Drumzy

Why is the cigarette lighter outlet in the dash & center console always powered on even when the car is turned off? I usually have a radar detector plugged into the dash cig. lighter outlet and phone charger in the center console. I've never seen these outlets stay powered on in other cars when the car is not running and key removed. Was there a design reason? Is there a setting somewhere to turn them off when the key is removed? Besides draining the battery if I don't remember to unplug the radar det. & charger....it's a pain to have to unplug everytime.

firebirdfan

Many cars have this design. A lot of 12V accessories are super lower power. They don't pose any issue with the battery unless you leave the detector on all the time. Your phone charger would have to be plugged in for a month before it would come close to draining the battery.

RJMC5

Comes in handy for plugging in the battery tender through the cigarette lighter.

grantv

Yep, very common. Didn't know the Corvette is on 24/7, but never plugged anything in there (my detector is hard wired).
Our mini-van has probably 5 plugs, maybe more. Some are always on, some only when van is on accessories or further (option shown with figures beside each plug).

jhopper408

Car lighters have always been hot. As far as I remember.

dbgoodwin

I love that feature. I can leave my phone in my center console charging while I'm in the gym, or something similar.

JR-01

Yes in every car I have had, from 49 Ford to my current GMC pickup. Lighters were made to be always on so you could light up your smoke without turning on the car.

Seems like the outlets now are more for electronic accessories and not for lighting up.

Lee DeRaud

Certainly true for the actual lighter socket. My Acura had another one inside the console that was switched IIRC.

tcrote5516

Lighter socket's = always on. Accy power sockets = on with ignition.

It's like the designers knew these cars would have a horrific natural parasitic electrical drain so they made it easy to plug in a trickle charger. I really want one under the rocker panel but then I'd probibly forget it was plugged in and drive off. Atleast with the cord draped across the seat it's a reminder.

Vetteman Jack

All the cars I've had with an actual Cig lighter have had an always on feature. Not a big deal really, just unplug the device hooked to it or rewire to make it a switched power source.

frsr06

In the day smokers were lighting up when the car was not running - a the always on has carried through. Work great to use it in reverse for a battery tender.

bad455ta

Most american cars always have a hot cig lighter...its the foreign cars that typically dont.

PhysicsDude55

Its useful when I have to leave my phone in the car to charge

dadaroo

If you want to have your detector only powered when the ignition is on it can be done several ways. There is an ignition ON pigtail source in the passenger footwell for 97-03 cars you can access. This source can be used directly or you could actually run a feed from it to the cigarette lighter and remove the existing feed. Easy to do if you remove the console for access. I have that console removal info if you want it. I also have a fix for the 04 but my write up on it and the sources for the earlier cars is at home.

Mr. Sam

dadaroo

PS: I have a way you can do the lighter feed from the passenger footwell for ignition ON power and not even remove the console. Did not even think of it when I was posting.

That is how I would do it. Easy and would only take a couple of minutes. Interested?

Daddie O

I have my Valentine One powered by the Savvy module which plugs into the OBDII port, so it turns off when the key is off.

dadaroo

Here is how to grab the power you want.

2004
For HOT with IGNITION ON:

Fuse 11 (20 amp) is the ignition ON feed for Accessory Power in the I/P fuse box. You can see it listed in your owner’s manual and in the fuse box diagram.

It does NOT provide power to anything else. In the 2004 FSM it actually shows a Yellow wire feeding from the fuse box and shows it as cut and taped. The Yellow wire may or may not be there. I recommended if it is there to use it if you want to. If not, just install a fuse buddy/adapter in that fuse location for the power feed. There is nothing wrong with using these devices so long as you know what you are doing and don't overload circuits. In this case you can add up to 20 amps.

I will pull the schematic and tell you how to locate the cigarette lighter feed in the same area so you can remove it and feed it from fuse 11.

dadaroo

OK, I have all the information and will provide you the two methods to put Ignition ON power to the cigarette lighter.

PM me with your email since some of the info will be in PDF files.

73Corvette

I would like for my interior lights to come on and flicker on and off with the beat... whenever I play a 70's disco CD...

dadaroo

I can do that but it works best if you put in one of the rotating mirrored *****.

Now I know who inspired the character in Leisure Suit Larry from the Land of the Lounge Lizards.