To me the cigarette lighter socket is vital. It fuels my sat nav and charges my phone, it basically helps keep me on the right track while allowing me to play road-tripping music, take photos and stay connected.
When I got my van I was warned that the cigarette lighter had never worked. I decided that it looked to be a fairly simple job to swap it up for a new unit, but before doing that I thought I would check the fuse just in case….and I’m glad I did. A new fuse and the lighter socket worked.
FIND THE FUSES
In my 1998 T4 the fuse box is found below and to the right of the steering wheel. if you follow the curve of the plastic as it folds inwards towards the engine you’ll find a large plastic screw. Un-screw it and open the drawer.
WHAT FUSE TO USE?
The next (and most difficult) thing to do is to figure out which fuse you need. A great reference guide to all things mechanical is the Haynes Repair Manual series. These were recommended to me by my dad, a man who has taken apart and fixed many a VW van!
I identified the cigarette lighter socket to be fuse number 22 on the top row. I then replaced the fuse with a 10amp blade fuse (as outlined in the Haynes guide). Replace the fuse box cover and you’re ready to go.
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