Removing Cigarette Lighter

[Frango100]

The sigaret lighter has a bad contact internally, so i would like to remove it for inspection/repair. How can it be removed from the dash?

[Dan Leavens]

Franco: Go to the main page and locate the SEARCH button near the top of the page.
Type in " Cigarette Lighter " and then hit GO and threads with cigarette lighter will pop up.
See Post " Cigarette Lighter Bezel " from 60 TBird 10.05.2014 and open. Hopefully that will give explanation and visual.
The SEARCH button can also be used moving forward for other questions as well. Good luck.

[Deanj]

Before removing the receptacle unscrew the fuse and dab some dielectric grease between the fuse connection. Then replace the fuse and give it a try. It worked for me when I thought I had a bad fuse. BTW, the fuse has a reset hole in which a paperclip fits into. Don't get too aggressive.

[Tbird1044]

Here is a picture of the back of the dash showing the cig. lighter. After you disconnect the wire to the lighter, the outer piece of the lighter will unscrew from the main body and then the lighter will slide out the front of the dash.
Nyles

[Frango100]

Thanks for the answers guys. I got the lighter assy out, but had to remove the speedo to be able to put enough force on the housing to get it turned. Now there is a kind of an extension for the wire connector on the back of my lighter assy, which is giving the bad contact. I don´t see it on the picture above. Is this a resettable fuse? I opened it up, but the current had caused quite some burning of the material. If it is a fuse, can it be changed with a normal fuse?

[simplyconnected]

It is an automatic-reset circuit breaker. They frequently go bad and all the car companies used them. Yes, you can replace with a fuse but that circuit breaker has a delay whereas a fuse is immediate. Even so, not a biggie. You can go with a glass or 'stab' fuse.

**Caution--- That circuit breaker is THE ONLY current protection all the way back to your battery. Make sure you replace it with 'something' otherwise the wires become the fuse. - Dave

[sidewalkman]

**Caution--- That circuit breaker is THE ONLY current protection all the way back to your battery. Make sure you replace it with 'something' otherwise the wires become the fuse. - Dave

There is nothing more frightening then driving down the road and all of a sudden a wire melts all the way to its origin. I had an old MG (Lucas wiring) that fried a wire all the way through the loom.

[Frango100]

I will see if Rockauto has this breaker, I need to buy some stuff from there. Otherwise I will just put an inline fuse in the wire.

[simplyconnected]

Just remember, overcurrent devices are there for ONE purpose, to protect the wire.

Most people think fuses and breakers are there to protect humans or motors, etc., even in their homes. NO! Our National Electrical Code book was authored by the Fire Protection Agency. It has a diverse board of people from all aspects of electrical use and the rules are the result of accidents involving personal and property damage.

In short, the agency tries to make electrical systems safe (and idiot proof). I constantly encounter folks who have their own ideas that contradict the code and are downright dangerous. Their argument is, "Well, it always worked for years." That kind of thinking is a recipe for disaster, just waiting to happen. Remember when people put a penny behind a blown fuse, "just to get through the night"? And, don't believe a whole box of fuses are bad because they keep blowing.

The NEC's number one rule is, the supply MUST meet the demand. Then, overcurrent protection must be sized according to the minimum wire size used in that circuit. So, consider the load, the supply and the conductors when choosing a fuse size.

As said, Ford did not make the lighters or circuit breakers. Nearly all the car companies used the same lighter equipment. If you don't find your breaker in Ford stock, look in GM or Chrysler sources. - Dave

[Deanj]

There are still a couple screw on fuses left on EBay for @ $14-20. Just remember the dab of dielectric grease between the connection.

Dean

[Frango100]

Just ordered two new fuses via e-bay, at least I can leave the wiring original.

[Frango100]

New fuse installed and the lighter is working properly again.