I own a 2010 Swift Charisma 230 which I used last year without any problems. However when I came to take it for annual service last week I could not connect the 13 pin plug on the van to the 13 pin socket on the adaptor ( my car -Rav 4- had the twin 12n 12s sockets).
I have had the 12n/12s sockets on the car replaced with a 13 pin socket but am still unable to connect the van to the car.
Is it possible for the locking grooves to become out of sync with the pin assembly on the van connection and if so how is it corrected. I have noticed two push-in panels on the side of fitting but don't know their function.
If anyone can help I would be very grateful as I cannot take the van on the road without lighting.
Try spraying plug & socket with WD40, should free things up. flat top of plug should start at a 90deg to sprung flap on socket & then turn clockwise 90deg as it goes in.
I already tried WD40 although my handbook says not to use it because of its supposed effect on paintwork and seals - but I've used it before on site on my 7N&S plugs to good effect.
The 90% bit I discovered this afternoon from the workshop who installed the 13 pin socket on my car - I was given a practical demonstration and the guy would not let me go until I had demonstrated myself a few times and he was happy it had sunk in.
I have just downloaded the technical manual from the Swift website which contains pictures of the plug and socket. This appears to show that the keyway inside is not directly below the flat top as is currently the case with mine but at an angle of 90% to the right as viewed.
So it appears that the plug inner has twisted round somehow so I have to find a way to place it at the right angle again. I wonder if the two depressable flaps on the sides of the plug are the answer?
Yes, if you can't make it work by lubricating it, it would be better to replace plug, about £10. Not hard to wire yourself. Plenty of wiring diagrams if you google '13pin wiring'..one here
I did visit the Swift forum and discovered that this was not an uncommon fault as Jennifer suggested.
I went on the Swift website and found a list of their suppliers which included a firm called Sargents for the electrical apparatus. On Sargents website was a photo of the plug which showed the "key" at 90 degrees to the flattop,
Then I e-mailed Sargents on their buying helpline and the following day received a telephone response from their technical team which guided me through the process required to rectify the plug.
Apparently all that is needed is to pull out the seal at the bottom of the plug, then depress with a screwdriver the cut-out flaps on each side of the plug thus allowing the inner and outer to be rotated separately and the correct position to be obtained. The ratchet inside the plug resets and its all systems go. They explained that the action that causes the fault is trying to pull the plug from the socket before it has completed the twist action, thus leaving it on the wrong side of the ratchet.
In practice, I moved the bottom sealing plug back down the cable, depressed the cut-outs and was still unable to rotate the two parts separately so I ran a small flat-bladed screwdriver around the join between the two sections and then using a slightly bigger screwdiver pushed it against the base of the "key" in an anti-clockwise direction until it was at 90 degrees to the flattop then replaced the bottom seal.
I have tried the connection to the car a couple of times and it has not moved out of place but I will take your advice and buy a better part and fit it myself. Thanks, Tentz, for your wiring diagram.
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Topic: SWIFT CHARISMA 13 PIN CONNECTOR
