Problem Charging From Cigarette Lighter

Question

I've had my iPod Nano for one year. I bought a Belkin TuneBase FM transmitter (which plugs into my cigarette lighter), which I sit my iPod into and the unit allows me to play my music through my radio while also charging my iPod at the same time. One day (after using the TuneBase for about one month), I pulled the unit from my cars cigarette lighter and noticed when I got in my house that the bottom of the connector to the TuneBase was missing. The metal "tongue" and the rest of the internals (fuse, spring, etc.) that were inside the arm that connected into the cigarette lighter were missing. I found the fuse, spring and the other couple parts either on my floor mat or sitting in the cigarette lighter socket.
Noticing the fuse from the unit had blown (the unit comes with a 1-amp fuse installed) after picking it up off the floor of my car, I went to a couple stores but no-one had 1-amp fuses. Would a 2-amp fuse be alright to use in the Belkin TuneBase? I've since been using a casette tape adapter which plugs into the iPod's headphone jack and allows me to play music through the casette player in my car. At the same time, my car's cigarrette lighter fuse blew. I replaced the cigarette lighter fuse and can now draw power from it, but for some reason no matter which 12V USB charger/adapter I purchase to plug into my cigarette lighter socket then use use my data/transfer cord to plug into my iPod to charge it, none of them charge it! I've returned a couple now. Funny thing is, the USB charger/adapters have an LED which lights up when I plug them in the cigarette socket - so I know power is being drawn. When I plug my iPod into the adapter (using the cord provided with the iPod Nano) the battery symbol on the top right of my iPods screen doesn't change to the lightning bolt as it had before when plugged in through my cigarette lighter. Before when I plugged my iPod into the cigarette lighter (while it was turned off), usually the screen went dark and showed a large battery being charged - this does not occur either anymore. It must be down to either the iPod's own socket, or the charging/data transfer cord that came with the iPod. The data/charging cord seems to work fine though -- when I attach my iPod using the cord to my computer, the iPod transfers data and charges just fine. What could be the problem? The only problem is trying to charge the iPod from my cigarette socket (which as I've said, does draw power according to the lights that turn on with anything I plug in!). What's going on here?

Answer 1

How about if you plug it into a PC's (use a USB port that is NOT connected to a hub) USB port (prefereably one connected to the PC's mainboard)? Does it show the charging symbol? If so, you can then assume it's the wall adapter/charger that's bad (if you used the same Lightning cable and it charges on the PC).
Since you just got it a few days ago, take it in to your nearest Apple Store and have them evaluate it and replace it if needed under warranty. If it was purchased at a retailer like Best Buy, take it back and exchange it for another. It sounds like either the Lightning cable or the charger itself is bad.