Chrysler PT Cruiser, Service & Repair Manual, Page: 1016 / 2078

with a snap fit plastic cap and is treated as an aux-
iliary power outlet. The cigar lighter receptacle is
installed in the instrument panel accessory switch
bezel, which is located near the bottom of the instru-
ment panel center stack area, below the radio. The
cigar lighter base is secured by a snap fit within the
center lower bezel. This power outlet has a constant
12 volt battery feed.
The cigar lighter receptacle is serviced with the
accessory switch bezel and if defective, the entire
switch bezel must be replaced. The plastic cap and
the knob and heating element unit are available for
service replacement. These components cannot be
repaired and, if faulty or damaged, they must be
replaced.
FRONT CONSOLE AND REAR CARGO MOUNTED
A front console mounted power outlet is standard
equipment and a rear cargo area power outlet is
optional equipment on this model. The front console
mounted power outlet is mounted near the front of
the console just in front of the cup holders (Fig. 2).
This outlet can be used as a cigar lighter or power
outlet, but only has 12 volt battery voltage when the
ignition is in the ON or ACC positions. The rear
power outlet is installed in the right rear quarter
trim panel, near the spare tire jack (Fig. 3). The
power outlet base and mount are secured by a snap
fit within the quarter trim panel. A plastic protective
cap snaps into the power outlet base when the power
outlet is not being used, and hangs from the power
outlet base mount by an integral bail strap while the
power outlet is in use. While the power outlet is very
similar to a cigar lighter base unit, it does not
include the two small spring-clip retainers inside the
bottom of the receptacle shell that are used to secure
the cigar lighter heating element to the insulated
contact. It has 12 volt battery voltage when the igni-
tion is in the ON or ACC positions.
OPERATION
CIGAR LIGHTER/POWER OUTLET (INSTRUMENT
PANEL AND CONSOLE MOUNTED)
The cigar lighter consists of two major components:
a knob and heating element unit, and the cigar
lighter base or receptacle shell. The receptacle shell
is connected to ground, and an insulated contact in
the bottom of the shell is connected to battery cur-
rent.
The cigar lighter knob and heating element are
encased within a spring-loaded housing, which also
features a sliding protective heat shield. When the
knob and heating element are inserted in the recep-
tacle shell, the heating element resistor coil is
grounded through its housing to the receptacle shell.
If the cigar lighter knob is pushed inward, the heat
shield slides up toward the knob exposing the heat-
ing element, and the heating element extends from
the housing toward the insulated contact in the bot-
tom of the receptacle shell.
Two small spring-clip retainers are located on
either side of the insulated contact inside the bottom
of the receptacle shell. These clips engage and hold
the heating element against the insulated contact
long enough for the resistor coil to heat up. When the
heating element is engaged with the contact, battery
current can flow through the resistor coil to ground,
causing the resistor coil to heat.
Fig. 2 Console Mounted Power Outlet Location
Fig. 3 Rear Cargo Area Power Outlet Location
1 - CARGO LAMP
2 - SPARE TIRE JACK COVER
8W - 97 - 2 8W-97 POWER DISTRIBUTION
PT
CIGAR LIGHTER/POWER OUTLET (Continued)