Removing cigarette lighter sockets, 2006 Tacoma

What the hell! Now, I've got the center console out and STILL have no access to the back of the plugs!
It seems like I should be able to pop the panel that the outlets sit in. However, I removed the gold bolt that I'm pointing to, and it didn't do anything. The panel seems to be behind the AC vent panel (back to that again!). This is becoming as surrealistic as it is frustrating! The guy in the previous video obviously had to get behind there, but I don't think there's any way he did it the way he demonstrated! He certainly didn't pull the cigarette lighter out with his fingers! Did he simply not want to say that he had to pull half the dash apart to get to the lighter? I don't understand!

 

that whole panel pops out, you're almost home free.

 

"Pops out" how? It's definitely behind the black AC vent panel.

 

I got the cigarette lighter out Conan style (a pair of vice grips!), but I'm still going to have to get behind the panel to install the nut on the new usb port.

 

You got it out!

 

yes you have to remove the AC vents first, then there's a bunch of clips it just pops out.

 

Second. Doesn’t take too long to remove it all and much easier. In the end.

 

You can but it’s a bit of a pain but doable.

 

No, it's solid! Something round, like a hamster wheel, possibly a blower motor. Picture looking up from below.
I can force my fingers between the obstruction and the panel, but not enough to grab wires or work with anything.

 

I did that. I still don't have access. The only thing I don't have out yet is the actual panel that the outlet sit in.

 

Dude, as others have said, remove the panel with the lighter sockers. Remove the sockets. Install the new USB pods. Why haven't you removed the one piece of the dash that houses the lighter sockets? I've done this on a '06 and an '07 and it wasn't that hard.

 

The red line is the space between the solid object and the panel where the outlets live. There's a half inch space, if that!
You can see the bottom of the socket up top. It's easily 3 in above the bottom of the panel, and a couple of inches towards the rear of the truck. You're set up is a little different. I don't know how, but you must have got in there! I have to figure out how to get that bottom panel off.

 

The right side un-clips easily. It definitely feels like I'm going to break something if I force the left side (of the AC panel).

 

Okay.. now I KNOW you're just f****** with me! Thanks!

 

No, Wcd, I'm not *** with you. If you can't remove the panel with the lighter socket you might want to take it to the dealer for help.

 

Yeah.. thanks for the advice, and stating the obvious! What I needed to know was how to remove that panel. "Others" didn't really know, and the video ignored it completely! You didn't have a constructive thing to say! Go troll elsewhere "Dude"!

 

Got it done, though it wasn't pretty! I'll post all the steps tomorrow when I get it back together.

 

Got it done! Here are the steps I had to do on my 2006 Tacoma to replace the charging outlets.
1.Remove center console (see YouTube video, post #11 in this thread).
2.Remove AC control cluster.
3.Remove radio (see video in post #17 of this thread, but know that you are not going to get the old charge ports out as shown. The charge port panel MUST be removed.)
(See notes and pictures below before proceeding)
4. Remove screw and anchor in trim above steering wheel (it's plastic, be kind!).
5. Remove AC vent panel.
6.Remove panel containing the charging ports to be replaced. The left side of the panel seems to be attached to a metal piece. I never got it free, but was able to do what I needed to do with the left side still attached, under the dash.

Picture 1 shows what the back side of the AC vent panel looks like. It really is held in with clips. However, the left side has a groove that sits under the instrument cluster trim. I'm pointing to it on the right in picture 2.
This is why I was convinced something other than clips was holding it on the left side. Fortunately, when I muscled it out I didn't damage anything.
Before removing the AC vent panel, you should remove the screw and anchor that goes into the instrument cluster trim, in front of the steering wheel (picture 3). This will allow it to flex enough to allow you to separate the two pieces.
I used a rotary sander on my dremel to slightly enlarge the holes for the new ports.
Knowing what I know now, the entire job would take me 1.5 hours, at most. However, it's taken me a while to compile the information I've included in this post. Hopefully, it will help others avoid what I experienced.

 

Oh man I wish I would have stumbled across this thread a few days ago and saved you the hassle. It's crazy how much you have to pull out to get to that panel.

This is the pictorial I use when I need to pull my lower dash apart:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...enter-console-clean-look-lots-of-pics.306779/

I've pulled mine apart a few times at this point. Most recently for my Midland Micromobile install a few weeks ago.

 

I wish I had stumbled on your post as well! You might want to clean up the title so that it's more searchable.
I like how you reassured us about taking out the radio. When I first figured out I had to do that, I said: SAY WHAT?!!. It turns out that it's much easier than I expected, to the point of almost being fun! In fact, the whole project was kind of fun, once I knew what I had to do! It's amazing how everything clips together. I also laughed when I read that you struggled to get the old charge ports out, AFTER you had removed the panel. Makes me think of the guy in the video who showed removing it with his finger while the panel was still installed. YEAH...RIGHT BUDDY!