The cigarette lighter is an absolute pain to remove on the Fabia. Here is what the whole assembly looks like, after being re-assembled after removal. You will need to take it apart to remove it. 

 

All directions below that refer to "top" or "bottom" assume the orientation when the lighter is in the car i.e. top is where the hot part comes out, bottom is where the wires go in.

 

 

Here's how you do it:

 

1. Remove the centre console from the car.

      - I won't go into this part in detail, but briefly you need to remove the rear ashtray/cubby hole, remove two screws under it, remove the front ashtray, remove three screws under it, remove the plastic trim below the handbrake, pull the whole lot out, remembering to disconnect the lead to the cigarette lighter, and also the lead to the front ashtray light.

 

2. With the console on a table and facing bottom-up, use your finger to prise off the black piece of plastic, by stretching the two legs off the white piece, and then curling it away from the body of the lighter. It will come off very easily, no need to exert much force.

 

3. Now we will remove the army green piece that holds the bulb. Use a pair of pliers to grab it, and wiggle it side to side until it comes free while maintaining some pull away from the body. It is held on by two small lugs, and you need to overcome these, so use moderate force and plenty of wiggling. Here's a picture of the two lugs on the wider part that hold it.

 

 

Once you're done, you should have this, with no obstructions:

 

 

4. Now it's time to remove the metal centre from the green plastic surround. Take the lighter plug out of the top if it's still in there. Looking from the top into the barrel of the lighter, you will see halfway down two very small rectangular cutouts opposite each other. These hold the tabs made of the green plastic that keeps the metal part in. You can see one of the cutouts it in the picture below. You need to insert a screwdriver into each one and convince it loose, maintaining a little upward pressure on the metal barrel. With a little wiggling, you should end up with this:

 

 

Pull the metal part out. 

 

5. Finally, with good access to the green part, it is easy to push against the green tabs that keep the green part into the centre console. Apply a moderate pressure, and slip it out. Some might wonder why bother to remove the metal part - the green tabs butt against the metal part, so can take A LOT of force to do with the barrel in, without the barrel they move very easily and you're less likely to break them or the centre console.

 

 

Now with all the parts out, you should have these:

 

 

Re-assembly is more straightforward, basically reverse the steps. When putting the bulb holder back on, ensure that the two metal prongs are bent out enough to contact with the body in both places, otherwise it won't illuminate.

 

Job done.

Edited 27 November, 20169 yr by wiredsoftware

This will be useful to many, including myself

Thanks for taking the time to post this up

Nice guide!

No problem, hope it helps someone. Is it worth trying to get it into the really useful fabia thread I wonder?

Nice guide. Might be handy for me soon as I pulled my centre console up sharpish forgetting to unplug the lighter and now it won't work.

If anyone has one spare let me know

Awesome mate thank you!  

Astounding details! Thanks, very useful.

Pictures not found, could these be updated?

Pictures not found, could these be updated?

 

Sure, should be fixed now.