At the time my LCI 520d was ordered, the dealer was not aware that, because of the new sliding drawer ashtray design, UK supplied cars without the Smoker Package (441) would be delivered without any 12V power socket in front. As I understand it, this breaks from a long established BMW-wide practice of retaining the socket in non-smoker optioned cars. (Can any knowledgeable denizen of these forums confirm that?)

The result is that I am currently powering my Garmin GPS via a fluorescent purple extension lead from one of the rear sockets - not an elegant approach in a ?30,000 car.

The salesman and I thought the obvious solution would be to replace the sliding 'non-smoker' oddment tray with a 'smoker's' ashtray/lighter unit, plug in the supply leads and throw away the lighter itself. However, we are now being told that the wiring harness in my car is a special version for non-smoker cars and that there is no authorised way it could used to provide power to the socket. Nor is there any other way to power the socket that would not invalidate the warranty.

One could see how it might be economic to manufacture different harnesses for options that have highly complicated power and connection requirements - built-in satnav perhaps - but a lighter socket needs two copper wires; one of them a ground lead. Moreover, I believe the take-up rate of the smoker's package deletion option is quite low. (Shortly to be nil, I predict, when the consequences are more widely understood!)

Could it be that the supply leads are actually present inside my centre console, but are invisible to the Service Department's systems because, for my chassis number, there is no valid service or retrofit process that could need to know about them?

 

Im just curious? Why not take the power from the top. Where we have been wiring our Valentine 1's from. There are a ton of posts on where to get this wire, that is accessible from the area near the windshield center where the panel opens up. I assume the Garmin is mounted high. If not you could run the 12 volt lead down the windsheild moulding totally hidden.

A Garmin should be hardwired anyway. The lack of a lighter shouldn't be any problem.

I found the instructions...check post 15 on this thread. http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=...&#entry5525

 

Thanks for that suggestion, but at the moment I'm trying to identify an 'official' solution so the dealer can put the situation right.

I agree this is a neat solution for many hard wired accessories and will keep the link, but unfortunately it isn't applicable to the Garmin I use at present (Quest), which packages its speaker within a special power plug that is designed to mount in a lighter socket.

 

There is also a a power outlet under the glove box. I use that to charge when phone.

 

Unfortunately, that isn't provided in the UK; nor is it available as an option or accessory. I guess it may be incompatible with a left side passenger footwel in some obscure way. I do have 2 sockets in the rear, plus another in the boot (trunk), so it's not a matter of BMW UK having some kind of generic mystical objection to them!

 

Have you looked all the way in the back footwell.. on passanger side...?
I would be amazed if there was special in UK but not in rest of EU

 

No UK car came with the passenget footwell socket, although retrofitting one is no issue at all. As for adding a cigar lighter in the front it should be very easy too. Infact if you already have the rear cigar lighters then its not an issue at all. Simply buy the cigar light part and extend the wires down the center console and connect it in parallel to the rear sockets. Shouldn't take more than 30 mins to install.
The official wiring will probably mean a wiring harness all the way to the fuse box but you don't need to bother about doing that at all.

 

[quote name='bob.a' date='Jun 22 2007, 02:18 PM' post='438580']
At the time my LCI 520d was ordered, the dealer was not aware that, because of the new sliding drawer ashtray design, UK supplied cars without the Smoker Package (441) would be delivered without any 12V power socket in front.

Bugger. I am in the same boat... :thumbsdown:

Can you keep us posted with whatever solution you get sorted with some pics.

Cheers

 

My dealer luckily informed me that I should take the smokers' pack. I even objected, until he pointed out the lighter.

 

Can you use the flashlight in the glovebox? They sell adapters to covert them to a 12V cigarette lighter power adapter.