So I tried to use my GPS the other day and even though the lighter worked, when I plugged the 12 volt car adapter for the GPS in it was no go. I visually inspected the lighter socket and it was very corroded. This how I resolved the problem
I picked up one of these at AutoZone
When I got back home I removed lighter bezel and then unscrewed the lighter plate (with the whole lighter assembly attached), unhooked the wires (including the bulb and socket).Also remove the copper wire connector (which just screws off the stud at the end of the socket). Next it was time to remove the mounting plate from the main part of the lighter
(thanks to Ogre for the photo)
The easiest way to do this (if the lighter will co-operate) is to pull out the heating element (the thing that lights the cigarette) and set it aside. There is a small tab on the mounting plate that I bent back with a screw driver....then you stick your left index finger into the socket (remember this is done after removing all the wires) and push in on the inside tube to create tension. Next grasp the outside tube with your right hand and unscrew it. The inside tube might be (probably will be, in fact) so corroded that it won't unscrew...if that is the case disassemble the entire inner tube as shown on Ogre's
site here ...That is what I ended up doing in this case.
Once I fully disassembled it, the only part I kept was the outer tube w/the light bulb holder. Next I disassembled the AutoZone lighter (not fully disassembled just unscrewed the inner assembly from the outer ...and without the corrosion it was simple) discarding the outer tube, orange dress up thingy and the light fixture that came with it. I cleaned up the threads on outer tube from the stock unit and slid the inner tube from the new unit thru the mounting plate and screwed the outer tube from the stock unit onto it until the notch in the tube matched up with tab (that bent back) in the mounting plate. Next I made a minute adjustment to allow the light tube to line up with a gap in the inner tube (to allow light thru) and then when everything is aligned up I bent the tab back and put the connector back on the post and then re-attached the wires. Once everything was ll connected back up I re-installed the lighter and bezel and was done. The light works, the socket works good with my GPS plus even the socket lights up as needed.
The main thing to remember is that you are going to use the outer tube from the old lighter so it is important to make sure it doesn't get damaged in the dis-assembly process
[This message has been edited by 92wastheyear (edited 07-15-2013).]
