Cigar Lighter lamp: How to chnge it?

[joede]

Cannot remove or replace 1999 Camry cigar lighter lamp

I pulled the center console piece out of my 1999 Camry that contains the cigar lighter and ashtray. I fixed the lighter problem I had. However, while I have everything out, I wanted to replace the two miniature light bulbs that go into this assembly (one illuminates the ash tray the other illuminates the cigar lighter).

I replaced the small bulb that illuminates the ash tray. No problem, the old bulb came right out and the new bulb slipped right in. However, the small bulb with a green rubber sock on it that illuminates the cigar lighter is another story. It is held by a small grey plastic socket that fits into the cigar lighter socket assembly. Try as I may, I cannot change out this bulb. Is there a trick to getting this bulb out of the grey socket that holds it?

Hard as I tried, I could not get this bulb out by pulling it straight out with my fingers. I then tried pulling it out with a very small pair of pliers and in the process crushed the bulb. After I dug the crushed bulb out of the socket, the empty socket would not accept a new bulb. To make sure I had the right size bulb, I went to the dealer and paid $3.50 for the correct bulb. The socket will not allow the OEM bulb into it.

Thinking I ruined the original grey socket, I went to a junk yard and got another identical grey socket with the bulb still in it from a wrecked Camry. Same problem, I cannot pull the bulb out of this junk yard socket either. I do not want to use pliers again for fear of crushing another bulb and ruining another grey socket.

Is there some sort of trick or procedure to changing out this 1999 Camry tiny green socked cigar lighter illumination bulb?? Why won’t it just pull out?

Obviously this has become a bit of an obsession for me but please humor me if you can.

PLEASE HELP! Does anyone know how to change out this bulb??

[joede]

Well, I answered my own question with some help from a Toyota parts man who knows what he is doing.

The little bulb in the lighter is NOT a regular pull-in pull-out mini bulb. The first dealer parts man told me wrong.

The bulb that I want to change (the one in the little grey socket) is actually an integral part of that little grey socket , soldered to the socket prongs,and cannot be changed out.

The only way to replace this bulb is to buy a $14.00 part called the “Stay Lighter” which is part of the Lighter assembly and the little grey socket/bulb snaps into it.

The grey socket/bulb comes as part of the “Stay Lighter Assembly” (part number 85515-06011 superseded by part number 85515-33010). Leave it to Toyota to figure a way to charge $10 for a 50 cent light bulb!

The only other way I can see to replace this bulb is to buy a small 12-14 volt bulb like those small bulbs used in electronic products and solder the new bulb onto the prongs that go into the grey receptacle. Note: If you bend back the plastic retaining clips on the sides of the grey receptacle, the prongs along with the bulb ( soldered to the prongs) will easily pull out of the grey socket.

For those of you who might care, I was able to find this bulb at Allied Electronics (1-800-433-5700):

CML Innovative Technologies Lamp; Incandescent, T-1 1/4 Wire Terminal, 14 V; 0.08 A; 0.5 MSCP, 1000 hrs

Allied Electronics stock number: 749-0014; Chicago Miniature Lamp number #8640.

My electrical guru tells me since it is 14 V drawing on a 12V system the lamp should last significantly longer than 1000 hrs.

The cost per bulb is $0.58. They sent me two as samples, no cost.

Also below is a cross reference chart showing other makers of this type bulb:

• I/14V/0.08A/WL/T1.25 • 749-0014 ALLIED
• 031293409829 EIKO • 8640 NORMAN
• 8640 GENERAL-ELECTRIC • 8640/14V/0.08A LUMIACTION
• ML/8640 AIDLITE • 751460 BULBRITE
• 8640 EIKO • I/14V/0.08A/WL/T1.25/1000H
• 8640 GENERAL-INSTRUMENT • ML 8640 AIDLITE
• T1.25/CL/14V/0.08A/WT STANDARDPRO • 8640 BULBRITE
• T4-8640/14V/0.08A LUMIACTION • 8640 CHICAGO-MINIATURE
• I/14V/0.08A/WT/T1.25 • ML-8640 AIDLITE
• 8640 USA • 8640 GILWAY
• 13690 STANDARDPRO • 14-1.12-SWT MICROLITES
• EK40982 • 8640/14V/0.08A USA
• 69549136908UPC STANDARDPRO • 69549136908
• 8640 INTERLIGHT • I/14V/0.08A/WL-25MM/T1.25/11.7MM/1000H
• T4-8640 LUMIACTION • 8640 CEC
• 8640 STANDARDPRO • 40982EK
• 14-1.12-SWT CANIMPEX • WE04.14.0801 BAILEY
• 6240-00-570-9884 FEDERAL-STOCK-NUMBER • 6240005709884
• ML8640 AIDLITE

[Hajoca]

I have replaced mine with a white LED a while back.

[joede]

I know nothing about LED's. Is there a place I can learn about them? Can I simply switch an LED for an incandesent lamp?

By the way how did the LED work, was it a hard task to solder it in? I have not attemped the soldering yet.

Would you mind if I asked where you got the LED and what was the part number?