Cig Lighter Conundrums...

[Sinful6]

Well, I tried to plug my radar detector in, and it didn't work, so I ran a voltmeter down there, and it read 0. So I went behind the dash to have a better look, and there are NO wires running to it. I believe there should be 1 orange wire that goes to it. I was wondering what/how does it hook up? Do I need to splice it to an orange wire, or does it have a special plug? What gauge wire should I use?

 

[salvageV6]

Yes there should be an orange wire in there. Prolly tucked out of the way for safety.

Outlet may be shorted out and disconnected.

The wire ties into the harness at the same point as the glove box light and is of the same thickness.

If you are hooking up the lighter use a 14 gauge wire or so. 16 will prolly work also.

Just the radar det. 16-18 will work.

I'd go find the orange wire first, might be running other add on accessories?

 

[cmokem]

Do yourself a favor and get a heavy duty lighter from carquest. I had trouble with the stock unit blowing fuses because the radar detector plug kept shorting out inside of the socket....even when I changed the plug I had the same problem. It doesnt take much of a pull on the plug to short this thing out...bought the heavy duty unit and mounted it under the dash..put a inline fuse to in and no more problems.


HTH's

Bob

 

[Sinful6]

Well, my "stereo" was ConcertSound II (back speakers removed), and my head unit has a CD player/equilizer(maybe from a typhoon?) But it looks stock. I see an orange wire back there, but it has a black plug on the end. But From what I gather there should be no plug, so is this the wrong wire?

The radar detector will be my only "add-on accessory".

I would like to try and figure this out before going the aftermarket route, and if I do go that route, I would want one that mounts in the stock location.

 

[Sinful6]

I popped into NAPA earlier for a PCV valve(didnt have them) and saw they had aftermarket cig lighters, they had several, which one would be best?

 

[99Formula]

You may consider just running by a stereo shop and having them install the radar detector by running a wire to the fuse box. That's if you're not comfortable running it yourself. That way you don't have a wire dangling down from the detector, you can run it across the top of the windshield and down the side.

Peter

 

[salvageV6]

Radio had it's own orange wire with a brown one too in a connector so it prolly isn't the right one.

Might have to remove or move the radio or else get in via the glovebox to look around back there.

Or simply tie a wire to the glove box orange feed and power a new or existing socket. Or wire the detector directly.

 

[Roger]

I hard wired my radar detector. Ran wire under trim across top of windshield as per 99Formula mentioned.

 

[John Larkin]

It's an orange wire with a clear plug on the end.

 

[Drew L]

I would try and get one from a junkyard so that it looks the same. They are no longer available from GM according to a dealer near me. Good luck. drew