How to Replace a 12-Volt Power Outlet

How to Replace a 12-Volt Power Outlet

A 12-volt power outlet has been commonly used to power a cigarette lighter, usually mounted in the dash panel of your vehicle. Now, traditional 12-volt power outlets have given way to outlets designed to charge your mobile phones or power your MP3 players. They are the same 12-volt power outlets used in older cars, only the manufacturer opts not to give you the cigarette lighter with them now. Replacing the 12-volt power outlet is the same on new cars as it is on older cars.

Things You'll Need
Socket set
Screwdrivers
Pliers or adjustable wrench



Instructions
Remove the dash panel to which your 12-volt outlet secures. In general, you need a Phillip's screwdriver and/or a socket set to remove the plastic panels on the dashboard. Every make and model uses a slightly different process for installing the dash panels. If necessary, refer to the vehicle repair manual for your vehicle make and model if the bolt locations for the dash panel are not easily located.

Disconnect the wiring harness that plugs into the back of the 12-volt power outlet. The harness has a small lock on the side. Push in on the lock and pull the harness off the outlet.

Remove the jam nut that secures the outlet to the plastic dash panel using a pair of pliers or an adjustable wrench.

Slide the power outlet through the front of the dash panel by pushing on the back of the power outlet.

Slide the new power outlet through the face of the dash panel and secure it by tightening the jam nut with your pliers or adjustable wrench.

Push the wire connector onto the back of the 12-volt power outlet.

Reinstall the dash panel onto the vehicle.

How to Wire an Extra 12 Volt Outlet in a Car

How to Wire an Extra 12 Volt Outlet in a Car

Adding an extra 12 volt outlet really comes in handy when you want to plug in that charger and the other outlet is being used. Wiring the outlet is simply a matter of connecting a positive and negative wire from the battery to the back of the outlet. Add an inline fuse in the positive wire and attach the negative wire to ground for safety. Test the outlet and you are finished.

Things You'll Need

Wire

Wire cutters

Wire crimpers

Wire connectors

Wire fasteners

Inline fuse with holder

Electric tape

Drill

Pliers

Instructions

Investigate the area behind the panel where you plan to install the outlet. Make sure there is enough room for the outlet to fit and be mounted. Outlets have different mechanisms used for mounting. It may have a ring behind it that must be screwed or a spring clamp that must be compressed to hold it in place. Some outlets are held in place with screws located in front at each side of the outlet.

Drill a small pilot hole in the panel where the outlet is located. Drill a larger hole, the same size as the outlet diameter.

Install and route two wires from the outlet location to the battery location. Use wire fasteners to secure the wire in place every few inches to avoid chafing the wire insulation and to keep it in place. Leave several extra inches on both ends for ease of installation and possible future needs.

Crimp the positive and negative wires to the corresponding wire leads at the back of the outlet. Wrap each connection separately and securely with electrical tape. Mount the outlet onto the panel according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Install the inline fuse holder in the positive wire at your desired location. Do not install the fuse at this time. Attach the positive wire to the positive post of the battery. Attach the negative wire to the negative post of the battery or to a common ground location. Insert the fuse into the fuse holder and test the outlet.

How to Fix the Accessory Power Outlet in a Car

How to Fix the Accessory Power Outlet in a Car

Current technology has transformed a car’s accessory outlet from a mere cigarette lighter to a vital piece of the commuting puzzle. Paper maps have gone the way of cassette players with the advance of global positioning satellite navigation units and mapping applications on cellular phones. These 12-volt sources now power devices that provide navigation, traffic updates, weather conditions and emergency communication capabilities making car travel safer and more comfortable.

Determine If the Outlet Is Bad
Try a different accessory with the outlet. If the second accessory does power on, the problem is the original accessory and not the outlet. If both accessories fail to turn on in the outlet, the outlet is probably the culprit. If this is the case, proceed with further troubleshooting steps to determine the root cause of the outlet failure.

Check the Fuse
Accessory power outlets are protected by a fuse in a fuse block. It is there to prevent the outlet from overdrawing power and possibly creating a fire due to a short or misuse. Your owner's manual has a listing of all of the fuses in the car and a diagram highlighting the exact location of the fuse block. Remove the fuse using a fuse puller and inspect the metal line the plastic housing. If it is broken, replace it with a new fuse of the same amperage. The fuse block cover may have spare fuses you can use. Never use a replacement fuse with a higher amperage rating than the one you are replacing.

Check the Wiring
Use a multimeter’s DC volts setting to get an idea of what’s going on with the outlet. With the car ignition in the accessory position, insert the red lead into the outlet and make firm, direct contact with the conductor in the center of the outlet. Use the black lead to contact the side of the outlet without touching the red lead or the center conductor. If the meter reads anything below 12.0 volts or no current at all, find the problem in the wiring. Remove the negative battery cable and check for continuity between the side of the outlet and the outlet’s ground point, the outlet center conductor and any junction point between it and the fuse block, and hot shorts or short to ground. Repair any break in the wiring or shorts.

Replace the Outlet
If the fuse is OK and you didn’t find any breaks or shorts in the wiring, it is safe to suspect the outlet itself. A multimeter can help determine this as well. Unplug the power outlet from the wiring harness so that the outlet is electrically separated from the rest of the car. Jumper the red and black wire in the outlet's electrical connector, then insert the multimeter leads into the outlet as you did to check for voltage, but this time set the multimeter for continuity. Because the wires themselves have already been tested, an open circuit here will verify that the break is inside the outlet itself. If the meter reads no continuity, replace the outlet.

