Remove cigarette lighter

[jimpearceuk]

Got a new gadget that detects speed cameras from the mrs and when I have come to plug it in my socket is dead ;(

Fuse 8 is good, well as the radio etc is working so I can only assume it's the actual socket thats broken. I have taken a feed off the wires to the Haden Alarm and that's fine.

Anyone know who to get it out? I can't seem to feel behind the socket what's required to release it?

Its a fiddly place!

Thanks Jim

[Daveysplod]

Hiya,

I blew my front cigarette lighter socket on my slightly older van a while ago and it wasn't easy to remove for fixing.

Probably first thing to check is that the socket is actually broken - check a couple of accessories plugged into it just in case its the detector that doesn't work rather than the socket.

Next check would be that the socket is still plugged into the loom properly at the back.

Before removing the socket I think its best to unplug it from the loom. I found my socket was locked into place by a little wedge of plastic moulded into one edge of the socket. When installed the wedge locks just behind the dashboard - it points forwards (towards the front of the van) so its easy to push through the dash to install but much harder to pull back through the dash to remove.

I don't know if its the best way to remove it, but I located the wedge bit (by getting under the dash with a torch), then from the front I used a screwdriver to lever that edge of the socket forward and away from the dash (wrapping the shaft of the screwdriver with rag so it wouldn't mark the dash). At the same time I worked the socket forwards from behind the dash with my other hand. I didn't enjoy remove the socket this way as it just seemed like brute force and I really thought I'd break something - but it was the only way I could find of removing it. Hopefully someone wiser will give a better way to remove it soon!

My socket had a little short piece of wire about a cm long soldered between the terminal where it connected to the loom and the connection onto the socket itself - this had burned out just as if it was a fuse. I simply soldered a heavier piece of wire in place, pushed the socket back through the dash and reconnected. The socket is a little loose in the dash now but it all works good!

Hope this helps!

Cheers, davey.

[haydn callow]

Get your hand round the back......unplug the wires from the back of the socket.......push from the back and wriggle it.......should work it's way out..

[francophile1947]

You have my deepest sympathies I've got one in the glovebox and that's where it stays. The wretched thing is always going off in built up areas, as it seems to be triggered by some traffic lights, building alarms and loads of other things Going around the M25, in the Dartford Crossing area, is hilarious
Whatever you do, make sure you haven't got it with you if you go to France. They are illegal there, even if not switched on

[maviczap]

This is what happens when someone else tries to remove the lighter without success.

I didn't do this, but I've got to fix it

http://picasaweb.google.com/maviczap/My ... 3462602754

[Daveysplod]

This is what happens when someone else tries to remove the lighter without success.

I didn't do this, but I've got to fix it

http://picasaweb.google.com/maviczap/My ... 3462602754

Blimey - thats a little extreme! I hope that whoever did that didn't do any other diy 'repairs' on your van!

[haydn callow]

A simple way of making that look good....would be.....and what I would do......get a peice of thin 1mm Ali (ebay) cut it to a oblong or square or round shape that will just cover all the damage.....fit a ciggy socket into it and then locate it over the hole with thin double sided tape....then finish off with 4 x small round headed SS screws........it would look fine ....cost very little and be servicable.........(I have some suitable Ali if you want but I got for very little off ebay)

[jimpearceuk]

You have my deepest sympathies I've got one in the glovebox and that's where it stays. The wretched thing is always going off in built up areas, as it seems to be triggered by some traffic lights, building alarms and loads of other things Going around the M25, in the Dartford Crossing area, is hilarious
Whatever you do, make sure you haven't got it with you if you go to France. They are illegal there, even if not switched on

Its just a GPS one with a database of cameras francophile not one that detects garage doors and petrol pumps!

Cheers Jim

[jimpearceuk]

Cheers Davey, I will give it a shot how you said and see how I go, I can see if someone is a little heavy handed how you could end up with a large hole!
So far the lady tellling me about speed cameras is in the back yakking on, sound familar?

Cheers all

Jim

[maviczap]

A simple way of making that look good....would be.....and what I would do......get a peice of thin 1mm Ali (ebay) cut it to a oblong or square or round shape that will just cover all the damage.....fit a ciggy socket into it and then locate it over the hole with thin double sided tape....then finish off with 4 x small round headed SS screws........it would look fine ....cost very little and be servicable.........(I have some suitable Ali if you want but I got for very little off ebay)

Haydn, thanks for the suggestion.

I've got a 53mm gauge blanking plug and a bit of facia panel that one of the forum gave to me to fix this abomination. I'm just waiting for the weather to improve

[maviczap]

This is what happens when someone else tries to remove the lighter without success.

I didn't do this, but I've got to fix it

http://picasaweb.google.com/maviczap/My ... 3462602754

Blimey - thats a little extreme! I hope that whoever did that didn't do any other diy 'repairs' on your van!

Only the interior light at the back, where someone just chopped the wires, instead of unplugging it from the loom

[francophile1947]

You have my deepest sympathies I've got one in the glovebox and that's where it stays. The wretched thing is always going off in built up areas, as it seems to be triggered by some traffic lights, building alarms and loads of other things Going around the M25, in the Dartford Crossing area, is hilarious
Whatever you do, make sure you haven't got it with you if you go to France. They are illegal there, even if not switched on

Its just a GPS one with a database of cameras francophile not one that detects garage doors and petrol pumps!

Cheers Jim

A wise move

[jimpearceuk]

Done it, thanks guys took out the climate control unit, and wobbled out the socket - it has a fuse made of solder built into the socket, weird as its fused anyway - i soldered a piece of wire over the pins and jobs a good en

cheers Jim

[Daveysplod]

Done it, thanks guys took out the climate control unit, and wobbled out the socket - it has a fuse made of solder built into the socket, weird as its fused anyway - i soldered a piece of wire over the pins and jobs a good en

cheers Jim

Hey Jim, glad it worked out. And yeah, it was my sockets built in 'fuse' that blew too!
Cheers,
davey.

[briwy]

Its OK in France if its only a GPS one.