Joe_M

Please tell me that there's more than one accessory outlet on my xB; I wanted to plug in my GPS and a DVD player on a recent trip and could only find one (below the shift lever on the console). Is there another hidden somewhere that I didn't check?

Pojodan

Only one that I'm aware of.

Go to Radio Shack, they have power outlet doubles/triplers/septun-ut-inite-ers

ExcelRevs

Only one.

techgeekwill

Yes, in the 21st century, some cars still only come with 1 12v outlet.

WTF?

cTek

geez.. my matrix came with 2 cig lighter plugs PLUS a 110v two prong outlet! scion shouldve followed the toyota route when it coems to accessories..

Pojodan

I don't see Scions as being utility vehicles, which is what you'd expect to have lots of power outlets.
Scions are for either people who want to look good with and get good economy as well as for modders, neither of wich is going to have much more than a cell phone to charger chord to plug in, typically.

It's easy enough to get a duplexer at Radio Shack, as I mentioned.

x_rayted711

^^^LOL. I loved cooking poptarts on my way to work in my Matrix....Ahhh, the good old days. I miss that car! J/K guys, I don't think the 110V outlet in a Matrix would hold up to a toaster.

Back on topic...I added a new power wire from my battery and hooked it to a two way 12V power supply on my Gen 1 xB. It was fairly simple to do, and I can use the power when the car key is off...That's always a plus! Just make sure you use a fuse as well!

SoldUYourSkyon

You'll prob need to get a splitter for the ONE 12-V outlet! If you think having a car with only one is tough, try SELLING them with only one. People look at me like, "Seriously? One?..." "Not even a cig lighter?"

x_rayted711

My 98 Tacoma has THREE! from the factory...go figure, huh?

uberspeed

GF's Mazda 3 has two, one of them inside the armrest which makes it very useful. The Aux In is right outside the armrest and it even has grooves to route cables.

TuningIsLife

Honestly, when you have mutiple accesorries all wired in, it just looks tacky, "Well Bob, I got my Sirius, my XM, my GPS, my Cell phone, my laptop and this handy light all hooked into my 2 lighter ports". As an installer, when I get a car like that, first thing I do is unplug everything so that I can accually work on the car.

x_rayted711

^^^Well, wires laying everywhere IS tacky, but if you run the wires right and hide them, it can be a clean install. Besides, I don't keep my accessories plugged in all the time...just when neccesary.

boblamb58

OK, so what about maybe running some power wire (form where?) to a spot behind the center console and way in back on the side? making a hole in one or both of those places for an outlet? How hard is it to get the interior panels off and on?

ZOMGXB

And your Matrix cost how much? People, just because it acts like a $35,000 car doesn't mean it IS a $35,000 car - economy has to come into play somewhere. I'm pretty sure that side airbags and Vehicle Stability Control were a little more important than adding every accessory currently in existence.

I don't mean to jump down your throat, but we all got an amazing value, and to me demanding anything else just seems greedy. For awhile there was a "Wish List" thread going on the gen 1 boards full of things like "WHY DON'T SKIONZ COME WITH BLUTOOF AND HEATED LEATHER SEATS WTF LOL?" and I was like "You paid FIFTEEN GRAND for this car! If you want a Lexus you're going to have to PAY for a Lexus." It was ludicrous, almost as ludicrous as the fact that I feel compelled to share this entire story in place of a reply that could have been less than six words.

Anyway, problem solved Not even $10 at most places. Walgreens even has one with little glowing blue flames. If you need more than 2 or 3, you officially have too much crap in your car and this is God's way of making you scale down before you rear-end a school bus. Happy Thanksgiving! <3

miketf1

i like where youre going with that... i think during my amp/sub install i might stealth a 12v->110V outlet to the back. anyone know/have a good converter(or what ever they are called)

boblamb58

Well now.. now that I have one of my very own .... the courtesy light on the driver side in back looks to be powered all the time. It's switched, and just an on/off switch at that. It lights without the car being turned on.

hotweelz4me

Just scrap the cig lighter plug and hard wire your 12v accessories such as phone charger, GPS, radar detector.

Madode

Sorry, this needed to be quoted. I laughed coffee right out my nose.

That being said, 2 outlets are always better than one. But now that I have a direct connect for my iPod, I don't know what else I'd need to plug in besides my cell phone charger - or the little converter I use to power my laptop in my wife's Armada.

Madode

boblamb58

With 3 kids and the occasional long car ride, entertainment is pretty much a necessity. And because they don't all have the same interests, one of the things we've done is get 2 DVD players. That way at least 2 of them can watch what they want. With a 2nd outlet in back, I or my wife can use the front outlet for a cellphone charger while the kids use the back one for their DVD player(s).

Yesterday I took a stab at adding my own outlet to the indentation in the rear next to the courtesy light. It came out rather well if I do say so myself. Iposted a how-to on another website, you may access it by clicking here http://newscionxb.com/do_it_yourself...;topicseen#new

jimmbomb

Nicely Done, Bob!!!!!! Great work & thank you for the DIY!!!! You're a credit to the forum!! thanks agian.... ...jh