how to remove the cig lighter?

[stevie_b]

My cigarette lighter has stopped working. I've taken my dash apart and made sure that the loom was supplying 12v to the back of it, which it was. So I deduce that the lighter needs replacing. I've heard rumours of it having its own fuse mounted on the back, but I couldn't find anything resembling a fuse.

My problem is: how does the cigarette lighter come out of the dash panel?

[Mike M]

B@gger, so long ago since I did mine, I'm sure it twisted from the back then pushed through but i'm sure someone will confirm.

[Scotster]

I took mine out yesterday. The center part, the bit you want to remove, comes out seperately from the rest of it. To take out the whole assembly the center part has to be removed first. Its strange but its the same on the MR2.

Think it was a little clip holding it in place. I just used a small screwdriver to hold back the clip then pushed the lighter out through the front.

Scott =op

[stevie_b]

Thanks for the replies chaps, but I'm still a bit confused. There's a tiny tab on the back of the assembly, but I've tried pushing it in a variety of way but it still won't budge.

I could get photos up if that would help....?

[Scotster]

The assembly won't budge with the metal center still in. Its only when you take out the center that the clip on the assembly can be pushed.

I'll go out to the car and get mine and take some pics. My dash is in the shop getting painted anyway.

Scott =op

[Scotster]

Ok heres how i did it.

I just pushed the metal bit out. I had to push really really hard. Its the green bit that clips onto the assembly so i just pushed it till it released it. You could try unclipping it but you would probably need 5 hands lol.

The pics are before, during and after.

Scott =op

[stevie_b]

OK, thanks very much Scott. :thumbs:. So basically, just push like hell on the metal bit until it pops through the front of the dash panel. I'll give that a go later.

[Scotster]

Yeah thats all i did. There are very small clips, on mine they are green, that are part of the light distributor thing which stays attached to the lighter part. There are 3 of them holding the lighter in place, might be better trying to get it off properly rather than forcing it like i did.

Don't want anything getting broken. Anyway, here are the clips holding it in place.

Scott =op

[stevie_b]

Hmm, still having difficulties. I've seen the tiny green tabs, but there doesn't seem to be anywhere they can go if I push them in.

Perhaps I'm being too gentle. When I get a replacement unit, I'll maybe get a bit more brutal with it.

[Scotster]

It takes a lot of force to get it through the first time. You would need 3 cocktail sticks or something like that. Push one into each of the tabs then push the cylinder through.

I just used bute force lol

Scott =op

[stevie_b]

Thanks Scott, it was just like you said. I used cocktail sticks to try and push one or two green tabs in, and just pushed hard on it until it shot through the dash panel! :) I agree, I think it repsonds more to brute force than anything else.

[Ian C]

You could just stop smoking :)

[stevie_b]

You could just stop smoking :)

Like it, thinking outside the box! :D