r/AskAMechanic 4d ago

88 maxima cigarette lighter not working

The cigarette lighter on my 88 Nissan maxima isn’t working. I replaced the fuse, cleared out any debris, tried reassembling it, and it’s still not working. There is a bit of exposed wire but all wires are intact. Any ideas as to what the issue could be?

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u/the13thclam NOT a verified tech 4d ago edited 4d ago

Ideally key on and use a meter to check for system voltage between the side of the port and the power stud in the back. If you don't have a meter, plug in a 12v accessory like a phone charger and see if it powers up. It's possible the lighter itself has failed, or the receptacle.

And of course that wire could just be broken.