12 Volt Power Source Shorting Out

As soon as I put a fuse in for the cigarette lighter it blows. I pulled the lighter assembly out of the console to clean it, and make sure there wasn't anything in there causing a short.
If I unplug the socket the fuse is fine, then when I connect the plug it will short and blow the fuse.
It appears the lighter socket doesn't come out of the housing. Will I need to buy the whole assembley?

On most of the vags of that age I'm sure the plastic part just clips on the back of the lighter then the rest pops out the front.

Actually does this help?

http://www.justanswer.com/vw-volkswagen/3qgwf-remove-replace-console-cigarette-lighter-12v.html

Seatman said:

Actually does this help?

http://www.justanswer.com/vw-volkswagen/3qgwf-remove-replace-console-cigarette-lighter-12v.html

Click to expand...

I don't see anything on the attachment.

Your first post was correct. I was to pop it out the front of the housing from the back.

I looked over the socket after I got it out and can not find anything that would cause it to short. But there must be something I'm not able to see.

It might be worth checking that both wires aren't live, there might be a a short somewhere else that's causing them both to be live and then when you plug something in it connects them and pop goes the fuse.