Why don't you cut the cigarette adapter end off and hard wire it in elsewhere?

Black with white line = Positive
Black = Earth

You can test for an ignition live with a light tester/multi meter:thumbsup

 

It is the actual cigarette lighter that I want to repair,I want to fix it,it can detect a charge when i take the fuse out so I suspect there is a fault or short,could it be just time to replace the cigarette lighter?

 

This is how I would go about diagnosing... Take out cigarette lighter and unplug it from the wiring. Take a test meter and measure the resistance first between the ground and +ve wires, and then the lighter itself. If there is a short between the ground and +ve wiring, then you have more work to do, but if the lighter is shorted, then a replacement will solve your problem :thumbsup.

 

As above, but also to confirm: If you push in the normal lighter element does it short out, or is it constantly shorted? If it does it when you push the lighter element in then it is most likely the lighter unit itself and in that case just get one from a scrappies. If its constantly blown then it 'may' still be the unit but it may also be a S/C firther down the line, in which case you'll need to get a multimeter out.

let us know mate.

 

The fuse blows the moment i put a fuse in which tells me there is a short cut because there should be no voltage when the ignition is off,the only thing I dont know is how to locate the short cut,any ideas?

 

The cigarette lighter in the newer BMWs are ignition controlled. Not so for the older models including my 99 E46, which are permanent live.

 

Remove the lighter unit completely and replace the fuse. If it blows again then the s/c is in the wiring between the power supply and earth, if it doesnt then the s/c is in the unit itself. Do that for a start and tell us what happens.

Do you have a multi meter, and more importantly know how to use it? (that is in no way condascending mate)

 

I know how to use it

 

As soon as a fuse is placed in,it will immediately blow.

 

Is that with the lighter unit removed?

 

I bought a new cigarette lighter unit and that did the trick but you would never believe the amount of console and dashboard I had to remove just to get it connected,man,what a joke.I dont even smoke anymore but nearly started doing this.

 

Thanks for the update yorkermiles :thumbsup

 

Glad you sorted it in the end mate. Can you see where its shorted on the lighter unit?

 

No signs at all, it just appeared to be used,I imagine it is quite a common fault but nice to be able to charge things up again........