Hi there, I have a base model 2005 Toyota Matrix. I noticed that the cigarette lighter is not active unless the key is in at least in the accessories position. The problem is that I want to charge my devices while I am away from the car for several hours but can get no power through the cigarette lighter (or whatever they are call it these days since there is no ashtray or lighter for that matter in the car). Does anyone know a hack or a way to get the dc active with the car off and the keys out? Thanks.
Hack? The Matrix is a very modern vehicle but power to the accessory outlet is not controlled by a computer or chip.
You will need a wiring diagram, knowledge on how to read the diagram, and tools to back individual pins out of the wiring harness that powers the accessory outlet to make it hot all the time.
As an alternative, purchase an 12-volt extension cord, snip off the end that would plug into the cigarette outlet, attach female spade crimp connectors to the wires and then attach to accessory blades that slide in next to fuses.
Another is to unplug the power from the back of the power outlet and supply always hot power to the connection.
"Ray O" ; - Find messages by this author Date: Mon, 20 Jun 2005 15:39:51 -0500 Local: Mon,Jun 20 2005 4:39 pm Subject: Re: powered cigarette lighter even with the car off?As an alternative, purchase an 12-volt extension cord, snip off the end that would plug into the cigarette outlet, attach female spade crimp connectors to the wires and then attach to accessory blades that slide in next to fuses. ... _________________
HA,HA, reminds me of my teenage days. Clipping off some 12 gauge wire and running directly from the fuse box to my cassette tape player, which I then wired into the car speakers. Worked great except for the times I went around curves too fast and the cassette player rolled and the wires would pop off....
Fool! Your girlfriend/date is supposed to hold the tape player for you so it doesn't get damaged during SOB and COD turns. It also gave you an incentive to treat her nicely - otherwise, she'd throw it out the window!
If you re-wire the cig lighter socket... make sure you pay attention to the gauge and length of the wire you use and WHERE you end up attaching to the 12V supply. Cigarette lighters draw a lot of current and even though you may not use it for that purpose someone else may at some point.
Not true in my case. 2004 Highlander and 2004 RAV4. _None_ of the three outlets (the "cigarette lighter", the center console outlet, or the outlet in the back) work unless the key is on.
This is a huge design error on Toyota's part. These days people have so many different types of devices that need charging. And the number and types of things will only increase in the future.
I for one won't be leaving my nice iPOD/PDA/cell plugged in the car waiting to be destroyed by the hot sun, or giving an excuse for punts to break into my coche.
No, it is a strategic decision by Toyota to avoid product liability trouble. For people who leave their cellphone chargers and GPS units running all night (or all weekend), run their batteries down overnight constantly (very hard on the battery), and then require three new batteries under warranty - and never figure out why.
Or people who leave kids in the car, they keep pushing in the cigarette lighter till they catch the dash on fire, and make a loss and/or injury claim. Or worse, wrongful death...
Or they use some sort of a heating appliance like a 12V saucepan (they exist, I have one) or coffeepot, leave it unattended, and they manage to light the car on fire with the appliance.
If you want these accessory outlets to stay on with the key off, you either need to install your own aftermarket outlet fused and cabled directly from the battery, or modify the relay that turns off the accessory power with the key so it doesn't. That can be as simple as pulling the relay from the fuse block, and making a jumper wire with two male tab crimp connectors the right size and about two inches of heavy wire.
Don't modify the relay, you might want to put it back to factory when you sell the car.
What about: 1) the nine months of the year that the car is _not_ an oven. 2) Those devices are in a place so that they cannot be seen from outside the car. _And_ 3) you can see your car from whereever you are.
My friend burned a nice neat round hole in his upholstery from a 12 volt spotlight. He used the light, set it down on the seat, and got out of the car. When he returned about 20 minutes later, the seat cover had a nice neat hole burned, underlying foam was gone and the seat springs were hot from the heat. He was lucky the foam melted without actually catching fire.
U forgot 4) My navy seal driver won't let anyone near my car
Then wire your own permanent outlet man, it's not that hard. In fact, if I had such a need, I wire my own custom PDA cradle, no wire, just open the center glove box, slide down the PDA, close glove box, done.
Yeah, Japanese tend to have less "amenities" versus Americans, but that didn't stop me from wiring my own powered trunk release, and other gadgets I won't mention.
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