Why cigarette lighter and not 12v DC???

[TimC]

A lighter socket and a power point are actually different sockets , generally.. in most instances either will work as a 12V power source. I have , however , seen on occasion a plug-in device that would short circuit inside a lighter socket and blow the fuse but work fine in a dedicated power point. The difference is in the gripping fingers for the lighter element.
Charlie

Lighter socket are a touch larger diameter. They make spacer sleeves but I’ve never had to use one. Yet.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Agreed. Just more upset with jeep. Waited 4 months for my jeep and it come with a cigarette lighter. On top the cost of this truck I was expecting better from jeep.

I spoke with two people yesterday who had friends who have bought new trucks this year - that substitution is nothing compared to some of what I heard from them.
Paint the damn thing. Or like already mentioned, buy something from Amazon.
Changing the cover on those is a pain in the butt. You have to remove the outlet shell with a special tool or two screwdrivers unless you are lucky.

A lighter socket and a power point are actually different sockets , generally.. in most instances either will work as a 12V power source. I have , however , seen on occasion a plug-in device that would short circuit inside a lighter socket and blow the fuse but work fine in a dedicated power point. The difference is in the gripping fingers for the lighter element.
Charlie

That's odd because I have a collection of lighter sockets collected from cars over the years (as I restore and show cars, I keep spare parts, unused mint lighters and so on) and I have a whole slew of accessories that plug into the lighter sockets in my cars - including when I had my HP PDA - it plugged into a lighter, my GPS, I could list a dozen things I have that work in either fine.

If you have seen problems, it was most likely that the accessory itself was crappy design.
The hot or + contact is small on well made accessories and can't possibly contact the wrong spots. I've seen where people have jammed things in and bent parts inside the socket and caused problems for the next thing that gets plugged in. Straight in - otherwise you risk bending contacts.


Anyway, in the case of the OP - lots of options, some simple, some not. Paint over it, or swap it out or hit up Amazon. That panel is pretty easy to remove - the lighter socket not always so easy.

The supply situation, according to VW, will get worse this year before it gets better. Buyers of Ford and GM trucks have seen missing accessories or substitutions.
A friend in Indiana says there's a big lot not far from where he lives that has hundreds of trucks parked there -built but missing some parts. They are waiting for parts so they can finish them up. He said he's never seen such a thing before.

I noticed the tonneau cover on mine is not the same as the 2020 I had - very disappointed as I liked the black twill, but not much I can do other than see if I can pick one up really cheap that someone has taken off.

 

[SargeDiesel]

Get one of these, you could paint it black to match the dash.

I have both... lol.... gets lots of weird looks and ?s...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Lighter socket are a touch larger diameter. They make spacer sleeves but I’ve never had to use one. Yet.

Not sure what Russian made cars you are checking, but I just did a test - I pulled the lighters from my Javelin and my Eagle - and I took a spare Jeep 12v outlet shell I have, and checked my own JT.
The sizes are the same. Diameter internally the same.
Every lighter I compared to my wife's WK2 and to my JT's 12v outlets - all the same.

Lighter from a late 70s/1980s AMC - fits like a glove in my Jeep 12v outlet. It wasn't too tight, nor too lose, it fit the same.

Lighter in a spare Jeep 12v outlet shell - I used this in my other JT to run other accessories like my Christmas wreath that had a 12v lighter plug on the end. Perfect fit - lighter from car fits 12v outlet shell.

Now you guys say they are different sizes - but sure looks the same to me -

1970s and 1980s era lighter plugged into a 2020s 12v outlet.
Can't see how they could change the size and still have legacy accessories work.
My experimenting showed they are all the same size - both Jeeps, both AMCs.

I did check my JD lawn tractor - it's a slightly larger diameter and is made very differently. The ground is a band all the way around the circumference of the interior, and the positive/power is a small metal strip in the middle and a lighter is loose in it.

But for 2020, 2021 and 2022 Jeeps, the shell of the 12v outlet is the same exact diameter as an old-fashioned lighter is.

So it's safe to say - he's basically got the same outlet, the only difference is he's got the lighter element and not the door/cover. It will work fine for accessories, though.
It's going to be the same size and fit as what I have - the hole in the panel will be identical, which is another tell that they aren't really different in size.

 

[cafecito]

Don't people have to remove these if they install a trailer brake or something for towing? Maybe someone has one in the classified section here?

 

[dcmdon]

Just a little tip. Always review the order sheet created by the dealer BEFORE they send it in. I"m not talking about something on paper that he enters into the computer.

I'm alking about the actual computer screen or a print out from it.

