Car repair lesson learned

[Imp1983@xxxxxxx]

Hi,

I learned a valuable lesson.  OPEN YOUR EYES.

This past week or so I have been trying to fix the Cigar lighter in my car.  
I had my 16 year old son help me.  (Trying to get him interested and learn.)

First thing I did was check the Owner's Manual for which fuse cavity the 
Cigar lighter was on.  Cavity 5.  4 amp fuse.  I thought wow that's awful low 
amperage for a lighter.

The book also listed a bunch of other stuff on this circuit, too.  Hmmm.  
Fuse was good.  Checked lighter socket, ground wire.  Good.  Checked hot wire 
to fuse box, good.  The fuse box cover listed illumination lights on cavity 
5, nothing else.  Hmmmm?

This kept going for a few days.  We'd get out there and check over and over.  
My second line of attack was to remove the car alarm system that the previous 
owner installed, in case it was the culprit.  (Annoying pain and didn't use 
it anyway.)  Nope.

Last night I decided that I would just add a separate line and fuse from the 
hot wire to the lighter.  As I was preparing to do this, my son says:  "Hey 
Dad, the fuse box cover says that the Cigar lighter is cavity 15."   !!!????  
What??  I grabbed it and looked - he's right.   I thought, "You've got to be 
kidding."  I look.  20 amp fuse. Pull it out.  Blown . . .

*sigh*  

Well, at least I didn't add that extra line, and the stupid alarm is gone.

Dan Wing
Imp1983@xxxxxxx

'83 Imp, beige, wire wheels,
factory/dealer carb conversion