LK1

98 4Runner Limited


Two questions:

I did a little searching and couldn't find a blown fuse. Where is the lighter fuse?

Second, I read that the lighter has a wire or fusible link out the back that can melt. Has anyone heard of this?

What's the fix?

Thanks

ThePretender

I believe you burned the trip wire out on the back side of the outlet . . .

I recently burned out my aux outlet (in the bed) and wound up soldering in a piece of 16 gauge copper wire in place of the trip wire. Kind of like taking a hamster to the vet, but I figured I'd learn something if I pulled it apart.

The cig and aux outlets have a trip wire rather than a fuse to prevent fire in the event a cig lighter gets stuck and continues to heat up. The fuse would never burn out in this case, so they used a trip wire instead of a fuse.

If you remove the outlet and look at the back side, you will see the burned out trip wire.

Hope this helps.

Steve.

ThePretender

I forgot to mention -

If you use this fix, you should not use the outlet as a cig lighter. You would have 'removed' the fail-safe from the outlet.

Steve.

alotawatts

The lighter/coil itself might be cooked !
Back in the 'DAY' I fried more then one holding it in repeatedly to smoke....oh never mind.

GSGALLANT

Although the cigarette lighter does have a fusible link behind it. It also is powered through a fuse. The cigarette lighter in my 2002 4Runner is powered by the 15A ACC fuse. Not sure if the '98 is the same.

However, if the 15A ACC fuse was blown, you'd know it. It also powers things like power mirrors, the clock, the control side of the relay for your other 12V power outlets (if you have any), the radio etc...

So if the rest of that stuff is working for you, I also vote for blown fusible link.

LK1

Thanks guys. The other things on the fuse are working so it must be the wire. Any suggestions on the best/easiest way to get to the wire? Do I have to pull the console?