Stay safe by turning off the vehicle before handling any wires or connected components. If you don’t take the proper precautions, you could end up sticking metal inside the socket while it is still active.
If you can’t find the fuse box, consult your owner’s manual for more information. Some vehicles even have multiple fuse boxes controlling different parts.
If you don’t see a fuse box diagram inside your vehicle, check for one in the owner’s manual.
You can get multimeters at most hardware or auto parts stores. If the meter picks up electrical activity, check the fuses again. You may have removed the wrong one by accident.
You can find socket removal tools online. Also, ask at your local auto parts stores for alternatives. If you don’t have a socket removal tool, find something similar that fits inside the lighter socket. For instance, you could use a metal hook or bend a metal coat hanger to latch onto the socket slots.
The socket is often a little stubborn at first, so put some force into turning it. You may need to get a pair of pliers to turn the socket by hand.
Shop online or visit your local hardware and auto parts stores for pry tools. Make sure you get plastic ones instead of metal to avoid damaging the car panel. The cigarette lighter socket may still be attached to the rest of the car, so don’t rip the panel off as soon as you detach it. This is especially true if the socket is near the radio, since the radio and climate control wires most likely also attach to the panel.
The connector is usually easy to remove by hand. You may need to pull it with a little bit of force to pop it off of the socket. You can remove other connectors on the panel. If you removed the plate around the radio, for instance, the radio controls also have plastic connectors. You don’t need to remove those connectors, but unplugging them gives you a little more room to maneuver.
Try to avoid forcing the socket out. It is pretty easy to remove, so if it feels stuck, chances are it is still attached to the car. Check for a wire connector and rotate the socket clockwise until it loosens. If you can’t remove the socket and know that you cleared away any wires, use pliers to turn it until it loosens.
Get pry tools by shopping online or visiting hardware or auto parts stores. The panels you need to remove are underneath the gear stick and very noticeable. As long as you remove one panel on the chamber housing the gear controls, you can reach the lighter.
The wire connector looks like a round plug. It is often gray, but it might be a different color in your car. The plug always has a pair of wires, green and black, that make it recognizable. Some cigarette lighter sockets have 2 different plugs. One plug on the side holds the green ground wire while the other plug in the center holds the black power wire. Remove both plugs if your vehicle has them.
The electrical connector has a red wire supplying power to lighter. Set the connector aside to avoid damaging the wire.
Finish removing the nut by continuing to turn it counterclockwise by hand. Slide it off of the socket and set it aside.
