Remove cigarette lighter from a 97 Ford Explorer

This is a pain! You may need to remove the console to get access to the back of the lighter. When you look inside the lighter socket there should be 2 small square holes in the metal sides 180 degrees apart. The plastic bezel has corresponding bumps that fit in the holes and hold the lighter in. Try to push them in while pulling on the lighter socket.

You probably pulled the wiring plug off the back of the socket. Or the fuse went when the socket came out.

Should be under the steering wheel like any other car. There is a box. Just open up the box (You may need to pry off the cover with a flat head screw driver). I own a 91 Explorer and there is a diagram right on the back of the cover along with a fuse pulling tool. The owners manual will also have a diagram. Look for the terms "Accessory", "Lighter", "Socket" etc. Any Ford I've ever seen supplies power to the cigarette lighter even when the car isn't running so it will be easy to test.

Underr the dash marked as Lighter/Accs

Fuse box should be located either in the glove compartment, or to your left below stearing wheel. Also check fuses under hood, should be located next to the battery. Double check the GPS, most of them will nox plug into cigarette lighter plug. It could damage the GPS.

if you are talking about the one near the radio, just pull back the dash panel, it snaps in and you can access the lighter

the ashtray has two metal 1/2 inch prongs in the back side of the tray with ur thumb & fore finger push in at the sametime,in the back of lighter pull out plug then replace it and then do everything backward hope it helps.

remove the ashtray. then remove the holder for the ashtray. the lighter is just inside. be careful not to short the hot wire to ground. It runs from the battery to the fuse box then to the lighter. Check the fuse if the first if you haven't already.

the wire should disconnect from the lighter housing . should just pull apart. center is positive wire theoutter is the ground wire

I had the same problem on my '97. I ended up taking out the lighter when I was replacing the LCD on the radio, only to find that somehow it had become disconnected. Not sure how it happened but it might be worth checking out to see if it wiggled loose. To get to the lighter: 1) Prior up the cover by the shifter (the one that also goes back to the seat heater). It is connected with snaps so pry slowly. 2) Once the panel is removed you will see screws that are holding in the ash tray/cig lighter. Unscrew those and the whole lighter/ash tray can be pulled out. It is also held in by snaps on the top.