Mobile Phone chargers in a Mazda 3

witless_steve

I have a 2005 Mazda 3 and I want to buy a phone charger for my car.
I bought one and it doesn't fit, I bought a plug in socket extender to be able to use 2 plugs in the cigarette lighter and that didn't fit either.
I checked the documentation that came with the car and it doesn't give much information.
I don't want to have to buy several differently sized phone chargers to find the one that fits my socket.
Anyone have any advice on this besides trying lots of different chargers until I find one that fits?

deRanged

I've never found a 12v adapter not to fit in my mazda - from GPS power to several phone chargers. it's the standard size socket.

witless_steve

I checked both of my plugs and they're both labeled as 12 v adaptors.
Is there any way to see how big an adaptor is, short of taking it out of the box?
I know that I need one roughly the size of a white board marker but I have no idea what part number that would be.

Am I the only one with this problem?
I'm feeling like a right eejit over this.

CharlieCroker

they're all the same really. I'd imagine its a problem with the car, maybe a fuse?

Owen

Is there anything in your socket preventing your chargers pushing in? I know with some small chargers they give a collar to make them fit into a standard charger socket, perhaps one of these collars has dislodged and is inside your 12v point?

Alun

Every car I've ever driven has had the same socket, so I can't see the Mazda 3 being any different. There'll be little point in shopping around for adapters because they'll all be the same sized plugs. Maybe some photos would be handy?

witless_steve

I had another look at the cigar lighter and it doesn't look like there's anything to stop a plug from going in. I took a few photos of it this morning on my phone so excuse the bad quality snaps.

In my last car I had to get 4 or 5 different plugs before one of them fitted properly so I figured there'd be a size number or standard letter or something to show the width and depth of the plug.
I went and checked wikipedia (I know not the most reliable source of information) and they thought there was only one size for all European cars.
Had a look at my collection of plugs and they're all different sizes.
Beginning to wonder if I'm the only poor fool in the country with a non standard sized socket.

8vjohn

They are terrible pics in fairness. Looks to me like there's something in it. Is there a cap over it or something?

cabrwab

Pics are terrible, but that is the normal socket nothing in it.
but owning a Mazda3 i can tell you it is a standard sized 12v plug!
Have plugged various devices in it!

It is tight to get stuff in and to pull it out be careful you will pull out that section of the dash if you tug it too hard!!

But i can't imagine you have a dud 12v socket of a different size.

Owen

Try (With the ignition off) seeing if the spring prongs on the side of the lighter socket can be pushed back. Sometimes these can be pushed into the centre too far, preventing a charger for sitting correctly. I had to replace the one in my Rover because the previous owner had somehow managed to bend one of the spring prongs out of shape.

witless_steve

Will take snaps in natural light so the flash doesn't kick in today so you can have another look.
I tried looking for loose connections and didn't find any bend pins, or anything.
Thanks for all the help, anything else I can check?

Owen

Where in Ireland are you? Maybe one of us could help.

witless_steve

I mentioned my problem to a friend of mine and he had a look.
He called me a nervous ninny for not pushing the plug in hard enough.
With a bit of brute force and ignorance the charger fitted in perfectly and works fine. I just have to be very gentle when removing it afterward.
The panel seems to move quite a lot when you put in or remove a plug so I won't be shoving plugs into it every day.
A great big thanks to everyone who posted in this thread, you've been very helpful and patient.

SO THANK YOU!!!!!!