Why won't this work?

I'm renting a brand-new car, a 2018 High'N'Dry, that has a USB style port that allows me to play a flashdrive through the radio -- but will not charge the phone using the same port. Isn't that very unusual? Impossible?

It also does not have an AUX port. Isn't that very, very unusual for a car radio that has a "Media" button and which plays from a USB style port? If they go to the trouble to put in the USB circuit and jack, how much more trouble is it to put in the AUX circuit and jack. Don't the chips have both to begin with, because it's cheaper to make only one chip than a different one for each model?

But the point of my post is:

1) There is no adapter made which will change a 2.5mm stereo plug into a USB connector, right??

2) I found this:

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but it has what seems to me to be the strangest disclaimer:

"With total contact conductive electrode, the product has the compatibility to the usage of most cars' cigarette lighter. All kinds of Nissan, KIA and Subaru car are not included. Besides, Honda (Odyssey/CITY/Vezel/Crider/FIT/XR-V), Toyota(Vios), New Citroen, New Jetta, Peugeot(201/301/2008) are also not applicable. You can check the internal structures of cigarette lighters to confirm if it is applicable or not."

What about the internal structures of the cigarette lighter could possibly cause this to not work if it works in other cars? Isn't it a straight 12 volts? Do they have the polarity reversed on some** cars? Hard to believe but what else is there?

Aha! The physical shape! Is that it? It looks like it is of unremarkable shape.

**Especially hard to believe on some Toyotas but not others, some Hondas but not others, etc. Though it's good to see that this will apparently work on all American cars.

I ask not because this one item is so important but maybe this one is just more diligent about putting the warning

Reply to
micky
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2018 High'N'Dry USB port must be broken or is a mal-engineered piece of shit. FWIW, I use the USB ports in my Fords for charging phones and playing flashdrives.
Reply to
Henry Ford

I guess anything is possible, but the ability to charge a phone is a big feature in cars today. Have you tried a different cord?

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

It's the same cord i used in the previous car. Oh, and after I noticed that it wasn't charging, I put a USB to cigarette adapter in that cigarette lighter port, and it's been working fine since then.

They told me I had to return the car for inspection and take the new one which is not nearly as nice.

I do have another cord but it takes 2 hands to plug anything in there, using one finger of each hand. When I use two fingers of one hand, I can't get my hand in far enough!

Reply to
micky

I've got 3.5mm jack to usb adaptors, never seen 2.5 though. You've got some unusual kit if it outputs on 2.5mm jack.

NT

Reply to
tabbypurr

I got a short USB cable and plug my flash drive into the single AUX port

-- I figured I'd eventually break the drive if I plugged it directly into the port.

Get a cigarette lighter splitter with cords to the ends rather than a one-piece thing. Plug a charger-thing and cable(s) into one hole and your GPS unit into the other. Try not to step or trip on the cables. Don't ask me how I know this.

This isn't the one I ordered, but similar. There are nicer ones.

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--
Cheers, Bev 
   I didn't break it!  It was doing that before I broke it... er...
Reply to
The Real Bev

For the record, it is called "USER ERROR". That you wish something does not make it so.

That would be exactly why God invented the Owner's Manual.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Reply to
peter wieck

will not charge the phone using the same port. Isn't that very unusual? Impossible?

The manual for my 2017 Prius specifically says about the USB port - "Not for charging". I guess they don't want you to plug something large, like a battery bank and fry the circuit, which they will then be forced to replace during the warranty. I'm not sure if there's a better explanation as to why, but at the very least the car USB port that's not able to supply charging current is not that uncommon.

--
for full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/maintenance/why-won-t-this-work-1163812-.htm
Reply to
passerby

Read elsewhere USB ports can be too under-powered and will work for devices but not to charge them. You could use cigarette lighter adapter to charge things.

Reply to
Frank

Yah, you're right. It just seems silly to do that in a vehicle.

Reply to
Henry Ford

What, keeping your phone/tablet charged in a car seems silly? Recent

3-day 1K-mile trip through Utah, and I ran my phone down taking photos. A car charger is essential.
--
Cheers, Bev 
     Nobody needs to speak on behalf of idiots, they manage 
 Click to see the full signature
Reply to
The Real Bev

That must be it. At least I'm not the only one.

That's what I've been doing, but I'm sure a lot of people don't think to bring one of those things. (You have to have one that lights up, too. Last year I had one that never lit up and I wouldn't know when it wasn't plugged in well and wasn't charging anything.)

I think he means it's silly to have an underpowered usb port in a car, since you can't go to the next room and use the outlet there.

I would have run my phone down too but I kept it charging. In addition I carry a real camera and I ran its battery down twice, but I had 2 spare batteries. (and could also charge it from the car without removing the battery) Plus for only about 5 dollars I got a car charger for the camera battery (when outside the camera) and I used that. So I really needed 2 cigarette sockets. The Kia had two. The Nissan Micra I started with this year had only one, but I brought a Y-connector for cigarettes. They have them with wires, even tri-connectors at hamfests, but this one was from Amazon and was one stiff plastic case.

Then they called and said I had to return the car that day, the next day, for sure the day after. They could have given me more warning. The new one is a High'n'dry. USB but no AUX. Fortunately I was smart enough to bring something, about the size and shape of a spool of thread, and it connects to the phone with bluetooth and to the radio with any FM frequency I choose. It works really well, starts by itself, and the only probably is that the girl inside it pronounces bluetooth as blazetooth. Maybe I can get the incredible shrinking man to go in there and teach her better diction.

Absolutely

Reply to
micky

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