We all rely on the 12 volt auxiliary power outlet (formerly know as the cigarette lighter) in our cars. They charge our phones, power our GPS, run our kids video games. When the power goes out it can really be frustrating. Most of the time these auxiliary power outlets are easy to fix and get back into service quickly and easily.
Sometimes its as simple as a fuse
The car auxiliary power outlet was designed in the early 1900’s for lighting cigarettes in automobiles and though we have a profound new view on smoking the outlet itself has not changed much since then. The shape of t
he outlet opens itself up to issues simply because small metal objects can become lodged in the socket causing short circuits. In all honesty, there have been quite a few times I had a penny fall into the auxiliary power outlet and caused a blown fuse.
In the case of my 2014 Dodge Charger I’m not exactly what caused the fuse to blow, but its a simple fix none the less.
Parts you will need
This is an easy one, the fuse for the Dodge Charger is a simple 20 amp mini fuse. Amazon has an entire kit of assorted fuses for under $15
If you don’t have a good assortment of fuses in your tool box this small kit would make a great addition. Its always a good idea to have a few of each amperage on hand. A few years back I can remember having a wiring issue and just kept blowing through fuses until I was able to sort the issue out
How to locate and change the auxiliary power outlet fuse
The main fuse panel for the 2014 Dodge Charger is located in the trunk under the floor panel. Empty the trunk, remove the cargo net if you have one, then you can lift the floor panel and hang it on the trunk body with the supplied hook.
The fuse box is located between the battery and spare tire, there is a black clip on the left that you can push in and then pull up on the cover.
Once you have gained access to the fuse box you will need to replace fuse #12
If you are standing at the back of the car, fuse #12 will be on the upper right of the fuse box. Simply use an automotive fuse puller or pair of needle nose pliers to remove. For proper operation of your auxiliary power outlet and to reduce the risk of fire be sure to replace with the exact same amperage rating of the fuse you removed. In my case it was a 20 amp fuse.
Fun Fact –
Engineers still calling it a cigar lighter even after all these years. I guess the term auxiliary power outlet is really not catching on!
Click on the image to get a better look!
I hope this article helps you fix your power outlet issues.
Thanks for reading my blog,
Joe
If you have a moment check out my Etsy store www.geekgearstore.com