Re: Newbie needing how-to help
The dead cigarette lighter issue may be something really simple. I know on my newer model (2006) Ford F-150, the cigarette lighter won't work unless the ignition key is in the RUN position. I almost started taking stuff apart in an attempt to trouble-shoot this issue and then someone on one of the F-150 Forums told me this fact.
On the older car models, the cigarette lighters were "hard-wired" to the battery circuit and worked all the time. This also was the source of many a battery drain when the lighter circuit malfunctioned. I'm pretty sure most car OEM's changed the lighter circuitry to eliminate this issue.