540TM Car Charger Option for VW??

[Ged]

Today I moved my 540TM from one car to another, a VW Passat, and discovered that the car charger does not insert far enough into the VW's socket to make a connection. I believe this is a VW issue because it happened to me before with the charger for another device.

Is anyone aware of a charger I can purchase that would be compatible with the 540 and with the VW Passat?...of of any other fix?

Thanks much,

 

[dhn]

Look for supermod mikealder to respond to your query. He's an expert in many things, including this. If he doesn't show up within 24 hours, pm him.

(also, have you checked with your VW dealer about a possible adapter?)

 

[mikealder]

Go to your local motor spares shop and see if they have any "One to Two" addaptors that will fit your car ciggy socket and provide a more normal socket for the TomTom charger - Mike

 

[Ged]

My thanks to dnh and mikealder. I've called around a bit and I'm going out to look at a one to two splitter this afternoon.

A happy fourth to all,
Ged

 

[bugeyed1]

Belkin makes a very nice nano USB adapter for the lighter. It barely extends past the end of the socket. Fry's has them on sale. If you can use the USB cable to power your unit????? It probably would not be switched by the ignition though. Always on.
I bought a replacement lighter socket & installed it under the dash to a switched ckt. & ran the TT cable concealed under the dash. You can get crimp-on lugs to hook up the socket at your local elec. parts supply.
Cheers,
kev

 

[Ged]

Belkin makes a very nice nano USB adapter for the lighter. It barely extends past the end of the socket. Fry's has them on sale. If you can use the USB cable to power your unit????? It probably would not be switched by the ignition though. Always on.

Thank you very much. For some models that sounds like a good set-up.

In regard to my model, the TomTom car charger receives FM signals relative to the real time traffic updating, so I'm kind of tethered to it.

At any rate, my problem has been resolved and I am just about to post the end of the story.

Ged

 

[Ged]

This issue has been resolved, but not in a way I would have expected.

I've had the VW for several years and the issue of gadget car chargers not being compatible with it has been persistent and annoying. However, I never got serious about doing anything about it until now.

After calling VW, Radio Shack, visiting parts houses, etc, all without luck, I came upon a car shop that specializes in gadgets for cars. I drove over to let them take a look and advise me as to what they might be able to do.

A little longer story shortened, they looked into the cigarette lighter socket and observed that at the very bottom of the socket was a round piece of metal that encircled the contact point and protruded above it. They said, "That's not supposed to be there!" I had observed that metal in the past. It looked quite at home there and I had assumed it was the way the socket was built and that because it narrowed the shaft down at the end it was the reason a conventional charger would not work in the car. Mostly, as a non-smoker, the inconvenience was intermittent so I just lived with it.

The specialty car place proceeded to remove the round piece of metal and then reinserted the TomTom car charger. The charger inserted more deeply, felt like it was making contact, but the indicator light remained dark. A quick check of the fuse box revealed that the fuse for the cigarette lighter needed to be replaced. The fuse was quickly replaced, the green light came on, and all is now well with my TomTom car charger in the VW.

I wanted to confess and set the record straight so that everyone would know that the VW charger is standard after all.

Ged