USB Charger via Mondi Cigarette Socket?

You have the cigarette lighter with the retained heating element in the bottom, no way a charger is going to work with that.
You can either change the lighter socket to a conventional one or you should have a "BMW" type socket in the glove box that uses a plug like the pic, then use an adapter to go to a regular cigarette lighter socket.
Alden
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Your cigarette lighter, one where you push down on the outside then actually put the cigarette inside the lighter while it's still in the socket, light the cigarette and smoke was original equipment up until the mid '80s or so.
Alden

 

There's another one on the bracket for your right side headlight inside the hood.
Alden

 

Yeah, I've seen it that way on other cars. Where the hole is there but there's no plug installed. Gotta love our "hand built" cars.
By the way, if there is one installed or you install one, it runs directly to the battery and it's a good place to plug in a battery maintainer.
I guess the correct name for this plug is a "Hella" type plug.
Alden

 

There is no socket on the headlamp bracket on the cabriolets, only the hardtops had it, at leadt for the 3.2's.

They do have the one in the glovebox, the Hella type plug.

The odd cigarette lighter is indeed the classic Italian lighter, it is the oem fitment. Do not stick anything in there unless you want to light it on fire. They are very valuable original items, you can replace with a standard type of socket, but dont damage or get rid of the original. Our cars are on the cusp of vintage status and originality becomes more important to the market. Demand for scarce original parts for these low volume cars is only going to increase.

 

There are actually a direct plugs with usb available for the DIN HELLA ports. I have one of these in my glovebox.

I don't know if these are available in the US?

And also there is another port in the engine compartment...

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I am not sure how to remove that item. I do know that if it requires the glove box to be removed, you need to dismantle the entire dash board. That is the case for replacing the open close solenoid switch. it was not a very thoughtful design.

 

Nope, I have one in my cabriolet next to the right headlight, this photo is from my car, I've also seen hard tops without it. So I think we need to rethink what we know about assembly practices at the factory in the '80s, I think it was kind of "catch as catch can!"
I thought the hardtops had one in the engine bay?? Who really knows?
Alden
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I presume it is there for the emergency light and a spare tire change in the dark. Hard to imagine the rationale why some had this and others did not!

Is there not a rubber plug for that, would it not get wet in the rain?

 

This is the way I understood it:
The coups had one in the engine department and did not have one next to the headlight, while the cabriolet has one next to the headlight but did not have one in the engine compartment, that's the way it is with my cabriolet. Both coup and cabriolet have them in the glove box.
I think it may have something to do with the difference in access room in the engine compartment between the two models. Cabriolet has less reach/depth due to the folding top mechanism. ?????
My parts manual shows a "socket" in both the engine compartment and glovebox. The headlight bracket shows the hole where mine is located, but doesn't show the "socket" itself.
Alden
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There's no rubber plug on mine next to the headlight, is there one on the socket in the engine compartment because that would get wet too?
Alden

 

I can see from your picture that there is a cover on the plug in the engine compartment. I think I'll put one on mine next to the headlight. Perhaps I had one but it's just missing.
Alden

 

There is no hella plug in my engine bay that I am aware of, none by the headlamp. No front headlight plug, only the one in the glovebox. 1988 3.2 CH88 model cabriolet, I am the second owner for 20 years, was a Swiss car, dealer serviced and totally original as far as I can tell. The car does have its original emergency lamp, with a very long cord.

 

Is the Hella plug the one advertized for motorcycles? I am looking for a USB charging port. '85 QV Coupe

Z.

 

Generally speaking, yes, Hella plugs/sockets are popular on motorcycles and commercial fleet vehicles, as they are very good at handling adverse conditions.

There are all sorts of adapters on Amazon and the like.

 

I was referring to post #12 by Schelle.
Mine is a 1988 US 3.2, plugs in glove box and next to right headlight. (My fog lights are wired Euro style too, so as I said, factory did what they wanted to in the 80's, I guess.)
Alden