Gupton provided a complete order printed right from his ordering system

 

[Artsifrtsi]

Straight in

Sometimes situations dictate that straight in isn't possible, and at an angle may be easier and more enjoyable...

Some of the aftermarket dedicated 12v outlets have twist-lock grooves built in to better hold the plug. I have not looked at the dash mounted outlet to see if that's true, but the one I put in my bed has it... makes plugging in the fridge or Jackary nice and secure.

 

[TimC]

Cellphone chargers/GPS’S (at least for a time) were too loose for real cigarette lighter sockets. They’d pop-out on their own. Many chargers came with a ‘shim’ to take-up the slop. I was driving German cars years back. Maybe that had something to do with it..

 

[Mr._Bill]

Don't people have to remove these if they install a trailer brake or something for towing? Maybe someone has one in the classified section here?

It has to be removed to install the Mopar Trailer Brake Controller.

 

[JET_83]

Again, it's not a cigarette lighter. its always been a 12 volt port. The only thing that makes it a lighter is that they stuck a lighter in the 12 volt port.

Take it out. Problem solved.

Did they leave one of the 6 Pistons out ? Did they leave a rat carcas in the air cond vent ? Was it delivered with a ripped canvas roof ? We're the tires bald ?

This is a SIMPLE thing easily remedied ?

You seriously "expected more from jeep" ?

This is quite literally the smallest mistake that could have been made.

Honestly if your this upset about it you should write a strongly worded letter to upper management and picket the dealer.

Not trying to be a dick here but, seriously, your pole vaulting over mouse turds here.

What would you do had they actually really effed something up that was difficult to change ?

He’s right ya know…

 

[joeym7]

Agreed. Just more upset with jeep. Waited 4 months for my jeep and it come with a cigarette lighter. On top the cost of this truck I was expecting better from jeep.

It (CLighter) is not a bad thing to have in an emergancy to start a fire if you have nothing else...I have a 12v outel and wish I got the lighter (but I was revolted by the "Smokers Group" option name - lol). As others say, get a plug...Keep the lighter somewhere in the jeep, you never know - win win, you got lucky. .

 

[Lunentucker]

Agreed. Just more upset with jeep. Waited 4 months for my jeep and it come with a cigarette lighter. On top the cost of this truck I was expecting better from jeep.

I'm going to have to agree with you on this.
Some of the "just change it" or "just buy an adaptor" comments here are disappointing.
This wasn't an off the lot purchase. You ordered the vehicle with the options you wanted.
Was it a package oversight on your behalf or the dealer's or was it actually not built as it should have been?
That's the larger question.

At any rate try contacting the OP directly or replying in this thread.
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/what-can-we-do-for-you.21910/


Edit:
Cover - https://parts.allmoparparts.com/oem-parts/mopar-power-outlet-cap-68290871aa
Outlet - https://parts.allmoparparts.com/oem-parts/mopar-mopar-outlet-4685590

... I think

 

[1996XJ]

throw a dab on that bad boy.

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

Agreed. Just more upset with jeep. Waited 4 months for my jeep and it come with a cigarette lighter. On top the cost of this truck I was expecting better from jeep.

We also ordered our Jeep and had a couple issues…. Color being one. But, pretty hard to be mad when I looked at the PRINTED and signed order form- turns out I screwed up….(reality was the computer kept locking up and we went through the order screen a half dozen times….. by the time the printer version was around I figured it had to be right…. Nope ? good thing I like stingray gray ?- though snazberry is cool!)

Do you still have a copy of your signed order form? Is smokers group listed?

 

[Mr.volleyball13]

I'm going to have to agree with you on this.
Some of the "just change it" or "just buy an adaptor" comments here are disappointing.
This wasn't an off the lot purchase. You ordered the vehicle with the options you wanted.
Was it a package oversight on your behalf or the dealer's or was it actually not built as it should have been?
That's the larger question.

At any rate try contacting the OP directly or replying in this thread.
https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/forum/threads/what-can-we-do-for-you.21910/

I feel the dealership make the mistake. Ya I can add this and buy this, but I should not have to as it wasn't an off the lot purchase like you had mentioned. There were other large errors in my order so I feel the dealer is at fault. I'm more annoyed than anything and the fact my dealership will not respond to any emails or messages. I have the printout of my order, but feel they're obviously was some mistakes on the dealerships end. Like I had mentioned, come in with the mopar tri fold cover (had purchased an undercover one and was going to install), winter mats they made me pay for, missing bolts in the sound bar and the cigarette lighter just makes me question why I waited months for my order. I did call jeeps head office and they basically said the dealership will have to deal with it and its a mistake on their end. I have read though all the great information and may try and order it myself.

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