69 Charger Ashtray Cigarette Lighter - Works, but you have to hold it down

[Johnnys440Charger]

My 69 Charger cigarette lighter works, however you have to hold it down for 10 Seconds to have it glow red hot.  Anyone know why it doesn't stay pushed in, then pop out when its ready?

[Johnnys440Charger]

From Wikipedia: "The traditional lighter is a metal or plastic cylinder containing a thin coil of nichrome wire, through which high current (~10 amperes) passes when the device is activated, usually by pushing it into the socket as though it were a button. When pushed in, the lighter is held against the force of a spring by a hook attached to a bi-metallic strip.[4] The heating element becomes glowing orange hot in seconds, causing the bimetallic strip to bend and unhook the mechanism, and the handle pops out. If the lighter is then promptly removed from its socket, it can light a cigarette, cigar or tinder."

[bull]

I would say the problem is with the removable knob piece since there are no moving parts in the receptacle. The elements get a lot of corrosion so it might be worth it to try scrubbing as best you can with a stiff brush and blowing it out with compressed air. Heating it up (basically general use) several times will help loosen that junk up too.

[MaximRecoil]

The cigarette lighter in my '69, which appears to be original, works most of the time, but sometimes when you push it in it it pops right back out. Taking the lighter out of the socket, turning it some, and pushing it back in usually makes it work properly again. I've cleaned everything up, but I imagine these things just wear out eventually; metal fatigue and all that. Of course, the easiest thing to do is just replace it, which is what I'll probably end up doing. They aren't very expensive; even NOS Mopar ones can be had fairly cheaply.

[70redbee]

You shouldn't be smoking in your charger anyway. I am a smoker, but don't smoke in my cars.