Odd Electrical Problem

[kenmac]

I hope someone can help me with this one!!, on my 400 none of the cigarette lighters will stay locked down front or rear, so I tried my phone charger in all of them and it works, so not the fuse but checked the fuses anyway and and all is fine, so I cant work out why the actual lighters wont stay down by their selves because if you keep your finger on them they get hot.

Any ideas

[TigerFish]

Sounds like the clips inside the socket are knackered/rusted/stretched. They work by catching on to the rim of the plunger on the lighter. As the lighter warms up the catch expands and releases from the lighter. If they are not all rusty, you could try bending the clip a little (don't use a metal screwdriver as you'll short the socket out and blow the fuses - or take fuse out first). Don't bend too much or they wont release.

[kenmac]

Sounds like the clips inside the socket are knackered/rusted/stretched. They work by catching on to the rim of the plunger on the lighter. As the lighter warms up the catch expands and releases from the lighter. If they are not all rusty, you could try bending the clip a little (don't use a metal screwdriver as you'll short the socket out and blow the fuses - or take fuse out first). Don't bend too much or they wont release.

Cheers TigerFish I had pulled the top clips out already but didnt see the clips at the bottom of it, all sorted now thanks again

[steve2006]

I had exactly the same problem on mine,it would appear some of the cigar lighter plugs are a little too big for some reason and I had to do the same on mine after using the sat nav.

[Manc]

Same problem here too....

and to be honest i haven't even looked into the socket yet, i thought it was the plunger

thanks for putting me right :D