BMW E46 3 Series DIY

MOD NAME: Center console power outlet

MOD COST:~$7.00

MOD BENEFIT: Frees up your cigarette lighter and allows your to leave ashtray door closed.

MOD DESCRIPTION: A Cigarette lighter wired under your center console (hidden) allows you to plug in a cell phone/Ipod/GPS Charger.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible If you mess up your electronics in your car. I am just sharing what I found works and did to my car. Attempt at your own risk.

This is extremely easy to do, as long as you can turn a screwdriver and crimp a wire. I would rate this at a 2 if a 1 was putting gas in your car.

It took me about an hour and a half to do, It could probably be done in 30-45 minutes.

Items needed:
Wire strippers/crimpers
Phillips head screw driver
Pliers
Scissors
22-18-gauge quick splice connectors ($1.99 @ Radioshack)
Auxiliary 12v Female Cigarette lighter plug-in ($3.99 @ O’reillys)
Small zip ties

Total cost: ~$7.00

Prep work:
The cigarette plug I bought was to plug into a trailer wiring harness, to plug in a spot light or something of the sort I guess. I cut the plug off of the end, stripped the wire back about 1/3″, and crimped the appropriate quick splice connector end on the bare wire. Do this for each side. You could skip the cigarette lighter and hard wire your power. I choose the cigarette lighter to be able to pop my euro tray off and plug in a different charger if I get a new phone.

Start out taking your center console apart. Once you get that out of the way, in front of your armrest should be a wiring harness bundled together. This is the pre-wiring for the BMW cellular phone. Cut the tape holding it together.

In the wires, find the purple wire with a white stripe (this is your 12v switched power) and a brown wire (this is your ground wire). It might be necessary to cut some of the black material holding the wires together to get to the wires. Take the appropriate quick splice connectors and and clamp them onto these wires. I pressed them together with pliers to ensure a good connection.

On the cigarette lighter wires, find the positive wire. On mine, it was the one with print. It could be different depending what brand you get. Plug the positive wire into the quick splice connector on the purple/white wire, and the ground into the brown wire.

Turn the ignition to the Accessory On position. Plug in your cell phone/Ipod/GPS charger and make sure its getting power.

I used zip ties to re bundle the wiring harness I pulled apart. This makes it easier when stuffing all the wires in the console.

Now, begin piecing your console back together. I wanted my phone charger to be in the eurotray, which the end of my charger slit through a slit in the back. Depending on what/where you are running, you may need a dremel tool to make a hole for your wire.

Pop your eurotray back in and you are good to go!

The wire can also be tucked away when not in use.

Enjoy!

Write up by: JSanders