Hey. I'm having trouble with the cigarette lighter in my 1996 Felicia 1.3 GLX. The socket was heating the lighter but wouldn't power my mobile phone adapter etc. I guessed that the socket was damaged and therefore I replaced it with a new one. Again the socket will heat the lighter but won't power anything. Is this due to the output power of the socket? I've checked the fuses and everything else in the car works fine, except for the back being a bit squeaky when under load . Any and all help would be appreciated, thanks.

Stupid question out of the way first: Have you been able to check your phone adapter works in another car?

Assuming it does, the first thing I'd check is how clean the socket is - the lighter tends to make contact with the socket in different places to where the terminals on most plugs go, and if it's been used a lot will actually deposit ash over the end of the socket just where the positive terminal of the plug wants to make contact. I had this issue with my old Mondeo, and the quick fix involved a bit of sandpaper taped over the end of a pencil. A more thorough option would be steel wool to clean the whole socket but obviously don't do that without ideally removing the socket from the car, or at the very least disconnecting the battery . Also, depending on the design of the plug, make sure the earth terminals are actually making contact with the sides of the socket, not falling into the cut-outs where the green plastic surround clips on.

Another point I'd mention is that a lot of the plugs on things are just rubbish - I've got one of those cheap Chinese phone chargers for a couple of quid off eBay, and it can be temperamental at the best of times. Takes a fair bit of wiggling to get it to stay in place and connected. The socket itself is wired more or less straight to the battery via a 15A fuse, so power shouldn't be an issue.

Often cigarette lighter plugs have their own fuse too, and to access it you unscrew the tip. They are usually glass fuses so it is pretty obvious if it has blown.

Stupid question out of the way first: Have you been able to check your phone adapter works in another car?

Assuming it does, the first thing I'd check is how clean the socket is - the lighter tends to make contact with the socket in different places to where the terminals on most plugs go, and if it's been used a lot will actually deposit ash over the end of the socket just where the positive terminal of the plug wants to make contact. I had this issue with my old Mondeo, and the quick fix involved a bit of sandpaper taped over the end of a pencil. A more thorough option would be steel wool to clean the whole socket but obviously don't do that without ideally removing the socket from the car, or at the very least disconnecting the battery .

AND BEFORE powering back up - blow clean /hoover thoroughly the inside of the socket . OLD fire safety story goes about the cupboard under the stairs , where things were stored - like the old 6v lantern batteries -then someone chucked in some steel wool - little while later - the cupboard was the seat of a fire . Don't believe me - donkeys ago , I worked abroad in Zimbabwe ,where the little things of life were hard to get ,and folks improvised . Like cigarette lighters - petrol was rationed ,gas hard to get ,and matches seldom seen . On day ,I visited some mates ,and needed a light for my ciggy - on the table was a 6v lantern battery ,with a bit of thin wire - short out terminals and hey presto - enough heat to light ciggy - known as universal signal tech's ciggy lighter . So be warned .

Hey. I'm having trouble with the cigarette lighter in my 1996 Felicia 1.3 GLX. The socket was heating the lighter but wouldn't power my mobile phone adapter etc. I guessed that the socket was damaged and therefore I replaced it with a new one. Again the socket will heat the lighter but won't power anything. Is this due to the output power of the socket? I've checked the fuses and everything else in the car works fine, except for the back being a bit squeaky when under load . Any and all help would be appreciated, thanks.

Mine shares a fuse with the heater plugs ( diesel) so when it blows the car will not start!