I have a 2012, fully loaded Maxima. I recall the salesman showing me the cigarette lighter power outlet behind the shifter and the one at the bottom of the center console. He said the first one only works when the ignition is on, but the console outlet has power even when the car is off.

I checked the owner's manual and it says the same thing.

My problem is I bought a USB charger to plug into the console outlet in order to charge my iPhone WHEN THE CAR IS OFF. The charger will not work unless the ignition is on. I tried both outlets and neither works when the car is off.

I took the car to the dealer and they said that chargers "know" to not work unless the ignition is on. So.....assuming this is true and my outlets are not wired incorrectly....what sense would it make for Nissan to connect the console outlet directly to the battery if chargers are smart enough to "know" not to turn on when the car is off?

I think the dealer is full of sh*&, and doesn't want to troubleshoot the problem.

Has anyone else had this issue or know of a fix?

 

Every Nissan ( and Infinity ) I have owned need the ignition to be on for the outlets to work.

I believe my 13 Maxima is the same but never checked

If nobody answers the question for sure I'll check my car later and see.

Dealers get paid for warranty work so they have no reason to turn it down.

On a side note I would be very carfull draining the battery while the car is not running, ses these batteries are very undersized and drain quickly

 

I believe when they say the car isn't on doesn't mean the ignition is off. I think if it's in ACC mode it will work and that's what they are referring to!

 

I have the 2010 and my power outlet in the middle console charges even when the car is off. Is that what your talking about? Or are you trying to charge something when the cars off thru the USB port?

 

I hate to throw a bone in this but my 2010 doesn't charge when the car is off.

 

Well then there's something wrong with your outlet or the charger your using, I just double checked to make sure I wasn't crazy and it most certainly does charge when the cars off and my 09 Altima was the same

 

On my 09, the cigarette lighter plug in my center console is on all the time, I plug my phone into that when I'm at car shows or whatever so it can charge. The one by the shifter is only on when the car is on.

 

I take that back mine works when the car is off

 

The center console has a USB PLUG and a Cig plug.
The USB Controller SHUTS OFF with the ignition
The Cig IS ALWAYS ON.

My recently returned 2010 had it-something I miss on the 2013 Pathfinder (along with other Maxima things)

 

The power outlets on my 2013 only work when the Car is in the ACC or ON position, I just checked.


From page 2-36 in the 2013 owners manual


FRONT CENTER CONSOLE POWER OUTLETS

"The power outlets are powered only when the ignition switch is in the ACC or ON position"

 

I bet some people complained about it killing the battery when they left something charging, so they discontinued it in the maxima, although my gf has the new 2013 Altima and the console still charges when the cars off so who knows what the reasoning behind taking it out. That stinks that newer maximas don't have it because its a cool little feature that I use a lot when I'm out of the car

 

Ok....just to clarify. I am not referring to the USB plug or the outlet in the small storage bin right next to the shift. I'm talking about the outlet at the bottom of the large console. The owners manual specifically identifies this outlet as being connected DIRECTLY to the battery. That's also what the salesman said.

I normally use the USB to change the phone when the car is on. Very rarely would I need to leave my phone in the car when it is off. But I recently needed that option.

I understand that I can push the ignition button once (both outlets power up), hit the ignition button a second time (both outlets still power up), or press the brake and push the ignition button and the car starts (obviously the outlets have power).

The service shop didn't say that my console outlet didn't have power when the car is off, what they're saying is that CHARGERS will not work in a powered up cigarette lighter outlet if the charger senses that the car is off.

I can't imagine how a little USB cigarette outlet charger knows whether the car is on or off. So.....if the outlet is always supposed to have power (even when the car is totally off), Any charger should work, right?

And I know not to leave anything plugged into that outlet for a long time since it may drain the battery, but Nissan designed that outlet for a reason, which is to power a device even when the car is off.

So, does anyone buy this excuse that chargers won't work in that outlet (even though it has power) because it knows the car is not on???

 

Also....for those of you who checked your cars and verified that the console outlet has power when the car is off, what did you do to verify this?

Did you use a charger and it worked? Did you plug some other device into that outlet and it worked?

I wanted the service guy to test my outlet to make sure it was connected to the battery like its supposed to, but he blamed it on the "smart charger".

So either I need to get another charger that WILL work when the car is off, or the outlet was not connected to the battery as it should have been.

I know the outlet works when the ACC/Ignition is on.....but it needs to work when the car is off. That's the feature that is advertised in the manual.

 

If your cars suppose to be equipped with this feature, first try another charger. If that doesn't work when the car is off then your right there some type of connection problem. Only other thing that comes to mind is your service manual is reprint of previous years and doesn't have the feature.

 

The only way I can accept the "smart charger" concept is if your battery has a blown cell and you really do have a smart charger. Most work from around 10 to 16 Volts so if you have a bad battery, I suppose it IS possible (although how your car would start is beyond me!)

The only way to be 100 percent sure is to stick a VOM on it and see what the voltage reads with and without power.

 

Being his car is a 2012 there is a very good chance neither of the chargers ( not USB) are designed to work when the car is off..............like the 2013

 

I have a 2010 and I just verified that mine has constant power by plugging in my Garmin. I for one don't buy the smart charger theory especially if the plug is designed to be on constantly.

I would have them look at it. I had to get my ipod connection replaced when I first bought my car and the tech said that they hate taking the console apart because its such a PITA and a hours long job that's normally warranty work.

 

I was somewhat confused about this. I have a 2012 and the one in the compartment behind the shifter doesn't charge when the car is off. The one in the console (the USB for iPhone & the "cigarette" one) both charge when the car is off. That's weird that all of these cars are doing something different.

 

I asked my dealer the same question. They said that mid-cycle in 2012, they changed the outlet to be switched with the ignition. There's an indication in the wiring diagram that it is only on maximas built in the second half of the 2012 model cycle. 2012's built in the earlier half of the year have constant power. Bummer.

 

My 2012 SV Sport will charge when the ignition is off (center console). I dont make a habit out of it as it will drain the battery, but it will work with the vehicle off.

 

I have a 2010 and this is exactly how it works in mine. Although I dunno if the USB charges while the car is off, it definitely reads my flash drive with the ignition turned off

 

I have a 2010 SV and I can use the outlet in the center console while the car is off but the outlet in the compartment behind the shifter can only be used while the car is on.