How to Check Leaks for Power Brake Boosters

How to Check Leaks for Power Brake Boosters

The automobile's brake booster's main function is to give the vehicle maximum braking power with minimal pressure applied to the brake pedal. The brake booster primarily functions on the vacuum system of the vehicle. If the vacuum system is working properly, the booster pushes into the master cylinder when pressure is applied to the brake pedal, allowing the car to come to a stop. If there is an issue with the vacuum system, the car will still have brakes, but it will take a much greater effort on the pedal to stop the vehicle.

Instructions
Get into the car and start the engine. Without applying any pressure to the brake pedal, allow the car to idle for 60 seconds.

Turn the engine off after the one-minute idling time has passed, and allow the car to rest with the engine off for an additional minute.

Push on the brake pedal and release several times. If the vehicle's vacuum system is working properly, each push of the brake pedal should get harder to press to the floor. If there is a leak in the vacuum system, the pedal will continue to travel to the floor with no resistance.

How to Tell If the Brake Booster on a Ford F150 Is Bad?

How to Tell If the Brake Booster on a Ford F150 Is Bad?

Your Ford F-150 comes equipped with a power brake system, which includes a booster, vacuum hose and fittings. This system greatly increases the pressure you can apply to the brake pedal when slowing or stopping your pickup. After years of service, though, the vacuum hose connecting the engine to the booster may harden, crack or swell, and finally leak. Also, the booster internal diaphragm may rupture or some other component may wear out and render the unit inoperative. Know the condition of the brake booster in your F-150 now by performing two simple tests at home, without the need to use any tools.

Instructions

Apply the parking brake in your F-150, but do not touch the brake pedal.

Start and idle the engine in your F-150 without touching the brake pedal.

Let the engine idle for one minute, turn off the ignition and wait for another minute before proceeding on to the next step.

Depress and release the brake pedal several times and pay attention to pedal travel as you step on it. With each application, pedal travel should begin to decrease. This is an indication that the brake booster is receiving vacuum assist from the engine. Go on to the next step. Otherwise, check for a vacuum leak on the booster vacuum hose, on the hose fittings and on the booster itself.

Depress and release the brake pedal several times, until pedal travel remains the same, to make sure the vacuum has been released from the system.

Depress the brake pedal lightly, without pushing too hard, and maintain constant pressure on the pedal. At the same time, start the engine and let it idle. As the engine starts, you should feel the brake pedal moving down slightly towards the floor. This means the power booster is working properly, according to James E. Duffy, in “Modern Automotive Technology.” Otherwise, take your F-150 to an auto shop and have it checked and the booster replaced, if necessary.

Symptoms of a Bad Brake Booster

Symptoms of a Bad Brake Booster

Because of the prevalence of disc brakes, power-boosted braking systems now come standard on nearly all new automobiles and recent-model used vehicles. Disc brakes are not self-energizing like drum brakes, so they require a power brake booster to keep pedal effort reasonable for all drivers. But like any human-made device, power brake boosters can go bad.


Booster Failure
The primary symptom of power brake booster failure is a high, hard pedal that requires greater than normal pedal pressure to stop the car. You may also notice that it takes a much longer distance than normal to stop your car The high, hard pedal and longer stopping distance mean you are not getting power boost.

Proper Function
A properly functioning power brake system should provide power assist on first application of the brakes every time, with normal pedal travel, pedal pressure and stopping distance. However, if your brake pedal is low, spongy, requires pumping or fails under steady pressure, the brake booster likely is not at fault. These are indications of other serious problems in your braking system that require prompt attention.

Testing Booster
Most power brake systems in autos are vacuum-based, using the difference between engine intake vacuum and atmospheric pressure as their power source. To test your brake booster, pump the brakes several times with the engine off to deplete stored vacuum. Turn on the engine while pressing lightly on the brake pedal. You should feel the pedal fall away a bit and then become firm, but not hard. If you feel nothing at the pedal when the engine starts, your brake booster is not functioning.

Another Test
Booster problems may indicate failure of the booster unit itself or problems in the vacuum system that powers the booster. A vacuum system problem may leave you with only partial boost, according to SouthernRods.com. To test for vacuum problems, start the engine and run it to medium speed, then turn off ignition and take your foot off the gas. Wait about a minute and a half and then apply your brakes. You should feel the vacuum boost on at least two brake applications. If you do not, you may have a vacuum system leak or bad vacuum check valve.

How to Remove a Brake Booster From the Brake Pedal in a Tahoe

How to Remove a Brake Booster From the Brake Pedal in a Tahoe

The Chevrolet Tahoe has been popular among soccer moms and big families for years. Over that time, they've become fairly advanced, including features like electronic throttle control and a tighter turning radius. The brake pedal of the car connects to the brake booster at the top of the pedal assembly, and although it's not a difficult process to remove the linkage, getting to it can be a bit complicated. In this case, the project vehicle is a 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe.

Things You'll Need
Flashlight
Flat head screwdriver


Instructions
Open the door and look underneath the dash with the flashlight, following the brake pedal up from the floor to the linkage at the top of the mount. There is a round bar that comes off of the top of the pedal, with a wired switch and the booster linkage bolted to it. Reach an arm up there with the flat head screwdriver to access the metal clip at the end of the bar.

Place the flat head screwdriver between the clip and the pedal, and twist it to open the clip. This clip looks like a clamp, and the end of it covers the bar to keep the linkage in place. By opening the clip, you can then push it up vertically and pull it off of the bar, which will allow you to slide everything else off of the brake pedal.

Slide the brake switch off of the brake pedal. If you have to, you can unplug the wiring from the switch using your hands. Then, place the flat head screwdriver between the brake pedal and the booster linkage and pry it off of the round bar. This may be difficult to do, but the flat head screwdriver should help provide extra leverage.