Questions and Answers

Phone Charger And Lighters Q. Dear Vincent Ciulla, Today, my wife plugged into a charger for a cell phone into the cigarette lighter. The radio (Delco cassette with graphic equalizer) either blanks out, or show random set of LEDS. It wipes out the clock and the presets. Here's the behavior I've observed after about an hour working on the truck.

• The front floor door lights work with either the door open (both) or the dash switch, but the overhead dome lights in the middle and rear of the truck do not light up.

• If I plug in the cigarette lighter, AND press with different pressure or move the outlet around (I have the middle panel where the radio resides removed), the floor dome lights may come on dim, INCLUDING the overhead dome lights.

• If the front dome lights are on, the radio does not work, as if it does not have power. The glove box light also does not work. If the dome lights are off, the radio and glove box light works again.

I checked the fuses and I have NO blown fuses. I'm guessing it's some kind of short up underneath the dash. Does that some like the place to start?

1988 Chevy S10 Blazer
4.3 liter
Autoutomatic transmission
Mileage - 151,000

Thank you for your time and attention.
Curt

A. Something is backfeeding through that lighter circuit. Are you sure all the fuses are good? Re-check them. Blazers had this problem when a ctsy fuse would blow. I think the lighter socket doesn't like the phone socket! Very common.