Center console removal / the ring around the cigarette lighter.

[Carnage]

Hey everyone,
After a couple years of spilled coffee and cigarette ashes building up inside of my center console under the cup holder and everything today I figured I'd remove my entire center console in order to clean everything up.

I figured it was pretty common sense, I unscrewed the two screws inside the back compartment, then the two screws in the front under the ashtray, removed the cupholder, removed the plate around the gear shifter, then removed the silver gear shifter box by removing the clips. Then I pulled back only to realize there's a wire connected to the entire center console and I didn't know how to remove it so I just pulled it up and cleaned it out.

Now the problem is, I can't get it back in. I push as hard as I can and it doesn't clip in or anything. The edges are sticking a few cm out and I don't know if I broke the clips or what I did. I also moved the cigarette lighter part and ashtray part over onto the carpet by moving the wires and sliding it over top the side of the center console so I had more room to clean.

Now I can't get my center console to fit right again, and the light around the cigarette lighter doesn't light up anymore. I have no idea what I did.

Can anyone please give me any advice on how to fix this? :bang:bang

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the novel.

TL;DR, removed entire center console, won't go back in, broke cigarette lighter light circle

[cwp_sedan]

Where are you located?

[Carnage]

Mississauga

[cwp_sedan]

Ok well maybe someone out there can help you. If you were closer to Markham I would help you out.

[Carnage]

Haha sorry I didn't realize how vague that was. I'm on the border of Mississauga/Oakville close to Dundas and Trafalgar.

[Carnage]

Ah alright thank you either way.

[cwp_sedan]

Can you take pictures? Maybe we can talk you through it.

[Carnage]

Do you think the bulb in the cigarette lighter ring just blew? Or did I screw up a wire or something? I've been searching and apparently Mazda charges $30 for the replacement ring and bulb all together. And I can't take pictures right now my phones dead and I'm honestly just calling it a night then starting fresh with it in the morning. Need to Google more haha. Thank you so much for your help though.

When I removed the center console I removed all the screws, then got in the backseat grabbed the armrest then pulled up and back and it popped right off.
Does anyone know how to remove the wire though that connects the the lighter/auxiliary jack in the armrest compartment? This is impossible.

[cwp_sedan]

It might just be the bulb but who knows. Below are some pick of how to remove everything. It might help you when putting it back.

http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=133816.msg2885170#msg2885170


Here is a very helpful walk-thru from an audio thread.

6 - Remove the cup holder compartment, by simply pulling on it, as indicated on the following photo:
http://verilhac.com/photography/gromaudio/GROMaudio_install13.jpg

7 - Release the gear shift knob unit, by simply lifting it, as shown:
http://verilhac.com/photography/gromaudio/GROMaudio_install14.jpg

http://verilhac.com/photography/gromaudio/GROMaudio_install15.jpg

8 - This will reveal 2 screws that hold the ashtray compartment. Unscrew them as indicated, then pull the ashtray compartment towards you (it helps to stick your thumb in the cigarette lighter hole):
http://verilhac.com/photography/gromaudio/GROMaudio_install16.jpg

http://verilhac.com/photography/gromaudio/GROMaudio_install17.jpg

http://verilhac.com/photography/gromaudio/GROMaudio_install18.jpg

http://verilhac.com/photography/gromaudio/GROMaudio_install19.jpg

In the last picture, you can see the back of the orange ring and the clip for the light.

[Carnage]

Thank you that helps a bit. I took out the side walls too, are those considered part of the center console too?

[cwp_sedan]

Thank you that helps a bit. I took out the side walls too, are those considered part of the center console too?

Side walls? Where your feet are? Those just pop back in easily. You were REALLY trying to disassemble everything weren't you? lol.

[Carnage]

Haha yeah but the front part won't clip back in for the life of me. Do I push then towards the front of the car? The clips are only near the bottom. Man I really need to take pictures. Thank you so much for all the help btw!

[cwp_sedan]

The part with the cigarette lighter plug has to go in a specific way so don't force it. there are plug/clips on the top corners too so you just have to line it up properly.

[Carnage]

I come back with a solution!

Turns out since I didn't remove the ashtray and cigarette lighter part first like I should have, I actually ripped out two screws taking the clips with them.
They were on each side of the center console and the clips being ripped out were too wide which is why I couldn't push the center console back all the way.
I unscrewed the metal clips from the screws they were held into, then pushed them back into the slots and everything fit perfectly.

As for the cigarette lighter ring I took everything apart and bought a size 74 bulb from CT then slipped the black cover over the bulb from the old one and it works now. Then I threw an LED in my glove box to make the day not a complete waste haha.

Thanks for all your help cwp_sedan!

[cwp_sedan]

Awesome! Glad you figured it out. :thumbsup

[efn_ph]

I am driving a mazda3 2007 touring edition, have the same problem as well, cigarette lighter ring is also not lit up, changed the bulb and yehey it lits up now but not the whole ring, any ideas why the whole ring is not lit up? is it the bulb?

[gabbygenier]

I am driving a mazda3 2007 touring edition, have the same problem as well, cigarette lighter ring is also not lit up, changed the bulb and yehey it lits up now but not the whole ring, any ideas why the whole ring is not lit up? is it the bulb?

if you noticed the stock bulb when you took it out. it had a little black "cap" on it. thats what causes that issue. this was talked about last week. i think ryan had a pic of it.

Edit: this thread here
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?51849-Cig-lighter-ring.&p=737424&highlight=#post737424

[Carnage]

I am driving a mazda3 2007 touring edition, have the same problem as well, cigarette lighter ring is also not lit up, changed the bulb and yehey it lits up now but not the whole ring, any ideas why the whole ring is not lit up? is it the bulb?

Also since the 74 bulb is a little bit bigger then the stock bulb be careful when you're slipping the black cap over it. Make sure no air is inside of it and don't pull too hard. I ripped a tiny hole into mine but luckily not enough to break it.

Also it may seem obvious but did you remember to put the grey cover over the entire light unit after you reassembled it? I completely forgot then put that grey box back over it and it looked better.

[efn_ph]

oohhh crap, i accidentally broke that little "cap" that was attached to that stock light when i took out the bulb from the housing, i guess i should order the bulb only from the dealership? if it will be costly ill just leave that ring just like that, not that really useful coz i dont smoke anyways

[cwp_sedan]

oohhh crap, i accidentally broke that little "cap" that was attached to that stock light when i took out the bulb from the housing, i guess i should order the bulb only from the dealership? if it will be costly ill just leave that ring just like that, not that really useful coz i dont smoke anyways

I ripped mine when I was taking the bulb out. All I did was take a sharpie marker and colour the glass bulb a little bit. It definitely helped.