Why did someone stick this in the cig lighter socket?

[meep]

I can’t tell you how many times at work:
- someone puts scotch tape under someone else’s mouse
- someone unplugs the network cable, puts scotch tape over it, and plugs it back in to the computer
- removes the cap off the ‘e’ key and hides it

someone being silly/mischievous?

 

[k1xv]

Possibly, someone thought that if they put a button battery in the cig lighter socket, they could change the car battery without losing all their pre-sets.

 

[brianl703]

I can’t tell you how many times at work:
- someone puts scotch tape under someone else’s mouse
- someone unplugs the network cable, puts scotch tape over it, and plugs it back in to the computer
- removes the cap off the ‘e’ key and hides it

Do you work at a daycare or preschool?

 

[Kruse]

Many years ago, my co-worker had a kid who put a sandwich inside a VCR player. Maybe that kid was in that vehicle.
Seriously, who knows why a battery got put in there, but some people are purposely destructive.

 

[vavavroom]

Someone wanted to charge the coin cell, of course! Probably it was for the remote.

 

[Fla]

A kid doing something he/she shouldn't be doing? A stupid person? Tough call.

That looks exactly like something that one of my kids would do!

 

[PandaBear]

For the same reason why I put my finger in one when I was a kid: Because I was dumb and wanted to see what would happen.

Off topic, one of my cousin put a plastic bead into her nostril when she was 3 and her dad had to bring her to the ER to get it out, then a few years later her sister put a plastic bead into her ear canal and her dad had to bring her to the ER to get it out too.

 

[vavavroom]

Off topic, one of my cousin put a plastic bead into her nostril when she was 3 and her dad had to bring her to the ER to get it out, then a few years later her sister put a plastic bead into her ear canal and her dad had to bring her to the ER to get it out too.

If that happens on a more regular basis there's a name for it. Polyembolokoilamania.

 

[DriveHard]

I've got a dime fused/stuck in mine. Cannot get it out. I'll have to disconnect the battery one of these days and pry it out. The cig lighters are often poorly placed and near coin holders, an invariably a dime or penny falls in. Shorted my mom's car out decades ago.

If it shorted it out and blew the fuse, there is no need to disconnect the battery to pry it out. If it didn't blow the fuse, just pull it, and pry it out...again, no need to pull the battery here.

 

[Fla]

If it shorted it out and blew the fuse, there is no need to disconnect the battery to pry it out. If it didn't blow the fuse, just pull it, and pry it out...again, no need to pull the battery here.

There's no need to pull the battery in any case. Either just disconnect the - battery lead or if there is a fuse for the cigarette lighter just pull it and you should be good to go. The only real downside to disconnecting the battery is that you may possibly have to reset your clock and radio security code and the radio stations.

 

[zzyzzx]

I would assume by accident.

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

I would assume by accident.

At first it just seems like it could be accident. Then looking at it sitting perfect in there with the ID / type side pointing straight up gives pause. It is almost impossible to drop one of those into any space and have it settle perfect into the space as that one looks.
What all did that cause? Did it simply pop the fuse for the lighter or did anything else get affected? Did it shut down / short out / disable anything or put any codes in the system? It is not clear if the owner / OP has owned it a while or if they just aquired the vehicle just recently?

 

[Surestick]

It could be an accident or Probably the same type of fool who messed with my car over the last couple days. Only 2 places I have driven this week. Walmart and then to hospital with mother-in-law. Today as I walked to the car in the parking lot I could clearly tell someone had recently been up to no good. As I could see the license plate had been pulled on really hard from the bottom (some how I only have (2) screws in the top of the holder? Anyway it looks as if they tried to pry it off the car. Idiots. This was done once before to our 2002 Accord and they actually tore the metal. Guess it is time for me to add those two skipped mounting bolts. Some people just have a need inside of them to find something, anything to steal. When that does not work they will attempt to destroy it if they can not successfully steal the item.

It's called methamphetamine.
You should see the text messages these brain-fried idiots send each other.
They'll drive around all day (no job, endless supply of energy, need for $ to feed their addiction) scoping out vehicles and other things to steal and message each other pics and addresses.
They justify it by telling each other that anyone who hasn't properly secured their property "deserves" to get it stolen. Of course, when they fail to steal it because steps have been taken to secure it they get angry and deliberately damage the property.

 

[brianl703]

The only real downside to disconnecting the battery is that you may possibly have to reset your clock and radio security code and the radio stations.

Also the loss of your OBD-II readyness monitor completion if you have an OBD-II emissions inspection due soon.

 

[brianl703]

When that does not work they will attempt to destroy it if they can not successfully steal the item.

Some people operate like this:

If you can, steal it.

If you can't steal it, break it.

If you can't break it, take a dump on it.

 

[paulo57509]

If it moves, salute it.
If it doesn't move, lift it.
If you can't lift it, paint it.
- Works OK until you paint the General's sister.

Scotch tape over the sound holes on a telephone earpiece is always good for a few laughs.

Someone once put a cricket in a co-worker's telephone receiver. After two days the dude went insane.

 

[Oillover]

That looks exactly like something that one of my kids would do!

Guilty as charged!

As a kiddo, I used to find it amusing to drop pennies into the dash defrost vents of my dad's '73 Volvo 145.
I'd pretend I was dropping quarters into an arcade video game machine.

 

[Rand]

If it shorted it out and blew the fuse, there is no need to disconnect the battery to pry it out. If it didn't blow the fuse, just pull it, and pry it out...again, no need to pull the battery here.

yep he makes no sense. if it fused it.. its not hot now.