Cigarette lighter not working.

[Coombsy]

Hi,

I have an Audi A3 2009 2.0 TDI, the cigarette lighter on it has stopped working recently. I'm not too sure if it's the socket itself or the fuse. I've taken a couple of pictures of the fuse box itself so I will attach them with them with this message. Any help would be much appreciated. 

P.S. On the top row of fuses I've noticed a green fuse which has come loose? I'm not too sure if that's normal to be honest! Again any help would be much appreciated. Also, If i wiggle the cigarette lighter itself, the light inside the socket comes on and off so I'm thinking there's a loose connection underneath possibly?

Thank you in advance!

 

[cliffcoggin]

Steve.

I am appalled at what your pictures show. That green fuse should not be loose, but then neither should there be a wire stuffed into the fuse contacts. That's the hallmark of a prize cowboy who deserves to be shot for putting your car, and possibly you with it, at risk. For goodness sake get that corrected quickly. If you can not do it yourself, engage a professional.

As for the cigarette lighter socket, the problem could a loose fuse, loose connections, or a defective lighter (they do burn out), but given the shoddy work done to the fuse board it could be anything. At the moment I'd say a faulty cigarette lighter is the least of your problems.

[Coombsy]

Hi Cliff,

Thank you for your response. I bought the car around 2 years ago and I haven't check the fuse board at all in honesty. I probably should of checked it when i got the car to be honest! Do you know what that fuse is for? Can I take it out and re insert it?  

Thank you.

[cliffcoggin]

Steve.

There was probably no reason for looking in the fuse box when you bought the car. It's not something I would do without very good cause, so don't blame yourself.

Look inside the fuse box cover for a key to the fuse location number. Check a manual or handbook to see what circuit the fuse protects and what the rating should be. The fuse can be pulled out and refitted if the contacts have not been bent. I suggest you remove that white wire, and the red one if it is also stuffed into a fuse. I daresay they were fitted to power a satnav, a camera, or some other auxiliary. There will be a safer more secure way of powering it.

[Coombsy]

Hi cliff,

I have a picture of the fuse box cover key, still a little confused on what the fuses actually represent.

[cliffcoggin]

Damn. I was expecting the cover to show a diagram of the layout so you could identify, for example, top right fuse as number 8. Isn't the layout shown in the handbook? Maybe you could find it on-line.

Incidentally I see fuse number 24 is the one for the cigarette lighter. All you need to do is identify which is 24.