I have a 2003 Honda Civic and I just purchased an adapter to play my ipod through in my car. I tried plugging in the adapter to the accessory power outlet just like the manual said, but it doesn’t work. I have already checked all fuses and they are ok. The car is no longer under warranty so I do not want to take it into the dealer and pay a ton of money to get it fixed. I have never used the accessory power outlet so I am not sure if it ever worked. I also tried plugging the adapter into my friend’s car and it works just fine so the adapter is not the problem. Any suggestions on how to fix this if it is not a fuse problem?
Make sure your ignition key is in the proper position, as described in your owner’s manual. In your friend’s car the outlet may be always ON while in yours, you need the key in the ACC position. Also read if there’s a switch.
Your next step requires the use of a voltmeter or 12v test light to verify voltage or not in the outlet. Finally, I should point out this is not a dealer issue. Since your car is off warranty there is no need to ever visit the Honda service department again. Any mechanic can easily deal with this issue (and others).
If you have the OEM(factory) Honda stereo they make adapters(crutchfield.com) that will power and play your IPOD directly through the stereo giving you the best possible sound. You can get these for around $200 installed. $200 sounds steep but fixing your issue is likely going to cost at least $100.
Thank you! I will try these suggestions and see if they work.
The fact that you checked all of the fuses indicates to me you may have missed it. You really should have only checked one fuse. Use the diagram on the fuse box panel to determine which fuse controls the power outlet and try replacing it with a new fuse. You might also check the back of the outlet to make sure the wires are connected.
It could also be the device itself. Sometimes they are not shaped correctly for the contacts to mate properly. Try using an adapter that allows you to plug two devices into one outlet. Sometimes the adapter fits the outlet better than the device.