GPS Hardwire

[mr.explorer]

I have a 2006 Eddie Bauer Explorer. I just purchased a Garmin Nuvi 265wt. I am interested in hardwiring as opposed to having to continuous plugging it in since when i turn my car off, the cig adapter still produces power. Basically I would like to keep my gps plugged in but when i turn my car off, it turns off and when I turn my car on, it goes on.
What do I need to hardwire my GPS? I am clueless to all of this? Also after the hardwire, i will still be able to remove the GPS from my car if i need. I am looking for the easiest way a newbie can do this!
Thanks in advance for your help.

B

 

[Joe Dirt]

You'll need something like this:

CLICK ME

Quite simple- a ground wire, and a switched power wire- I used the switched wire for my radio. Passed the plug through the defroster vent. Turns on and off with the key, and your GPS is removable.
The little pod on the harness is the regulator, and necessary- you cannot just use the cig lighter plug (and just cut it off and use the wires like some do) as the regulator/fuse is in that plug, which will let your electrical system eventually fry your Garmin...

The other thing I like, is that you can use it to charge any other mini-usb device. Last weekend, I needed it to charge my MP3 player on a road trip.

 

[mr.explorer]

Joe, thank you for the reply. Will i see be able to get my free traffic reports that come with the 265wt?
This seems easy enough, maybe i will try it this weekend.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Should be- all it is is a replacement for the cigarette lighter plug... I would think the GPS receives the reports directly via sattelite.

 

[mr.explorer]

ok, i am going to have to check in to that. I know my cig lighter plug has a little box on it for the FM transmitter for traffic. The traffic doesn't show up unlesss it's plugged in.

also how long of a project it is to hardwire it? Am I looking at spending the better part of a day doing it?

 

[Beastb15]

ok, i am going to have to check in to that. I know my cig lighter plug has a little box on it for the FM transmitter for traffic. The traffic doesn't show up unlesss it's plugged in.

also how long of a project it is to hardwire it? Am I looking at spending the better part of a day doing it?

that all depends on your wiring savviness. Should take the average about an hour or 2

 

[celly]

Good stuff Joe. I just scored one for a road trip I have coming up. I've got too many things already plugged into CLA sockets! (radar, Blackberry, DVD player).

 

[celly]

ok, i am going to have to check in to that. I know my cig lighter plug has a little box on it for the FM transmitter for traffic. The traffic doesn't show up unlesss it's plugged in.

also how long of a project it is to hardwire it? Am I looking at spending the better part of a day doing it?

The GPS would be plugged in. This cord just replaces your CLA (cigarette lighter adapter).

I don't know what it's like on a 2006, but on my 1999 with aftermarket head unit, it's just a matter of splicing it into whatever power line I'm using for my stereo. Should be simple enough. I know my wiring (because I did it) so I'm expecting a 1/2 hour. I cannot see it taking any more than an hour if you do your homework in advance. This site should be able to get you that information.....the SEARCH tool should get you that info.

 

[Joe Dirt]

The hardest part is probing a wire to find a hot lead with the key on. I had installed an aftermarket stereo in my '95, so I had a wire waiting and knew which one it was. The whole install took me about 15 minutes...

If your modulator is needed, you might call Garmin, as they may have a hardwire for that, as I looked around online, etc- and couldn't find one. But I did find that to replace that cable is like $215 so I wouldn't cut that one up...

I have all of the pics and stuff from my install, I'll put them into a short writeup, it's basic, but still relevant I guess. I had them on an old reply, but my photobucket acct was changed and lost the pics in that thread. I'll post them here soon...

I couldn't stand having that bulky non-flexible Garmin cord hanging all over the dash.

 

[mr.explorer]

That woudl be great Joe.

I am not mechanically inclined so this should be fun. How hard can it be to pull the dash off, connect the ground and connect to a power source and then put the dash back on. I guess my biggest problem is going to be find the wire to connect the power to so it works with the key. Any suggestions on which one in a 2006 EB would be appreciated. Also what would be the best spot for the ground wire? any recommendations?

 

[celly]

That woudl be great Joe.

I am not mechanically inclined so this should be fun. How hard can it be to pull the dash off, connect the ground and connect to a power source and then put the dash back on. I guess my biggest problem is going to be find the wire to connect the power to so it works with the key. Any suggestions on which one in a 2006 EB would be appreciated. Also what would be the best spot for the ground wire? any recommendations?

