Yes, I know, this might sound like a no brainer to some people but you have to realize that I have encountered so many of my friends having this problem and being quite frustrated about not knowing what to do. So if you are like them, and you have been beat by the “not working” cigarette lighter in your car, then here is what you should do.
The first thing to do would be to determine the exact problem. If you cannot light a cigarette or you cannot charge your cell phone, you might not be getting power to the cigarette lighter. What you should do then is to get yourself a circuit tester.
What is a circuit tester, you might ask? It is a simple gadget that is used to determine if there is current flowing through a circuit. You can get one at any electronics store or even a hardware store. They come in various makes and models and you can get one for a really cheap price – you do not need the best model anyway.
So, with the circuit tester handy, get the clip end of the tester and place it on the outer frame of the socket. You can even just hold it in place. Take the other end and then push it all the way until it touches the back of the socket. Take care NOT to make it touch the side because it will probably cause a short. The tester will then tell you if you have power or not. If you have power, then you might have blown a fuse, so you just need to replace that. If there is no power, first check that you have your ignition set to ON (duh). Otherwise, take it to the pros.