Can someone point me in the direction of a how to for removing the centre console?

I've searched and found references to an article but I couldn't find the article itself

This after my wife discovered that if you have your sat nav plugged in the cig lighter and bang the armrest down it punches the lighter through and pops the fuse...

If there's an easier trick to get to the lighter that would be appreciated too!

Thanks,

Stuart

To get to the cigarette lighter, all you have to do is remove the handbrake gaiter, it simply unclips with a good pull.

Serves me right for posting before looking - you're right of course.

It's dissapointing that it was an independant specialist that told me the console had to come out so it would be £££ for them to do it :-(

Anyway many thanks - sorted with a hose clip until I can get a replacement.

Stuart.

HFStuart said:

This after my wife discovered that if you have your sat nav plugged in the cig lighter and bang the armrest down it punches the lighter through and pops the fuse...

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A part of life for a man is making sure things like this does not happen. It applies to cars, bikes, homes, everything actually. Fixing it takes time, and costs a bit of money, and is frustrating (not good for relationships). Preventing it takes less time, costs less money, and is fun.

I have nearly had the same problem, several months ago. It was a 100% guarantee it would break. When I found out the charger would be hit by the armrest, I returned it and got another one, with a shorter plug.

Now I am annoyed of the cable going around the steering wheel, the gearknob, and in front of either the speedo or some air vent, so I am going to hack into a switched live, hide the cables inside the dash, and pull the power outlet (USB like) up besides the A pillar. Nothing can go wrong then.

Morty Mort said:

Now I am annoyed of the cable going around the steering wheel, the gearknob, and in front of either the speedo or some air vent, so I am going to hack into a switched live, hide the cables inside the dash, and pull the power outlet (USB like) up besides the A pillar. Nothing can go wrong then.

Click to expand...

That's exactly what I did for my satnav charger; took a live feed from the cigarette lighter, routed it behind the access panel for the pollen filter, then installed a hidden lighter which the charger plugs into.

Look, no wires:

JayEm said:

That's exactly what I did for my satnav charger; took a live feed from the cigarette lighter, routed it behind the access panel for the pollen filter, then installed a hidden lighter which the charger plugs into.

Look, no wires:

Click to expand...

Haha, that's great. It's like the manual for what I had in mind. The extra lighter is lying beside me right now, as I have soldered an extra length of cable to it. Just need to remove some panels, and get into the cigarette lighter feed (which I think was blue, the last time I was into the console). I planned to attach it with cable-ties only, what did you do?

By the way, the orange cable from the ignition barrel is also switched live, but I've already used that twice, for amp shut-off, and Siemens handsfree on/off.

Morty Mort said:

Haha, that's great. It's like the manual for what I had in mind. The extra lighter is lying beside me right now, as I have soldered an extra length of cable to it. Just need to remove some panels, and get into the cigarette lighter feed (which I think was blue, the last time I was into the console). I planned to attach it with cable-ties only, what did you do?

By the way, the orange cable from the ignition barrel is also switched live, but I've already used that twice, for amp shut-off, and Siemens handsfree on/off.

Click to expand...

I used this as a rough guide with a few modifications; the new socket was fitted directly behind the removable panel for accessing the pollen filter then plugged the charger in, fed the wire above the pedals and then between the side of the dash and the rubber door seal to the A pillar. Works a treat!

I took a feed from the glovebox courtesy light - it's a switched feed, but also stays live for about 15 mins after you turn off the ignition (try it - leave your glovebox open, lock up the car - the light goes out after about 15 mins).
I got an inline lighter socket and let it in the glovebox connected to my blackberry charger, which is neatly run behind the dash to where I need it, but I can easily unplug it and stick in my satnav charger - I only use my proper satnav occasionally on long journeys...