I was plugging my tom tom into my ciggarette lighter to charge and a penny fell into the lighter hole. Im driving so I grab a pen to get it out and the pen bursts leaking ink everywhere. I then notice my car radio just shuts off. I try to get the ink out as best as possible and I plugged up several chargers, but none come on and nor will my radio. Did I really screw something up I can't live without GPS or Tunes. Real help only pleaseI'm gonna go to Auto Zone tomorrow to test fuses, but any help still appreciated.
Yep, your problem is a fuse. On many vehicles, the cigarette lighter and the radio are powered through the same fuse. When you gave a connection with little or no resistance between the power and the ground in the socket, you created a very high amp flow. The high amps flowing cause increased heat and will burn up wires and can actually start a fire and destroy electrical equipment. Fuses are designed with thin bridges of metal in them designed to burn up after a certain amperage. Basically this means that if something happens (like what happened to you), instead of allowing the high amps to run through the system and damage components or start a fire, the small bridge of metal in the fuse will burn up from the increased heat of amperage flow. Pull the fuse and replace with a new one of the SAME amp rating, and you will be good to go. Everything is ok, you didn't mess up your vehicle. I've done similar things more then I care to remember.
There's no need to look smart when you take it to the pro's. That's what they're there for. Not everyone is car savvy, you just have to be savvy enough not to get ripped off. Take it to a mechanic right away, most problems only get worse if you keep driving with them. If he can't explain it to you to your satisfaction, take it to a second mechanic for another opinion.
You mite take some rubbing alcohol to help with getting the ink out. I'm sure you just blew the fuseto the radio lighter.Test light works nice.
You blew a fuse. You should be able to tell if it's blown by looking at it.
you definately need a new fuse and possibily a new cigarette lighter.
