This has been bothering me for awhile. My E39 had the cig lighter provide unswitched power for charging cell phones, ipod etc. Since I drive frequent short trips, my portables never get a prolonged charge.

My E60 has all swithed power to the rear, front and footwell outlets. When I ask my dealer about converting one of these to unswitched power, all I get is shrugs and can't be done.

Should be an easy job possibly even at the fuse block? Anyone done this or know of another way?

TIA

Your dealer is right. The car does not allow it, it will allways shut it down and give you a warning chime when you return to the car.
My dealer finally installed a permanent power outlet for me. He had to go to the battery with the cable. He is not in the cars system anymore. It's a new cable running from the battery all the way to the power outlet, if I understood him correctly. I need to talk to my tech tomorrow anyways, I'll ask him.

Attachment 3859

Yet another Iceman option. :notworthy:

My tech even managed to make the illuminated door sills work when the engine is running (they usually don't work then). :devil:
Now they work together with the interior lights!

Your dealer is right. The car does not allow it, it will allways shut it down and give you a warning chime when you return to the car.
My dealer finally installed a permanent power outlet for me. He had to go to the battery with the cable. He is not in the cars system anymore. It's a new cable running from the battery all the way to the power outlet, if I understood him correctly. I need to talk to my tech tomorrow anyways, I'll ask him.

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Nice install! Makes more sense for the aux input to access it outside of the glovebox. Care to ship your tech stateside for the Holidays?

How tough is the footwell panel removal? Is this a DIY? I usually learn alot that way (it's only occasionally comes at a cost). Any pics of the engine compartment routing would be helpful... Hint, hint

Thanks, Iceman

Battery is in the trunk. Might be a little harder than you think. You may get lucky with the jump start terminal under the hood.

My tech had the car for 3.5 weeks while I was on vacation. Plenty of time for him, no chance for me to take pics, since I wasn't there. :(
Battery is in the trunk on the passenger side.

Given the placement in the front footwell, I assumed iceman's tech routed through the firewall from a direct battery tap. I wouldn't even want to try routing from the trunk (battery... more work than I enjoy) or pay dealership hourly labor.

And soon he will place an AV input there, what he needs to run from the trunk (settop box). He just needs to find out how we can do it and what parts he needs. But then he will run another cable all the way across the car...