Accessory Cigarette Lighter Power Outlet in Console Problems

[timsdiecast]

I apologize if this has already been posted, but if it has I can't seem to find it. I have a 2004 AWD Vibe with the Accessory Cigarette Lighter Power Outlet inside of the center console. It hasn't worked since I bought the car, and I've always just thought one day when I got around to looking into it, it would be something simple like replacing the fuse. Well, today's the day, and unless I'm not looking at the right fuse, it isn't the fuse. Anybody know for sure what fuse it is, and if it isn't the fuse has anybody else ever had problems with their's not working? Thanks in advance for your time with my problem.

[trb]

I want to say that I read somewhere that only the Toyota Matrix had the outlet inside the console. The Vibe has the location for it, but did not have the actual plug installed. It may not be hooked up at all in your car if it was retrofitted. I'm assuming you bought it used?

[joatmon]

The 12V outlet in the console between the seats was standard in the 2003 and 2004 Vibes. It was dropped from the 05-08, although they left it mostly wired, an easy aftermarket mod for the 05-08 to add the console is # 1 on The Great How-To Modification Index

Since it's a 2004 Vibe, it was standard equipment

That power outlet is controlled by the P/POINT fuse. Unfortunately, that fuse is in the under dash fuse block, which Is harder to access than the under hood fuse block.

The power from the PPOINT fuse goes through a relay that is controlled by the CIG fuse. The CIG fuse powers the radio, and the cig lighter 12V outlet by the shifter. The PPOINIT relay is in a small relay block above the glove compartment. Some people have had one of those relays work loose over time, and depending on your hand size you may be able to reach over top of the panel and make sure the relays are seated without having to unscrew it for better access. This thread has some photos and discussion about the relay panel above the glove box.

Might also be worth taking out the center console and making sure the wires are connected. Maybe some zealous cleaner pulled the console to prep it for the sale and they forgot to hook the wires back up. That #1 on the index thread Adding +12V socket to 2005 Center Console has a good write up of how to pull the console and check the wires under it.

[trb]

Good info to know! I've only seen inside the console of 05-08 Vibes, and they did not have the outlets, but they were in the couple of Matrix I've seen. Might have to look into adding it to my son's car since wires hanging from the dash plugs are annoying.

[joatmon]

tim, how many vibes do you have?

I saw viewtopic.php?f=11&t=38520" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; where your first 03 AWD was totalled,then you bought a used 2006 AWD, and then got your brother's 03 AWD.

Is this one with the console outlet your brother's ex 03, or is this really an 04 and you've got three Vibes?

doesn't matter, the outlet info for the 03' is the same as for the 04's, just curious, (and where are the pics? )

[timsdiecast]

tim, how many vibes do you have?

I saw viewtopic.php?f=11&t=38520" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; where your first 03 AWD was totalled,then you bought a used 2006 AWD, and then got your brother's 03 AWD.

Is this one with the console outlet your brother's ex 03, or is this really an 04 and you've got three Vibes?

doesn't matter, the outlet info for the 03' is the same as for the 04's, just curious, (and where are the pics? )

I listed all the work I done to my brother's 2003 AWD Vibe, and after I did all that work I was on a freeway, and I came up behind one of those gravel haulers, and I was trying to get around it to the left, but there was so much traffic I couldn't get around it, so I was waiting to pass the gravel hauler, and all of a sudden I heard an explosion, and a tire came off of the gravel hauler, and hit the front of the '03 AWD Vibe. It did a lot of damage including cracking the windshield, so I took it to a local body shop to have it repaired. When they took the windshield out to replace it they found the A-pillars were starting to rust under the windshield, so they charged me something like $240.00 to repair the rust before they put the new windshield back in the car. The guy at the body shop told me whoever put the previous windshield in that car didn't use the right materials, or seal it properly, or something like that causing it to rust. Between the rust repair and my $100 deductable it cost me $340 to get it out of the body shop, but the car looked good. I fihured between the $2700 I gave my brother for the car, the money I put into all the repairs I did and had done to the car, and the $340 to the collision shop I now had approximately $4,500 into this 2003 AWD Vibe. The car looked like it just came off of the showroom floor, but it still has close to 240,000 miles on it. Within two weeks of me getting the car out of the bodyshop my wife was involved in one of those pile up accidents on the highway where the car in front of her stopped fast, and she rear ended that car, and then she got rear end, and so on. This time the insurance company totaled the car, and cut me a check for $6144 minus my $500 deductable, so I got $5644. I found an one owner (lady) 2004 AWD Vibe in Eastern Pennsylvania on line with 114,000 miles on it, and she was asking $6850 for it, and I made an offer of $6,000 that was accepted, and the only thing I can find wrong with the car is that cigarette lighter plug in the center console doesn't work, and the PPOINT fuse is not blown.

[joatmon]

wow. Hope your wife wasn't hurt.


Easiest next step on the outlet is to pull the console (4 screws) and make sure the wires are all connected under it. If you've got a meter, check the wires under there for voltage.

[timsdiecast]

wow. Hope your wife wasn't hurt.


Easiest next step on the outlet is to pull the console (4 screws) and make sure the wires are all connected under it. If you've got a meter, check the wires under there for voltage.

Thanks for your help joatman. I pulled the four screws, and I noticed the plug didn't look like it was pushed up all the way up onto the cigarette lighter plug, so I gave the plug a good push, and it sort seemed like it snapped in place, and before I put the four screws back in I tested it, and it worked fine. Thanks again for your help.

[dannyy72]

Mine is the other way around. I have an 03 Vibe GT and the power outlet in front of the shifter doesn't work, but the one inside the console between the seats works perfectly. I've check the fuse and it looks ok (unless I was looking at the wrong fuse). Any suggestions? All help will be appreciated, thanks.

[joatmon]

Mine is the other way around. I have an 03 Vibe GT and the power outlet in front of the shifter doesn't work, but the one inside the console between the seats works perfectly. I've check the fuse and it looks ok (unless I was looking at the wrong fuse). Any suggestions? All help will be appreciated, thanks.

That one gets it's power from the CIG fuse, also in the under dash fuse block. The CIG fuse also provides power for the radio, a fact I regretted when my CIG powered 12V outlet was acting up and shorted every time I tried to plug something into it, popping the fuse and killing the radio. The CIG fuse is powered from the ignition switch, the good news is that if the radio is getting power (and you haven't done any odd aftermarket radio mods) then the fuse and ignition switch are good. In that case, it could be either that the outlet itself is broken, or perhaps like tim's the connector has come off the back of the outlet. If the problem is only when using an actual cigarette lighter in the outlet, then maybe the socket is ok and the lighter itself is burned out.

[dannyy72]

Thanks for the reply. My radio is working fine, in fact, everything else is working fine. I thought of the plug being loose or disconnected at the back as well, but the weird thing is, the green ring around the socket lights up when I turn on the lights at night. I'm trying to use the socket for charging my phone and not using the cigarette light. There's a red indicator light on the charger and I'm pretty sure the charger itself is fine because it works when I plug in into the outlet inside the armrest console.