Mounts TomTom charger and Civic's crappy lighter socket

[NickG]

Hi
Has anyone else had problems with a TomTom power cable (or ANY other power cable for that matter) in the Civic's lighter socket? When I push it in, it's quite stiff (ooh-err!) but when I pull it out, the entire lighter-socket comes out of the console complete with dangling wires. It seems it's only held in by two tiny lugs and it's much easier to pull the socket out of the car than the power cable out of the socket. The same thing happens with my mobile phone charger. It seems the socket is slightly smaller diameter than standard sockets and as such, most chargers I've tried seem to get jammed in the socket.

From now on, I'm going to have to charge my TomTom in the house or modify the charger somehow so it pulls out more easily.

Nick...

[Meino]

Didn't had problems so far. I also use the ligter socket for charging my mobile, but the lighter socket never came out....

[emmaloula]

I don't have this problem when using my Tom Tom (yet!).

[steeeveee]

Am Having a cigar lighter put into the glove compartment by the dealer, doing it free of charge. Seems the tom tom cable will just make it through the side of the lid.

Any ideas where to place the tom tom as am not keen on the windscreen?

[geoff]

we all had this in the early days but now you always hold the outside when removing anything

if you do a search there is a fix posted

[NickG]

No - in my focus I used to have it on the windscreen, but in the civic, the windscreen is really far away (I have to sit quite far back) and I can't reach it very easily. I think I'm going to have to put some kind of mount in, but I can't mod anything as I'm only leasing my Civic (not that I would ever consider drilling the dashboard anyway - but I have found that hot glue guns are useful for affixing things in a secure but removable way).

[NickG]

Originally Posted by geoff

we all had this in the early days but now you always hold the outside when removing anything

You can't really hold the outside. The bit that comes out in my car (the metal insert) is only about 2mm bigger than the charger itself and that makes it pretty much impossible to hold in place unless your fingers happen to be flat bladed screwdrivers (which I expect is true for some of the posters on this site! ).

Another thing: The power cable is right in the way of the gear stick once you've plugged it in. What idiot thought to put it there knowing it would be primarily used for chargers!

[geoff]

yesterday i was called a moaner and now i am told i have fingers like screwdrivers
what next

[GerryJ]

Also had this when using my Tom Tom. Can somebody put a link to the fix.

[basegreen]

Originally Posted by geoff

yesterday i was called a moaner and now i am told i have fingers like screwdrivers
what next

They are not mutually exclusive, Mr Moaning Screwdriver hands.

[NickG]

I spent a while searching and couldn't find any mention of a fix - although many others have mentioned this is a problem. If anyone finds the fix, please post below.

[pjelsworth]

Here you go

[HOW TO] Secure the cig lighter a bit better

[P@tje]

mine had the same problemen. The dealer has fixed it with some glue ...

[P@tje]

Originally Posted by NickG

No - in my focus I used to have it on the windscreen, but in the civic, the windscreen is really far away (I have to sit quite far back) and I can't reach it very easily. I think I'm going to have to put some kind of mount in, but I can't mod anything as I'm only leasing my Civic (not that I would ever consider drilling the dashboard anyway - but I have found that hot glue guns are useful for affixing things in a secure but removable way).

As in your situation you may not mod anything on the car I have the following tip: Use the 12 V connection in the boot and lay a cable under the carpet / doorsteps from the boot to the dashboard and use that for your TomTom device.

[sarahjo]

Its all in the way you pull it out!!!!

You have to be gentle!!!

If the thread is about brodit clips (can't open it cos pc is playing silly you know whats) then they don't do clips for the 510, 710 or 910...too complicated apparently

[czechplastik]

Using the cigarette lighter is very much like making love to a beautiful woman.....actually I'll stop there! Mine feels tight but hasn't come out as yet, perhaps some carefully applied superglue will assist.

[Meino]

Originally Posted by czechplastik

perhaps some carefully applied superglue will assist.

You also used that on the beautiful woman, to keep her in place??

[TTDegs]

or there is a thread in the How To section somewhere which details how to wire in an extension lighter socket, which you could then put wherever you want

[steeeveee]

Have sorted out my tomtom problems, attached the tomtom to the shiny part of the dash (just to the right of display) using the suction holder, had a cigar lighter socked put into the glove compartment. The cable long is easily enough to reach tomtom.

Now I can take it out when needed, and hide it when not.

[NickG]

Originally Posted by steeeveee

Have sorted out my tomtom problems, attached the tomtom to the shiny part of the dash (just to the right of display) using the suction holder

Hmm. I thought the suction holder was too big to be used this way. I'm sure my suction holder is taller than the "shiny area" and therefore won't stick to it. Can you post a pic? Which tomtom do you have?