Clean the element/contacts with contact cleaner?
Sounds like a high resistance is making the wrong part hot.
I had a car (MX-5, I think) that would fire the fag lighter like a missile, which was scary. Had to bend the clamp tabs in a bit.
Clean the element/contacts with contact cleaner?
Sounds like a high resistance is making the wrong part hot.
I had a car (MX-5, I think) that would fire the fag lighter like a missile, which was scary. Had to bend the clamp tabs in a bit.
Nick
“I find myself irresistibly attracted to cars that nobody else buys. The NSX is a classic of the genre because nobody buys it and yet it’s a fantastic car. It’s got a wonderful compactness and simplicity and unpretentiousness to it. Honda rudely continues to make them whether we like it or not, even though there can be no commercial logic in doing so — I thoroughly admire that.” Rowan Atkinson
Not exactly sure what 'pop' means. Do you mean that you are getting a short circuit with sparks and smoke? A short to ground would normally pop the cigarette lighter fuse which you have not reported.
The cigarette lighter is on a separate supply from the ashtray and cigarette lighter lights; but, they do share a common ground. The cigarette lighter does have its own fuse (#15) so if you were shorting something I would expect that the fuse should be blowing. The cigarette lighter also has something called a thermal fuse in the base of the socket. I believe the purpose of the thermo fuse is to protect from overheating if the actual cigarette lighter fails to eject once it reaches operating temperature.
The normal practise is that the metal shell of the cigarette lighter is negative and the center pin is positive. This is a photo - not my NSX
Attachment 14737
In other cars, the thermo fuse is typically connected to the center (+) terminal. The Electrical Trouble Shooting manual implies that the thermo fuse is connected on the ground side which is odd considering the diagram in the service manual. Regardless, given that you have not reported fuse popping I expect that what may be happening is that the center contact in the actual socket may be coming loose and moving around when you insert 'whatever' or the connection of the socket to the thermo fuse case may have come loose with the same effect resulting in an intermittent connection and possible sparking at the bad connection point location. If the center pin in the actual lighter socket has come loose, I don't know whether that is fixable. You may need a new socket. If the thermo fuse case has come loose I think that may be fixable.
I have attached the section from the service manual describing removal and separation of the lighter parts. Once separated, I think the problem and the repair options should be apparent.
Last edited by Old guy; 01-02-2023 at 08:24 PM.
if you need the cig lighter i have an unused new one available
PM if still required
"The value of life can be measured by how many times you soul has been deeply stirred" - Soichiro Honda
Thank you Old Guy for the info and Nobby for the offer. Nick, I'd definetely pass on a flaming hot missile!
Kaz, as ever, kindly passed on his knowledge of the system in a recent Blog post for which I am very grateful. I disassembled the unit and found it to be fine visibly and working again with the cigarette lighter on re-assembly. The cause of my woe is the compatibility issue between our cigarette lighter socket and modern power adapters. I'll refrain from using power adapters and have instead used a fuse adapter to power a USB lead in the glovebox and arm rest
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote