Cigarette Lighter Socket removal

[tincan96]

I need to replace my cigarette lighter socket. Anything I plug into it (Nav, Radar Detector, etc) is loose and I have to wiggle it in order to make good contact.

Question is: how do I remove the current socket and replace it with a new one? I'm not sure how it's installed and don't want to damage anything.

[jmiseo2008]

If I remember correctly, it's simply clipped in - Just push it out gently from the underneath. (If you have a manual, remove the shift boot and try to fit your hand through.) If you have an automatic...I'm out of ideas.

[sknittel]

Yes, two clips underneath but it should come loose if you pull up and wiggle from side to side. If you happen to break a clip it is not a big deal as you are replacing it anyhow. The thing to watch for is there is a little ident (looks like a dado) in the console that lines up with a small protrusion on the socket. You have to twist the socket to line it up. I cannot remember if I threw out my old one, if i still have it I will post a pic and it will be obvious.

[mabakker]

If I remember correctly, it's simply clipped in - Just push it out gently from the underneath. (If you have a manual, remove the shift boot and try to fit your hand through.) If you have an automatic...I'm out of ideas.

Just as easy with an auto, my hard plastic boot cover comes out easily, just hook your finger under the 1 and pull the cover straight up (if that makes any sense).

[tincan96]

Thanx Guys!!! Job accomplished.

Was able to pry is up and then removed it by wiggling it back and forth. I didn't have to replace socket...just gently push inward the two side prongs with a small flat head screwdriver once the socket once was on the work bench.

[Dakota4800]

Was there a trick to putting the socket back in? Mine pulled out when I was trying to unplug my phone charger and now I can't get the orange socket cover back into the consol even with aligning that indent on it. Do you have compress the socket somewhere to get it back in? Thanks for any advice.

[BimmerBreaker]

Kind of a random question, does everyone's ring around their cigarette lighter illuminate white? Its the only white in a sea of amber and it drives me crazy!

[jajou318]

Kind of a random question, does everyone's ring around their cigarette lighter illuminate white? Its the only white in a sea of amber and it drives me crazy!

Just take the bulb out

[BimmerBreaker]

Just take the bulb out

[K1CKBAC]

Mine lights up the same color as the rest of the interior, amber.

[K1CKBAC]

Mine lights up the same color as the rest of the interior, amber.

[ronnie38]

Since the lighter socket is hot all the time I didn't want my radar detector and gps to run down the battery, so I bought a three socket unit with a power cord and cut off the lighter plug and wired in the cord to hot in run only line which I got to via the radio hole after pulling the radio. Then mounted the 3 gang socket under the dash on the passengers side then routed the plug in units under the defrost panel and around the end of the dash and then under the dash to the plug in unit.

[bssandersjr]

I am doing the same thing. Trying to replace entire socket. Have the replacement here and cant figure out how I am suppose to fit it in the hole. The light assembly would seem to make it so you just cant slide it in...

[mnguyen84]

previous owner removed the cig socket and installed a non-working push to start button. now i have no way of running my flat tire pump kit. hopefully, i can just pop out the push to start thing and put the cig socket back in.

[Beelzeboss]

This post helped me so I want to contribute with some photos in case anyone needs further guidance in the future reading this

I removed the cigarette lighter from mine to clean up the contacts, since a USB charger I bought was not working and I thought it was because of the rust built inside the lighter... By seeing the picture is pretty straightforward what needs to be done. Just push the socket from the bottom until it pops out:


20190224_120800.jpg

Make sure to align this salience with the recess and it is very easy to plug it back

8IHYVqx.jpg


Turns out the rust was not the issue; the USB charger I bought simply wouldn't fit all the way trough the bottom of the 12V socket, so the + pin didn't touch the bottom to make electrical contact


20190224_121651.jpg

Oh well, at least the contact is now clean and will last longer. I disassembled the socket and cleaned it with contact spray and a small wire brush

[CoconutPete]

A $7 Dual-USB socket from Amazon will bring our babies right into the post 2010's for those who don't feel like messing with more cigarette lighters.

[TheVawtz]

Where is the light bulb in relation to the cigarette lighter? Does it come out with the cigarette lighter inside the orange ring?

[CoconutPete]

Where is the light bulb in relation to the cigarette lighter? Does it come out with the cigarette lighter inside the orange ring?

You can unplug it from the bottom. Looks kinda like the ones that plug into the back of the heater control panel.

[Jakechan]

A $7 Dual-USB socket from Amazon will bring our babies right into the post 2010's for those who don't feel like messing with more cigarette lighters.

Like this...
P_20190228_192158 (Small).jpg