Help needed accessing cigarette lighter in Micra please!

clozza_90

I've just got a Nissan Micra Passion 1.0 (R reg) and I'm pretty sure that the cigarette lighter isn't connected up, although it does have one. From looking online I've seen if you take off the piece of plastic underneath the cigarette lighter, before the one where the gearstick is, you should be able to reach up and connect the wire to the back of the lighter. Unfortunately I can't get this bit of plastic off! It looks much like this (ignoring the red circle):



It is the top piece of blue plastic that needs to come out, but it catches on a) the piece around the gearstick (which I can't get off because of the gearstick) and b) the grey piece above it (which goes over all of the controls, radio etc.)

I took out the rubbish tray today and managed to feel behind the lighter, and I could feel a loose wire, so it seems like I'm on the right track, but there was nowhere near enough space for my hands to be able to successfully plug it in. It would be really helpful if someone was able to point me in the right direction in terms of getting this main section of plastic off. I have tried pulling it and moving it in every possible direction but it just seems to catch on everything!

I'd really like to get it sorted so that I can use my sat nav in a couple of weeks time, so if anyone knows any tricks I would be very grateful! Thank you in advance :T

molerat

http://www.fitaudio.com/?View=entry&EntryID=36 shows how to take the whole upper panel off, 2 screws at the top and 2 at the bottom.

clozza_90

Thanks for your reply, mine looks slightly different inside (the radio is above the heating controls) but I think there are still screws above the radio - I shall investigate tomorrow. Thanks again!

Notmyrealname

clozza_90 wrote: »

I've just got a Nissan Micra Passion 1.0 (R reg) and I'm pretty sure that the cigarette lighter isn't connected up, although it does have one.

OK, before jumping in at the deep end, did you bother to check the fuse in the fuse box for the cig lighter hasn't blown? It is more likely to be that than them not wiring it up.

clozza_90

Notmyrealname wrote: »

OK, before jumping in at the deep end, did you bother to check the fuse in the fuse box for the cig lighter hasn't blown? It is more likely to be that than them not wiring it up.

Yes, thanks, that was the first thing I did. But the fuse is fine, and other people have had the same problem with the lighter not being connected. I have found the loose wire, and can feel that there is nothing connected to the back of the lighter unit. I'm just trying to find out how to get access so that I can see reach properly and see what I'm doing when making that connection.

clozza_90

molerat wrote: »

http://www.fitaudio.com/?View=entry&EntryID=36 shows how to take the whole upper panel off, 2 screws at the top and 2 at the bottom.

Thanks again for your help molerat, I managed to get that panel off and then I could just connect the wire to the back of the lighter without too much difficulty! I won't be getting lost now I can use my sat nav! Thank you again :j

Notmyrealname

Excellent. I suggested the fuse not to call you stupid but the fact that most people dive in head first only to find it was just a fuse.

clozza_90

Thank you, I did forget to mention that I'd checked the fuse because that was a few weeks ago now when I first discovered the problem. Always worth checking the simple things first though! Thanks for your advice as well