On my Volkswagen Polo, the USB port in the center console suddenly stopped recognizing my phone. Is it true that it's just oxidized contacts and I can clean them, or do I need to replace the whole unit? Is it worth doing it myself?
Oxidized contacts - yeah, that's a common problem, try cleaning it with alcohol or special electronics contact cleaner first, sometimes that helps. But to test continuity you'll need a multimeter - set it to continuity mode and touch the probes to the USB connector contacts, you should hear a beep if the contact is okay. If cleaning doesn't work, you'll have to replace the whole unit - access isn't too complicated, but you'll need to remove the console panel, and if you break something, it'll cost you later. I think it makes sense to try cleaning first, it's like 15 minutes of your time.
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