Hi there, I am new to this wonderful club, I bough my SSEI new in 1999, I only have 75K miles on it. I love it!.
One problem:
The cigarette lighter on the dashboard came off, and part is lose inside the dashboard. Does anyone know how to get to it? fix it? I do not want to damage the dashboard or inroduce rattles. Any help is very much appreciated.
Thanks!!!!
Bill

First of all, welcome to BC Where are you from?

It has been awhile, but if i recall correctly:

First, the entire trim piece around the radio/stearingcolumn/vents has to come off (to gain access to the lower screws of the smaller upper trim panel that surrounds your lighter and headlight *****/switch). It is held on by rectangular pins near each vent and four around the radio that attach to clips on the dash. Tilt your stearing wheel all the way down and use your fingertips to carefully pry the trim piece out, a section at a time from the dashboard. Eventually, each clip will release and the whole piece can be removed.

Then, you will need to remove your headlight switch ***** (It may be possible to access the lighter by removing the upper trim panel screws on the right hand side and without removing the headlight switch ***** and screws on the left side, but I have always removed the whole unit when I have been back there). The outer **** itself is held on with a small retaining clip that binds itself around the triangular headlight switch shaft. You'll need to insert a small screwdriver blade into the slot on the back of the outer **** to depress the clip to realease it while pulling the **** outwward. Then remove the inner dimmer ring from the shaft. No need to remove the sahft/switch itself.

After that, you simply undo the upper trim piece screws ( I cant remember if they are Torx 15 or phillips head) at each corner by the headlight switch and cigartette lighter and along the top of the instrument panel that hold the piece in place. The lighter itself is attached on the back of the uppper trim piece and is held on by a nylon retainer ring (probably what broke on yours).

You can do this. Just take your time and it should be a simple fix.

Mine did the same thing. I took the cigarette lighter and assembly that came out of the dash and lined it up with the round part that is still in the dash and just started screwing it in. It took a few minutes before it caught the threads. It screwed in and it has been working good. Maybe I just got lucky. But it worked..

yes the lighter screws back on to the piece that is in the dash already