Replacing Cigarette Lighter on a Camry

[mercthunder]

Hi guys. So i was on a lengthy trip to Jervis bay when all of a sudden my car stereo and car cigarette lighter stopped working. The fuse had blown, so i replaced the fuse, and all was good again for about 5 minutes, when the new fuse i had just inserted decided to blow again. Once i again i replaced the fuse, only to have it blow again within seconds. I believe my cigarette lighter is faulty, as it is loose and causing some sort of short circuit which keeps blowing the fuse.

I was wondering if anyone here knows how i can remove the cigarette lighter, and replace it with a new one, on a 1997 Toyota Camry CSI?

Would appreciate any help or instructions. I am a total car newbie, and trying to save myself some money by taking it to a mechanic.

Cheers

[RelishGTP]

If you pull of the Facia panel around your stereo etc the lighter will come out with it.

however Iv'e had my lighter go loose on me before and it never caused any shorts and is a really simple job to tighten it back up (it just screws together).

If I were to guess I'd say it's probably not the lighter itself causing the short and more likely a wiring issue.

If you have an aftermarket stereo installed I'd guess it's not earthing properly and causing the short.

[trentmeyer23]

Yeah they both run on the same circuit, i think from memory the valet/dome light is on that ciruit as well. I wouldnt take it to a Mechanic for that. If don't have much experience, might be wise to take it to an Auto Electrician. But as Rel said, most likely be in the stereo wiring.

Edited July 31, 2008 by trentmeyer23

[mercthunder]

If you pull of the Facia panel around your stereo etc the lighter will come out with it.

however Iv'e had my lighter go loose on me before and it never caused any shorts and is a really simple job to tighten it back up (it just screws together).

If I were to guess I'd say it's probably not the lighter itself causing the short and more likely a wiring issue.

If you have an aftermarket stereo installed I'd guess it's not earthing properly and causing the short.

Thanks for the reply mate. Yea about a year ago i had a Pioneer head unit installed. How do i pull the Facia Panel off around my stereo? I am a total newbie at this. I have a 1997 Camry CSI. Are there any simple instructions for this online, such as picture diagrams etc? I guess i need to tighten the cigarette lighter back up, as the fuse only blew once the cigarette lighter became loose.

Appreciate any assistance.

[Rolla Boy]

Pull off your fan speed control and air direction control knobs and you'll find phillips head screws behind them...

Undo both screws...

Remove the ash tray from the trim...

With your fingers under the ash tray section and under the lighter section, pull the trim outwards at the bottom...

Then move up a little and pull out the middle section...

Then move up to the top and pull out the top section of the trim...

Undo your lighter connection and the trim should be loose...

Tighten up the ciggie lighter assy as tight as you can, possibly tighten a little more with multigrips or something that will fit...

Refit everything, replace the fuse and you're all done...

[shonofear]

Pull off your fan speed control and air direction control knobs and you'll find phillips head screws behind them...

Undo both screws...

Remove the ash tray from the trim...

With your fingers under the ash tray section and under the lighter section, pull the trim outwards at the bottom...

Then move up a little and pull out the middle section...

Then move up to the top and pull out the top section of the trim...

Undo your lighter connection and the trim should be loose...

Tighten up the ciggie lighter assy as tight as you can, possibly tighten a little more with multigrips or something that will fit...

Refit everything, replace the fuse and you're all done...

hey,

got myself a 96 Camry Wagon few days ago but the Cig lighter dosent work at all but the stereo is fine.

Fuse was fine so now im trying to get all the dash open to have a good look at the wires.

Tried to go by your procedure as above but only found 1 screw under the temp control knob, none under the others.....

Really finding it hard just to get where the radio and cigarette lighter are situated. :(

is the 96 model dash much different?

Getting to point of wanting to agressively pry it out :o

Pointers.............

Cheers, happy '09'

Shono

[Rolla Boy]

Ahhh, you've got the widebody???

You'll have to remove the whole upper trim panel and then the radio surround panel after that...

[shonofear]

Hey,

nevermind go it out ok.

just found another post on net about it.

Put masking tape of thin flat head, then pryed it open around outer trim of Radio/Cig lighter.

Played with lighter wires/connections but still cant get it to work, need a new cig lighter now.

cheers anyway

Yew