GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

My husband is "older," with arthritis, and is looking for tips on how to contort himself without hurting himself to get a the cig lighter fuse in the under-dash fuse box. Are there any tips for the best way to get in there, and then how to remove the fuse? There's lots of videos on where the panels are - we already know that. But - how to most easily get at it, and work with it - that's what we need to know.

Any tips?

I am 6'4", and the easiest way for me to get to the fuse box is to pull out the drivers seat.
Four bolts and one electrical connector and the seat comes right out.
Then you can lay on the floor with your legs on the back seat and get fairly easy access.
YMMV.

I thought the seat removal would be more difficult so I discouraged that and, while I was typing my question, he laid a couple of milk crates outside the driver's door with plywood so he could lay flat with his head under the dash, and was able to get at it.

But we'll remember the tip about the seat removal, if it comes up again. Thanks!

I go in through the passenger door, turn face up and lay across the driver's seat with my head under the dash. Helps to have a forehead mounted light, too.

I replaced a lot of Vibe CIG fuses. The lighter/12V outlet can wear, get to where its easy to short out, and takes out the radio with it. What worked best for me was to light the are with a flashlight, then kneel on the ground outside the driver door, and use a hand mirror and forceps (the surgical latching hemostat kind, not the difficult birth kind). Can latch the forceps on the bad fuse to pull it out, then load the new fuse to put it in. Once you get over the disorientation of navigating with a mirror, its pretty quick