Fried fuses or somethign else? Stupid cigarette lighter socket.

[piglet]

Hello there. I posted this on saab92x.com and no replies within 24 hours, so maybe you guys can help. Consequently this is my problem:
So after my trip to Montreal I arrive to my Toronto home. I am very tired. The car is still idling. Methodically and routinely I unplug my rizr phone from the charger and put it in my pocket. Then innocently unplug the charger itself and the other end of it the metal the usb connection accidentally slips into cigarette lighter socket! As I immediately pull the cord to get out of the socket I hear slight cracking noise under the steering wheel (around where the fuse box is) of what it seems frying my fuses.
Upon first inspection everything seems to work except the phone charger in the cig socket (maybe fried the charger itself or both along with the socket) and my heated seats.
So ok, fuses. Next day I open up my fuse boxes and to my astonishment all fuses are fine. Under the hood fuse box there is nothing remotely dealing with my cigarette lighter socket or heated seats. Then I open up one under my wheel. None of those fuses deal with what my problem is but I check every single one anyway, because I heard the noise from here. Again all of them are fine.
Then I read that there are 2 more fuses, it says "in side the relay" or something. So I take the plastic off to get to those fuses. 10A is fine and 20A that is supposedly responsible for heated seats is fine as well! I replace 20A with a spare one just in case and still nothing.
By now I realized what it seemed like and easy job turned into something way more complicated. I see about 6 relays there. They are all 12V. Since I did hear the noise from there I try to test them out. I pull them out one by one and install them instead of my horn relay under the hood. (Which is also 12V) All of them worked, my horn sounded with all of them. I couldn’t test the red one it had a different connection.
So I am lost here.
I still couldn’t fine the fuse for cigarette lighter socket. Anyone know where this one is?
Is 20A fuse under the plastic on the side of the fuse box under the wheel for my heated seats?
Are there more fuses anywhere else?
If not why would it burn something else and not fuses? Smart design?
Was my way of testing out relays valid?
What else can I do? Any advise?
Anyone else has encountered a similar problem?

My car is 2005 SAABary 9-2x Aero MT. (WRX wagon)

Thank you everyone. Your piglet.

P.S. I searched here and found there is a "fused link" in the back of the socket itself, so thats probably fried, but that doesnt help my heated seats problem.

P.P.S. Stupid cigarette lighter socket. Why is it even there? People hardly smoke in their nice cars. And if they do, have an adapter for the lighter, it so much more often that people use it for electronics. That socket is outdated and needs to go.

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[jproland]

I have a 2002 wrx wagon and had to change the fuse for the 12 volt outlet recently. I have no idea about those swedish Saabarus but if it is anything like the wrx the fuse for the 12v cigarette lighter is in the little fuse panel by the steering wheel when you pop off the door. the cigarette lighter fuse should be a 15amp blue mini fuse. It will say on the back of the panel on the diagram which one it is. Sometimes fuses burn and it is very hard to tell they have burned because they burn so slightly...This is my only experience and insight. Hope it helps. -J

[piglet]

When i pop off that diagram and look at it there is no fuse for cig lighter. Its just isnt there on my diagram. when i look at the fuse box itself it says there is 15A fuse for cargo socket and 20A for heated seats "in side relay". Whatever that means. When I took the plastic off i saw 15A and 20A fuses on the side of the fuse box. Why would anyone put them there? Both are fine! And cig lighter still doesnt solve my heated seats problem.

[piglet]

Today looking at my .pdf for 2005 Impreza wiring system diagrams for front accessory power supply (cig lighter?) and seat heater system found that both systems share the same fuse(?). In other words both diagrams have the same box named FB-27 F/B FUSE NO.4 (ACC) going to power supply routing.
This FUSE NO.4 is different from 20A fuse that is also on diagram.
Now, where would I find this fuse # 4 going to power supply routing?

[cMags]

I know how frustrating these issues can be, so I figured I'd help you out (Doubt many other people are up at this ungodly hour this beautiful Saturday morning ) and ran out to snap a pic real quick.

I just checked, and this fuse definitely does control the lighter socket and the rest of the ACC circuit. I don't have heated seats, but this is the fuse the manual is talking about:



Ignore the mess of wires - you won't have that under there unless you're as crazy as I am with electrical mods..

Hope that helps. There's a spare 20A fuse down to the right. Good Luck.

[piglet]

wow, thanx cMAgs. it worked. jproland was right on the part that it was hard to tell if it was burnt, so i never payed attention to that fuse especially when it said that it was for mirrors on my diagram. Thanx again, cmags, for the pics as well, especially at the ungodly hour.

[4X4R8D]

Okay, I know I am digging deep through threads..

My situation: My Cigarette lighter socket stopped working. My seated seats still work. I swapped out fuse #4 with a spare one and no luck. I am sure I checked the fuses in the chargers, but I'll check again..

Where else do I look?

[Cougar4]

There may be a fuse link on the back of the lighter that has blown. Use a test light probe and see if power is getting to the wire running to the lighter.

[4X4R8D]

Originally Posted by Cougar4

There may be a fuse link on the back of the lighter that has blown. Use a test light probe and see if power is getting to the wire running to the lighter.

Yeah, I've been reading about a thermal fuse in the socket.. What a PITA! I'll have to pop the panel off and see what's up.. I'll test the power from the fuse box with a meter just in case, first.. Will see what happens..

[rdub]

thread revival...

what's the easiest way to get to the fuse link behind the 12V power supply? does it pop out, or do i need to remove center console and/or trim pieces? i would greatly appreciate a DIY if one exists, as i haven't been able to find one.

[Cougar4]

You might have to start the removal at the cover for the shifter. Try checking YouTube to see if someone has posted a video there. It's amazing what you can find there.

[Bearkho]

I have the same problem with my 2007 Sub Impreza cigeratte socket.

Managed to remove the socket to have a look with the instruction from this website http://www.ehgp.com/public/impreza_my05_hu_removal/

I hope it helped.

The sub dealer told me my socket is fried and need to be replace. I checked n the unit does not have any burn sign. Oh well, if the use is still good then it must be the socke.