Hi All,

Long time lurker first time poster. Done a search but cant find exactly what I'm after.

Got a new GPS for Christmas for my car and in my 2005 Solara the only 12V socket is in the Centre Console - a pain to run the cable to where I want my GPS on the bottom right corner of the windscreen.

I popped the cap for the small speaker that can be fitted to the dash and dropped the cable down there and secured it to the cap with a cable tie so that the cable is hidden from view and completely invisible when not in use - which will be great if it is possible to fit a 12V socket to the bottom right of the footwell - next to the fuse box.

Main question is what wires are the best to access to wire the socket in (I will get one from Jaycar tomorrow so I can get it done before I go away Saturday!) - mounting does not seem like an issue. If anyone else has done this some advice would also be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

just use the two wires that connect into ur other 12v socket which will be a accesories power wire and a earth wire, so just splice into these and run it to ur new 12v socket ur installing

And don't forget to take the GPS with you when you leave the car or someone else will make it their Xmas present. Welcome to the Forum by the way. Hope you enjoy your stay.

Under the lower console (near gearstick) there is a spare connector for Phone Kit Connection - even has a blank 4-pin plug body in it. It's a very convenient point to access for extra sockets etc.

The 4 pins are: Switched Power (ie: only on when the key is on), Unswitched Power (always on 12v), Earth, and Phone Mute (which is a blue wire running to back of OEM head-unit, its the only colour I remember). If you want to be extra-clever, you can wire-in a simple toggle switch to allow you to select switched vs unswitched power to run to your remote sockets - if you wanted to charge a GPS or phone while the car was locked, for instance.

Under the drivers side of dash, near the fusebox, are 4 screws that secure the plastic shroud and the bonnet cable release........ that's what I used to mount a 12v socket off, using a rightangle bracket from a hardware store.

I like your idea of using the dash pod for cable access, but as I have speakers in those spots in my cars, I just run GPS cable up the side of the dash where door closes onto dash.

What I have ended up doing is filing a bit more of the space out under the bonnet release cable and putting the socket there. I got one from Jaycar for $15 - although it protrudes a bit from the screw (if that makes sense!)

Just have to connect the wires after work tomorrow morning now! To save me from searching (yes im lazy!) if any of you know off the top of your head what each wire colour is in the 4 pins under the gearstick please post!

Thanks guys!

I'm lazy at remembering so I will say this use a volt meter and just figure out for yourself lol

just use the two wires that connect into ur other 12v socket which will be a accesories power wire and a earth wire, so just splice into these and run it to ur new 12v socket ur installing
So I'm a newbie at all things electrical... how does one neatly splice the wire? I can solder and heatshrink two wires together, but three is getting a bit past my capabilities lol

I want to do the same thing as the OP, but with a bluetooth hands-free kit.

So I'm a newbie at all things electrical... how does one neatly splice the wire?

I want to do the same thing as the OP, but with a bluetooth hands-free kit.

What I am planning on doing is getting some sockets from Jaycar to connect to the spades on the plug - seems like the neatest option i think.

Red just simply cut the wire, slip a bit of heat shrink. Then twist the three wires, then solder and then just simply put the heat shrink down. Then just use a lighter to shrink the heat shrink down (I get better result using a heat gun). I hope I explainl it well if not I can show red if you like :)

Red just simply cut the wire...
That's the main thing I wanted to know - whether the best way was to cut the original wire or not. Thanks Sparky :D

You need to in order to slip on the heat shrink :) Or the other way you strip the wire and wrap the other wire around it. Then solder and then neatly tape up the join. But that can be hit and miss :)