Car cigarette lighter malfunction

William and I were leaving the steampunk workshop after dark this evening and nearing the Lewvan expressway to go to Lowes for some supplies to continue our projects when the rattling around my dashboard began again. I had William investigate and he found the never used cigarette lighter in the (also never used) ash tray. I explained what it was so he put it back into the lighter hole, pushing it in in the process. Just as we pulled onto the Lewvan and merging with the traffic when suddenly the lighter popped. However, instead of just popping out half way as it should be designed to do, it popped right out and landed on the floor of the car. I had to bark at William NOT to look for it as he would certainly burn himself trying to find it with his hands in the dark. It was a few minutes later before I could pull over and we looked and found it. I'll have to check for burns in the carpet in the morning. I've never seen one pop right out of the socket light that. Having never used it in the 12 years we've owned the car, I don't know if it always did this or not.