Those of you who have the 2001 Maxima catalog...look at the center page that shows the interior of the GLE and specifically the little insert that describes the armrest as having "...not just storage, but a special compartment with a 12-volt outlet to charge a cell phone."

Is this just a GLE feature? Because my SE AE doesn't have this. Interesting, I was in a rental Altima a couple weeks ago and it did. I do have the outlet below the temp control and for the back seat passengers, though. Any thoughts??? srm

 

they are talking about the one in the back for the backseat passengers.. its on the back of the center console (armrest) thingie..

 

I noticed that in the book too ... I never found it either!!!!


Psing ... he's NOT talking about the one for the PASSENGERS ... it kinda states there is one "INSIDE" the armrest thingy!!!!

 

What I noticed in my solara and in my brother's lexus is that you can dock your phone inside the first opening and run the charger from inside the armrest .
its a nice feature.

 

BUT I didn't read it as being a charging outlet INSIDE the armrest. They word it as if there is a COMPARTMENT with a perfect sizing to dock your cell phone INSIDE the armrest compartment, so that you can use the 12 volt charger behind the armrest. Sounds like a load of crap just for such a little selling point. Kinda like the first thing the salesman showed me when I went to test drive it...the adjustable armrest! Needless to say I was OUT of the car and with a new salesman because I want someone who's selling the car to me to know MORE about it than I do...and considering I know a LOT about a car before I go to buy it, that just wasn't cutting it

 

Well there are two compartments in the armrest. There is the big deep one, and there is also one right above that. It is inside the top piece of the armrest. I didn't even know it was there until my I30 buddy opened it for me in the car. Is that what you guys are talking about perhaps?

 

Maybe they meant you open the small one (not the deep one), lay your phone on it, and use the power plug behind it (on the back of the armrest).

 

Guys, open your eyes up a little more or get glasses. All the 5th gen Maximas have it, GXE,SE,GLE. Sit in the back seat, look down at the back of the arm rest, you will see the drink holder that pulls out, above that to the left is the door that covers the lighter. Lift up that door and there it is.

 

I noticed that on the drivers side of the top armrest portion there ia a notch for the cable to the charging outlet. A disappointment certainly. I have a Nextel i1000 and it is just a little too wide to fit in the top of the armrest.

 

This is weak, but Sherwood's got it nailed. The book makes it sound much more impressive than it is. If you're using a headset with your mobile and are used to having it on the charger at the same time...this thing is almost useless unless you like riding around with your armrest open.

An unfortunate thing about the 5th gen Maxima is no real good place to lay the phone if its plugged into the dashboard socket. My 6th Gen Accord had a nice dash well to drop the phone into and keep it from moving around the car during "non-defensive driving techniques" .

Hmmm..if I have to have a complaint about my Max...that's the one I don't mind having.

Michael

 

Right now, I plug into the back charger and just wrap the cord around and stick the phone in the passenger's seat or the cup holder. I'm thinking that it may be time to mount a holder somewhere. Any ideas.

 

Actually, the thing which folds down, which looks like an ashtray but is felt lined, below the climate controls, is described as a "phone holder" in the ESM (electronic service manual). I thought it was a change holder or something.

 

...looks like I started something here! I did note the charger at the back of the console for the passengers. However, I had not noticed the notching in the top level storage tray of the console...thanks for pointing that out. However, the brouchure WAS misleading, and after seeing the power outlet IN the Altima's storage console, I figured that was what they were describing was in the Maxima's, but it just isn't there...appears they did intend for us to loop back to the rear charger.

Sort of like those of us with Ann. Editions, according to the brochure, were supposed to get chrome exhaust tip finishers! Guess they wrote the book before they built the car!!! Apparently, they don't make a finisher to fit our drooping exhaust tips...viagra for exhaust pipes, anyone?? he he

Anyhow...small detail...but I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something about this charger...should have seen me searching all through the console, top and bottom storage compartments, looking for my special little outlet in the armrest!!

Scott

 

I never noticed the notch in the arm rest, either because my phone doesn't fit in that space anyway. The tray for the phone is too thin. I have a 1 year old common model Nokia phone. I have thought of changing the phone just for that reason. I was surprised by the comparment design. We have a 2000 Altima GXE with a much better designed phone holder. The space is deeper and has a hole to thread the charger through so that there is no cable dangling out and the phone is completely hidden. I guess they compromised on the Maxima design to give the rear passenger easier access to the power outlet, however this results in a less useful phone space for me. Oddly, there are a couple of factory direct features in the Altima that you can't get in the Maxima, for example our Altima has a front strut brace. I believe the in-dash CD changer was available in the Altima before the Max. Why Nissan, why??