If you're really concerned, just pay a stereo shop to do it for you. This is a vey straightforward install (and I'm far from mechanically inclined).

The rest of your questions can be answered by searching the archives. You've got a much better chance at finding what you're looking for as this thread will get buried quickly.

Good luck.

 

[Joe Dirt]

If you have a multimeter, you can just probe some wires and find one that has power with the key on, and no power with the key off. You can get a multimeter cheap- like $10 or so. I bought one at Sears for like $20...

I don't really have an idea on what wire, but someone here just did a 3rd gen Mountaineer... Search for that one and the install info or at least a name will get you in touch...

Good luck!

 

[mr.explorer]

I have been doing my research and came across "add a circuit". Does anyone have and experience with that. I would assume i just hook the extra cig light adapter i bought to it and replace a fuse in my fuse box that is control by the key.
what else do i need to do? do I need to ground a wire, etc....

Thanks in advance.

Bill

 

[celly]

I can't answer your query above, but I just got back from a local GPS store with the Gilsson adapter and it's going to be a piece of cake to do this install. Splice red into power, ground the black wire. Plug in the GPS. Done.

Thanks again for Joe for the link.

 

[mr.explorer]

So today installed the BUSSMAN Add a circuit. Everything went well during the set up, now i just have a couple of questions.
I used fuse spot 18 (reverse park aid, IVD Switch, IVD, Compass, AUX Climate control). My new cig lighter powered on and off with the car like planned. I did notice that my traction control like, e- brake light stayed on after the car was turned on. Also my compass showed no direction.
i tried with a couple of different fuses and notice that the fuse that would not work but my cig lighter would. Example: I tried with my Rear Wiper Motor RUN/ACC, Trailer Battery Charge relay in PDB, Radio fuse, and my rear wiper didn't work. Took off the add a circuit and everything worked fine.
Does anyone have a suggestion on what fuse i should use so my new cig lighter and all the other stuff on the fuse still work?
Thanks in advance for your help.

Bill

 

[jrford]

i'm not sure on '06 mines an '04.
I have an extra Cig Lighter adapter under the center console for an optional ash tray. i've tapped off that before to Hardwire a GPS. Now like Joe, mine is wired off the back of the radio on the ACC lead, also i pulled the ground from there. If you still want to go off the fuse panel, try Radio Circuit?

 

[mr.explorer]

I tried the radio circuit and the one is constantly on. The other fuse with the radio also controls my compass, etc... when i use that fuse, my traction control light, and ebrake light stay on in my dash. I also lose my compass.

what would cause the fuse not to work? That's what has stumped me.

 

[Bill Kemp]

I had trouble finding a fuse that worked for my radar detector. So I pushed a wire thru a hole I drilled in the rubber grommet that the hood release cable goes thru. I then connected(spliced) that wire to the windshield wiper motor wire. Sort of a pia but it works.

 

[kelly2]

So today installed the BUSSMAN Add a circuit. Everything went well during the set up, now i just have a couple of questions.
I used fuse spot 18 (reverse park aid, IVD Switch, IVD, Compass, AUX Climate control). My new cig lighter powered on and off with the car like planned. I did notice that my traction control like, e- brake light stayed on after the car was turned on. Also my compass showed no direction.
i tried with a couple of different fuses and notice that the fuse that would not work but my cig lighter would. Example: I tried with my Rear Wiper Motor RUN/ACC, Trailer Battery Charge relay in PDB, Radio fuse, and my rear wiper didn't work. Took off the add a circuit and everything worked fine.
Does anyone have a suggestion on what fuse i should use so my new cig lighter and all the other stuff on the fuse still work?
Thanks in advance for your help.

Bill

fuse must not be seating all the way into the slot. sometime you have to shape/file or be forceful with the fusetaps to make them work.

 

[celly]

Well, I did the Gilsson cable this weekend and it works as advertised. I spliced the power lead into the red "Accessory" lead (comes on with key only), and ground to the ground I was using for the stereo. My Tom Tom has a "shut down when external power is unplugged" feature so the GPS powers down itself when I shut the car off. I do have to power up the GPS myself, but that's not hard to do. I really like not having the adapter hanging down any longer.