You would have to verify that the contacts in the socket are dead. (use a multi-meter to reach into the socket and touch the connections deep in there with the key power on.)

If dead,..you would have to lift the console up by forcing a lift by prying the console up from the opposite end.(near the hand brake)
It's held in place by squeeze clips on each side near the hand brake end. Once up, ..you would have access to the wiring at that socket. If the light is on,..it's probably a weak or broken connection at the socket.

Let us know...

 

I once replaced the 12V socket in my B200 by a cigarette lighter just to get the illumination of the compartment in front of the gearstick. In case of the "smokers package", that compartment is an ash tray; I use it to store some small items (keys, coins, garage door opener). The default 12V socket lacks the illumination on the side (and the ring that you refer to, but I did not use that one). See here for the smallest project I ever did on my car.

The illuminated ring is fed by the same wiring as the accessories/dashboard illumination, and the fact that the ring illuminates thus has nothing to do with the (mal)functioning of the cigarette lighter.

I suspect the connectors are fine, but the cigarette lighter has died. The part no. of the cigarette lighter is A0009063800. Do as Devours told you to do, and take a multimeter, and test on the connectors whether you have any power at all prior to replacing the cigarette lighter. Sometimes a fuse looks okay whilst it isn't.

Arjen.

 

Although not the ideal method to test if a socket is working, I used various car chargers and none of them worked, while all of them worked on my W212. I don't have a multimeter in Malaysia so couldn't get that test done. This leads me to believe that what you said should be the case, i.e. the cigarette lighter is dead.

My car's gearbox is the auto though, and the panel is slightly different at the gear lever compared to your mod. Would the disassembly instructions still be the same?

Just a quick note, the cig lighter adapter usually doesn't work when ignition is not on. but the ring will light up if you turn the lights on. Try with the ignition on.
Also, try the cig lighter instead of a plug, if the lighter gets hot, then it is working. The reason for this is the depth of some adapters aren't long enough to work properly in the MB adapters. Usually cheap ones don't work well. It might just be that the plug you have is not reaching all the way down to complete the circuit.

I don't use it for cigs, I use it to charge my phone

On a related note I thought the best way to check if the lighter is working is to push the original cigarette lighter button in... since it is broken, the element did not get hot and it didn't pop back up. Had a good ten minutes worrying about the 'stuck' lighter button until I finally managed to pry it out. :crying

You would have to verify that the contacts in the socket are dead. (use a multi-meter to reach into the socket and touch the connections deep in there with the key power on.)

If dead,..you would have to lift the console up by forcing a lift by prying the console up from the opposite end.(near the hand brake)
It's held in place by squeeze clips on each side near the hand brake end. Once up, ..you would have access to the wiring at that socket. If the light is on,..it's probably a weak or broken connection at the socket.

Let us know...

After consulting Arjen's photos, would it be closer to the hand brake or the cup holder?

I'm back in the UK again which means I've to wait until December before I can fix it. :|

 

Just a quick note, the cig lighter adapter usually doesn't work when ignition is not on. but the ring will light up if you turn the lights on. Try with the ignition on.
Also, try the cig lighter instead of a plug, if the lighter gets hot, then it is working. The reason for this is the depth of some adapters aren't long enough to work properly in the MB adapters. Usually cheap ones don't work well. It might just be that the plug you have is not reaching all the way down to complete the circuit.

 

The power comes from near the 12v socket at the front of the car.

To pry up the console ,..you must start the lift from the opposite end,..near the base of the hand brake..There is a gap in the plastic at the separating point where the aluminum strips end at the bottom of the hand brake.