Help - Power Mirrors And Cigarette Lighter Stopped Working

[Miracle]

Hi everyone,

My 2001 RX300 has only one power outlet (the cigareet lighter) so I bought a splitter from WalMart in order to power up both the GPS and my cell phone. Yesterday I plugged the splitter into the power outlet, but it did not work at all, nothing connected to it was powered up. The splitter seems defective. Then I removed it. After that I immediately found two things are wrong:

1. The power mirrors stopped working, both left and right side mirrors would not move no matter which arrow I pressed.

2. The power outlet stopped working. It does not provide power to my GPS any more, even with the original car charger power cord for the GPS.

The other powered staff like seats, windows, lights are still working properly. Any idea what is wrong?

Thanks!

[cduluk]

It's most likely the fuse. Check the fuses behind the coin holder drawer (to the left of the steering column) you can just pull the drawer out. Check the manual for which fuse controls the mirrors and cig lighter.

[lexfourcam]

He's right but never try to draw too much power out of the cigarette lighter. That fuse blew so that it didn't cause any harm to the electrical system.

[cduluk]

He's right but never try to draw too much power out of the cigarette lighter. That fuse blew so that it didn't cause any harm to the electrical system.

I doubt that's why it blew.

My guess is that the wires must have shorted while attaching the new cig plug. If the + and - wires touch even for a second, it will short the circuit and blow the fuse.

I dealt with this issue a lot in my Rx300. I used the voltage going to the cig plug to wire many things on my Rx300- my radar detector, laser jammer system, custom nav lights, custom gauge cluster lights...

There's plenty of current going to the cig plug to run many things at once.

[Miracle]

Thank you guys, I checked the fuse box and indeed the CIG fuse is melted. I think that is it! I'm pretty sure the splitter caused this.

I wonder what WalMart will tell me when I return the splitter.

[cduluk]

Thank you guys, I checked the fuse box and indeed the CIG fuse is melt. I think that is it! I'm pretty sure the splitter caused this.

I wonder what WalMart will tell me when I return the splitter.

You say the fuse is MELTED? Or just blown out?

A simple short will blow the fuse but shouldn't melt it. You must have had the plug shorted for an extended period of time for it to melt.

I doubt the splitter or any of the other components or wiring is the issue. If installed correctly everything should work just fine. Next time, try installing it with the car off so no juice is being sent to the plug.

OR, just remove the fuse while installation, and put in a fuse after. If it shorts right away, you'll know something's wrong.

And remember polarity- don't switch the wires as that will definitely cause a short circuit. <_<

[Miracle]

Well, the tiny metal bridge is broken inside the fuse, I guess I can't say it was melted down. Maybe blown out is the right way to describe it.

I did not switch any wires BTW.

Thank you cduluk.

[cduluk]

Well, the tiny metal bridge is broken inside the fuse, I guess I can't say it was melted down. Maybe blown out is the right way to describe it.

I did not switch any wires BTW.

Thank you cduluk.

K, that's what's supposed to happen in the fuses. The plastic exterior shell should remain unharmed while the internal wire should be broken.

You probably just accidentally crossed the wires installing the new one, it's no biggie- i did it a million times working on all of the projects i did in my Rx300. No harm done, that's what the fuse is for :D

[Miracle]

Well, the tiny metal bridge is broken inside the fuse, I guess I can't say it was melted down. Maybe blown out is the right way to describe it.

I did not switch any wires BTW.

Thank you cduluk.

K, that's what's supposed to happen in the fuses. The plastic exterior shell should remain unharmed while the internal wire should be broken.

You probably just accidentally crossed the wires installing the new one, it's no biggie- i did it a million times working on all of the projects i did in my Rx300. No harm done, that's what the fuse is for :D

You are the man. I bought new fuses today and replaced the dead 15AMP CIG fuse. Problem resolved.

Thank you again.

[cduluk]

Awesome! Glad i could help :D

[bobboing]

my 2002 rx 300 blows the 15 am mirro contorl fuse as son as I put the new on ein and start it up. Any ideas?