On my 2003 E500, I like to plug in my Escort 8500 and my Garmin 2720....however, I have to plug both in upside down for them to power up. Not a big deal, but on the Garmin, my speaker attaches to the insert, so the voice is often times shoot down towards the floor.

Was my port reversed, or is this normal?

Thanks,

Nick

Sorry, but I do not understand your question. There's usually only one way to plug in such a device in the power outlet -- you are talking about the cigarette lighter type outlet, are you not? How could you plug anything in "upside down".

Nope, my DC outlet (cigarette lighter) will allow me to insert either way; however, it only powers on the instruments if they are plugged in the opposite way. i.e. PASSPORT reads upside down.

Well, that means you are getting 12v from the cigarette lighter plug. That the devices will only work if upside down should have nothing to do with the plug. If the polarity was reversed, I think they'd not turn on or would blow a fuse. But maybe someone is smarter than I as it is two devices, which is puzzling.

Both of the devices plug in correctly (right side up) in every other car I have had them in.

So can any fellow members help a man out and see for yourself? Would one of you please plug in something you have to your 12v and see if it has to go upside down?

The reason I ask is that I am 400 miles away from going out of my general warranty, so I would like to take it in ASAP. Thank you!

There is absolutely no way that the 12V socket in your car can be wired into your car with reversed polarity. None. It would bring down the entire car.

Also, lets assume for a minute that it could be wired in with reversed polarity. It wouldnt just make a display appear upside down. It would fry the unit or cause it to not work at all.

If the outlet in your living room were wired with the hot & neutral reversed to the outlet, would your TV display its pictures upside down? No. If the ground & the hot were reversed the TV would be fried... no upside down picture.

The problem lies with your units screen or somewhere in its set-up menu software.

Take it into your dealer and have the SA plug in your Escort and Garmin. If, in fact, it is physically installed improperly they should correct it.

I don't think he's saying the polarity is reversed, just that he has to turn the plug 180 to make stuff power up. Usually the 12v plug has an electrode at the tip and another one on the side. Usually the orientation of the plug doesn't matter, because the socket has a ring inside to meet the electode on the side of the plug. But if the MB socket is not a complete ring but simply a smaller square of metal, the orientation of the plug becomes critical so that the circuit is completed. I'll have to look at my socket. I've never used it.

I am taking it to the shop for this and another item, so I will let you know how it turns out.

Wow, that was quick. I took the car in today during my lunch, and my SA, Ron Perkins, of RBM of Atlanta took it right in. The 12v connectors (metal peices inside) were bent. He simply took a flathead screwdriver (while the car was off), and bent them back. He said it was common if there was a lot going in and out of it.

I can now play my Garmin rightside up, as well as my Passport.