When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
i just tried this and the cigarette lighter still isnt working? is there any other test or methods to fix this?
Check the fuse for the lighter under the dash. There are two of them. fuse box is by driver side kick panel. Also for the power port in the center console inside the arm rest, the fuse for that is in the fuse box under the hood on driver side. It is labeled (TEL) its a 15 amp. Mine was blown on my 97 LS400 after I plugged my air compressor in it.
I still say over-engineering, and not engineered using a fail-safe part, as this part is trouble prone. It caused me to be unable to charge my cell phone and therefore unable to communicate in case of a real emergency, and not having a phone is a much higher safety risk than a million to one chance of a car fire in the 12V outlet.
I say over-engineered because I have been driving for almost 40 years, and had dozens of vehicles, and I have never had, nor ever heard of a case of anyone I have ever known having a car fire due to a 12V socket overheating. Not saying that it could never happen, but I suppose lightning could strike the car as well, but I don't see anyone driving around with a lightning arrestor on their car!
To me, the mini fuselink is redundant, on the rare occasion that I have overloaded the circuit concerning the cigarette lighter, the normal cig lighter fuse pops, end of hazard!
I would not mind having the fuselink as an extra safety feature, if it were reliable, but when these cars age, it is not reliable, just troublesome! - left me with a dead phone!
How I did it on my '99
https://youtu.be/7CXzm_bWQyo
I have part 2 on my channel.
Ps. Make sure you check the 15 amp fuse in the box above the brake pedal before attempting this repair.
My buddy got the factory cigarette lighters working in my daughter's 94 ls400. I followed the posters advice with those washers and they still didn't work. There was a blown fuse as well that I replaced firsthand with no success. Apparently the connectors in the fuse box, for the cigarette lighter was misaligned or recessed. What ended up working was bending the terminals some on the 15amp fuse and plugging back in. Now both outlets work great. *On the 94 the one and only cig. Lighter fuse covers both outlets.
so does the socket under armrest came with or without fusible link?
3 of mine socket (front, armrest, rear right) were blown
I just fixed the socket in the front and rear right side, but I don't know how to get the one under the armrest... seems need to take out the whole armrest box?
(I checked this fuse at TEL, it's fine, so I guess it have a fusible link..)
Last edited by fenixnano; Sep 18, 2017 at 06:59 PM.
Interesting. My central cluster is completely dead. I have checked all fuses (under bonnet and dash) but I never confirmed that the TEL fuse holder was functioning properly (not pushed through or something). Now that I know he TEL fuse is responsible for POWER to the centre cluster, I'll check again a bit more thoroughly.
...
Mmmm Being JDM I have a lot of Japanese all over my fuses, so most fuses are unknown. I dont have a TEL fuse. However 2 under bonnet fuses are not hot when the ignition is either off or on. Will trace them as I get the time.
Last edited by PhilipMidd; Jul 14, 2018 at 01:55 PM.
Reason: Added more.
This is a very old thread...but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m now dealing with the same issue. Dead cigarette lighter power port. My question is - How difficult is it to gain access to the back of the cigarette lighter, in order to effect this repair? Or, is there an alternative, recommended repair?
Thanks,
Chuck
^^^disregard^^^
i found the thread describing the correct repair
My issue was, well, different to what I was expecting.
I took the Dash apart to discover that "Everything" was unplugged!
Plugged things back in and Presto, it all worked again (except for the LCD, that was cactus).
replaced it (got a replacement from somewhere in the states, cant remember who it was off the top of my head, but sure I have talked about it in a previous thread).
That's all still working AOK.
Interestingly my Cig Lighter is not working. Not something I have particularly worried about as I dont smoke, and I have a USB port in my Stereo headset for charging phone, etc.
Just had same problem on my 2000 GS300
Check my fuse and all was good
Took out the ashtray and checked and found power going to the connection on back of the lighter.
Had power to connections on back of the element but nothing going directly to the center or top by the nut.
took a small wire spade and jumped the top nut bypassing the fused washer.
you can do a continuity check and see if there's power going to the nut.
Had continuity to the power input line but nothing coming up to the top were the nut screwed on.
there must be a washer in-between that shorts out and the power doest reach the center nut to power unit.
You can replace the whole lighter element and wire but runs about $65 for the part or do this and works the same way.
Just had same problem on my 2000 GS300
Check my fuse and all was good
Took out the ashtray and checked and found power going to the connection on back of the lighter.
Had power to connections on back of the element but nothing going directly to the center or top by the nut.
took a small wire spade and jumped the top nut bypassing the fused washer.
you can do a continuity check and see if there's power going to the nut.
Had continuity to the power input line but nothing coming up to the top were the nut screwed on.
there must be a washer in-between that shorts out and the power doest reach the center nut to power unit.
You can replace the whole lighter element and wire but runs about $65 for the part or do this and works the same way.
LEND31
Thanks for the report. Yes, it works the same way electrically but not thermally. Without the ring, there exists a risk of fire hazards. Toyota had experienced fire problems in old days and begun to use a thermal fuse there.
pictures of 1999 ls400 armrest cigarette lighter fix
New owner of a 99' ls400 here, when I bought my car the center armrest cigarette lighter wasn't working, I've read through this forum and figured I'd ad some pictures of my fix I just did. I checked both the inside 15amp and the engine bay TEL 15amp fuse and both were good, I carefully removed my center wood trim, followed by the pop out cupholder mechanism. I found it was the fuseable link that had gone at some point. so I basically just pulled it out and replaced it with a short bit of bent wire and soldered that together and voila, working 12v plug again! after the fuseable link was pulled out small piece of wire I cut all soldered and ready to go!
