Powering off the cigarette lighter outlet

Hans Mathias

Newbie
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Points
4
Location
Oslo, Norway.
Model of Z
2.8 Coupe
When turning off the engine and pulling out the ignition key, the power of the cigarette lighter outlet is still on. It's not a big deal. However, the outlet is used for a TomTom kit for my iPhone, and since the power to the kit is always on, I have to manually connect the kit to my phone by Bluetooth.
Is there any way to turn off the cigarette plug power when everything else is off?
 
As far as I am aware, the power supply to the socket is always live but only kicks in when you use it.
HTH

HT
 
not without cutting the live wire, and splicing the cigarette lighter end into an accessory circuit.
If you do this remember to insulate the other end of the permanently live wire.
 
Thank your for your advice. I have googled important problem, and it seems that a lot of BMW's have a hot plug even when everything else is off. No, I don't think I'll cut any wire, and I'm happy for that it kicks in when told to, even if it also seems to kick in when it's not told to.
To have my iPhone to connect to the car kit, I just have to unplug and plug in the kit.
 
To have my iPhone to connect to the car kit, I just have to unplug and plug in the kit.
I use something similar to this, except mine has 3 connectors. I can then have the satnav and the phone charger connected at the same time. I tuck all the spare cable in the luggage net in the passenger foot well.

As the socket is permanently 'live' I pull the connector out when I park up, just in case.

upload_2013-9-22_19-30-13.webp
 
My cigarette socket is not permanently live. I have a USB outlet plugged into my cigarette lighter hole. It has a little light to denote that it's charging. The little light is not on and a device will not charge when the ignition is off. Regardless of whether I have anything plugged in the little light is on when the ignition is on. Therefore, on my Z3, the cigarette socket is not permanently live.
 
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