interior light.

My guess is that your fault is with either the earth point from the cigar lighter/interior light or at the front headlamps. Another possibility could perhaps be water ingress

I may be completely wrong but hey worth a check!!

I know that the Socket, Clock and interior light all operate off the same fuse and I have not noticed any problems with them.

I know this sounds ridiculous, and isn't aimed at yourself Gorilla so much as anyone stumbling accross this having searched using "Felicia cigarette lighter" as their search terms!

I thought the transmitter I use with my MP3 player had broken. I don't use the lighter socket for anything else so it hadn't occured to me that it could be the socket that wasn't working. I'd not noticed the interior lights not working because the days were still long-ish and I don't use my car much at night! If you'd have asked me if they woere OK I probably would have anserwed "yes"! I'd noticed the clock but not thought much of it.

Anyhoo, I changed the fuse the other day (actually hoping it might help something else, but that's by the by) and Hey Presto - MP3, clock and courtesy light all up and running again. Had nearly gone and bought a new FM transmitter, too. What an idiot!

I know this sounds ridiculous, and isn't aimed at yourself Gorilla so much as anyone stumbling accross this having searched using "Felicia cigarette lighter" as their search terms!

I thought the transmitter I use with my MP3 player had broken. I don't use the lighter socket for anything else so it hadn't occured to me that it could be the socket that wasn't working. I'd not noticed the interior lights not working because the days were still long-ish and I don't use my car much at night! If you'd have asked me if they woere OK I probably would have anserwed "yes"! I'd noticed the clock but not thought much of it.

Anyhoo, I changed the fuse the other day (actually hoping it might help something else, but that's by the by) and Hey Presto - MP3, clock and courtesy light all up and running again. Had nearly gone and bought a new FM transmitter, too. What an idiot!

The fuse was one of the first things I checked and it was fine. I haven't had time today to do much with this problem but hopefully I can have a look tomorrow.

On one occasion I rammed my sat nav connector in too hard and broke the socket. Replacing it proved too hard for me and the Hayes manual is very poor on the later models - try to look before you buy. It cost me just over £50 to get a dealer to fit the new socket and replace a few duff dashboard bulbs. Not good.

I now have a socket extender which is permanently fixed into the cigarette lighter socket. This is live even with the ignition and lights on or off. It does sound like there is a fault with your wiring.

If only my problems with the Felicia were that small.