aircooledpurist

So obviously I'm new to this, lol. Let's get my silly question out of the way first. Is the cigarette lighter lit when the dash lights are on? Mine is not. If it is, how in the world do I attempt changing the bulb?

I wouldn't ask such a silly question, but the dash is such a mix of different colored lights and switchgear one never knows.

While we are talking lights, the interior lights are not coming on either. One over each door. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

tstafford

I have a USB charger in my cig lighter hole so I’m not sure on that. The dome lights have three positions, yours are probably in the always off position.

BobbyT

The dome light itself is the switch. Just rock it end-to-end to select always on, never on, or on when the door is open.

TexasJake

I wasn’t sure myself, so I checked;

- there is no bulb in the lighter itself (the heated element you pull out of the dash)
- the part in the dash has a bulb that backlights the socket, presumably so that you can re-insert the lighter back in the socket when you are driving at night and the interior is dark. Lastly, when the lighter is in the socket with the lights on, there is still no illumination thru the lighter plug (ie it does not have an opaque lens to allow dash backlighting to bleed thru the lens)

aircooledpurist

Thank you. I tried your suggestion. While my lights to "rock" as you say they should the lights still are not working. I'm assuming I need new bulbs.

aircooledpurist

Thanks for the thorough reply. I have to figure out if I am getting power there. I don't need a cigarette lighter but it would be nice to have as a phone charger. Those things never work for cigars anyways, lol

skyboy

There is a light in there, inside the dash. If you’re persistent you can get it out and change the bulb. Problem is getting it all back together. The radio needs to come out because you have a trim ring and the socket. When I took all this apart, I took out the socket. Then I took out the trim ring. But to make it all work you need to put the socket into the trim ring to plug the light back in. And with the socket in the trim ring it won’t fit back in the hole. Just trust me on this, if you plan to change the lamp in the lighter you need to take the radio out. I currently have keys on order to get the factory CD player out.

Regarding the lighter itself - I pulled the top off (ie the picture of the burning cigarette) and to my crappy eyes there looks like a lamp buried down in there but all the fiddling in the world couldn’t get that thing out so I don’t know about that one. Maybe someone wants to pop the lid off theirs and give an opinion. I see something down there but I can’t tell what it is.

Railmaster.

When we talk about the cigarette lighter light, let's mention it's lesser known cousine the ashtray light!

aircooledpurist

Well, my car was advertised as having a newly refurbished Becker radio (with supporting receipts) but the radio does not work. I am told from the shop that did the work the radio is under a three year warranty so it will be coming out and sent back for further repair. I guess I will have my opportunity!

TexasJake

Regarding the lighter itself - I pulled the top off (ie the picture of the burning cigarette) and to my crappy eyes there looks like a lamp buried down in there but all the fiddling in the world couldn’t get that thing out so I don’t know about that one. Maybe someone wants to pop the lid off theirs and give an opinion. I see something down there but I can’t tell what it is.[/QUOTE]

Im pretty sure there is no bulb in the lighter. If there were, it would imply the lighter body would have to provide electrical current thru it continuously for a bulb to light (ie there can’t be wires to this bulb, there is current of course when the lighter is pushed in and the element gets red hot, but that seems like a lot of current for a dash bulb because the lighter gets pulled out of the dash)

skyboy

This is the cap from the backside. Looks like it was designed to illuminate the cigarette

This is what you see with the cap off

It’s a shiny smooth thing in there that looks like a lamp to me!

skyboy

This is driving me crazy.

budge96

Never seen a bulb in the element itself if anything it may receive illumination from the light in the rear of the assembly , if you remove or lose the heat element
while your lights are on the light in the cigarette lighter will stay lit of course.
possibly this is the light you see in the image ..Bert

skyboy

Well I poked around in there with a mini screwdriver. Something fell out that hit the floor and is gone forever. It was a clear bit of something, like a lens. Now it’s kind of matte in there. I’ve taken numerous zoomed in pictures with and without flash.

I have no conclusion 😪

hoping a fellow OCD’er will pop their cap off and help!

Railmaster.

Or better pop off a cap of an illuminated switc and compare!