Power fuse blowing

PETER WAGNER

MEMBER
1999 TOYOTA SIENNA
2WD
AUTOMATIC
230,000 MILES

Both cigarette lighter power outlets, when used, blow the 15a PWR outlet fuse.

Replacing the fuse initially worked with a rechargeable flashlight. When I plugged in my inverter (which always used to work) green power light goes on then fades and goes off and 15 amp power outlet fuse is blown.

Same thing happened in my 2012 Rav4 when I plugged the same inverter in. So I figured it was a short in the inverter causing the problem.

But then, I replaced the fuse again (van), plugged in the flashlight and my flashlight will now not charge in the car or a wall outlet (red light indicating something is wrong on flashlight). Then plugged in the inverter and blew the 15 amp fuse again in the van.

So I am thinking a short in the inverter shorted out and messed up the electrical in the van since after replacing the fuse the flashlight also got messed up.

Perhaps replacing the relay in the van will do the trick, and throw away the inverter.
Does anyone have a relay diagram and which relay I should replace?

I also had just had my battery replaced in the van before all this started. But the inverter worked for several hours with the new battery, and the next time I plugged it in, it blew fuses in both vehicles.

2 Replies

HARRY P

MECHANIC
2,291 POSTS

There is not going to be a relay for the cigarette lighter. Just the fuse. I would suspect that one or both of the lighters are shorted. Start with simply looking down each socket and make sure there is no loose change or gum wrappers in there. That causes more issues with people's cigarette lighters than you would imagine. If not that, remove one of the lighters and put in another fuse. Give it a whirl and see if the fuse blows again. If not, you have just identified the problem (the lighter socket that you unhooked). If it does blow the fuse, reinstall the socket that you took out and remove the other one and retest.

Let us know what you find.