SQOD Squad - Stupid Question Of the Day

[gaijin]

Has anyone moved the second 12v outlet in the center stack to the rear of the console (like under the climate controls?). It's astonishing that there is no power in the middle.

It's astonishing you don't already have one in the middle:

HTH

 

[Dayhiker]

It's astonishing you don't already have one in the middle:

HTH

I'm thinking this was changed in the 2013 refresh. My 2011 LX does not have one in the middle which I was a bit surprised by. I have temporarily been using 10ft cords just threaded back through from the front for the kids.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

Has anyone moved the second 12v outlet in the center stack to the rear of the console (like under the climate controls?). It's astonishing that there is no power in the middle.

You can pop that rear cover off easily, and when you do you'll see there isn't a whole lot of empty space behind it. However, I did install a 12v outlet on the far left lower corner. It's do-able, but there isn't much choice in where it will fit.

A shallow mount USB port may give more mounting options than a standard 12v plug port. I also recall seeing someone on this forum install an external mount 12v plug on the bottom left side, near the driver's seat mount.

 

[Ali FJ80]

Yup. added in 13 on the LX.

 

[Markuson]

Has anyone moved the second 12v outlet in the center stack to the rear of the console (like under the climate controls?). It's astonishing that there is no power in the middle.

I misunderstood your post at first. Thought you meant the rear inverter.

Honestly, it is super easy to add a 12V outlet. Just run a single, positive wire from the battery...through the passenger side firewall...and then down to the floor and either pull it under the carpet and up to a hole you add to the lower center console...or wherever.

If you are bound and determined to use the existing wires that power the 2nd dashboard...you can also do that without too much fuss...depending on how totally buried you want the wire to be. Removing the center console is just the hassle of screws, plastic clips, etc....drilling or cutting out a hole for a standard 12V outlet, etc.

Personally, I would just add one instead of relocate...which could also keep it active when the truck is off. That pretty useful for many things (like letting a dead phone charge while you wander around Costco... etc). If you are plugged into the stock outlets, they aren’t live with the truck off...

 

[tbisaacs]

Yup. added in 13 on the LX.

@gaijin my 2008 LX doesn't have rear entertainment, Mark Levinson, or power third row seats. Bit of an oddball. My middle console looks like @Ali FJ80 's above minus the 12v port.

 

[tbisaacs]

I misunderstood your post at first. Thought you meant the rear inverter.

Honestly, it is super easy to add a 12V outlet. Just run a single, positive wire from the battery...through the passenger side firewall...and then down to the floor and either pull it under the carpet and up to a hole you add to the lower center console...or wherever.

If you are bound and determined to use the existing wires that power the 2nd dashboard...you can also do that without too much fuss...depending on how totally buried you want the wire to be. Removing the center console is just the hassle of screws, plastic clips, etc....drilling or cutting out a hole for a standard 12V outlet, etc.

Personally, I would just add one instead of relocate...which could also keep it active when the truck is off. That pretty useful for many things (like letting a dead phone charge while you wander around Costco... etc). If you are plugged into the stock outlets, they aren’t live with the truck off...

Good point. Cracking open the dash/console is not my idea of a good time.

 

[Markuson]

Good point. Cracking open the dash/console is not my idea of a good time.

Ya...
Just run the single positive (you can even wire in a 15A fuse directly into the wire and skip a fancy fuse box)...
...and then you can just connect the negative post on the 12V socket to any ground under the rear console. There should be any number of screws you could wire a short negative to.

If you buy a standard 12V socket, all you need is a step drill socket to cut a hole.

If it bugs you to cut a hole, you could also grab something like this:
Custom Accessories 18003 12V Dual USB Under Dash Mount https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ACD3FS8/?tag=ihco-20

 

[grinchy]

@gaijin power third row seats. @Ali FJ80 's above minus the 12v port.

Whoah - that I've never seen for an LX.

 

[tbisaacs]

Whoah - that I've never seen for an LX.

Mine is Canadian. Instrumentation is in mph but climate control is Celsius.

 

[TeCKis300]

As much as I like to mod and install stuff, I found some descent products out there to address rear USB charging in earlier models.

It's basically a USB charger + an extension for rear charging ports. I can't find the specific one I got, but there's many flavors of this. Lookup "car charger front back" on Amazon.

I hang the rear ports within the seat back pocket. Wire even snakes nicely from below and within, and it's more reachable than a USB charger at the foot level where my kids would keep kicking. Still nice to see Lexus address a shortcoming of the earlier models.

 

[tbisaacs]

As much as I like to mod and install stuff, I found some descent products out there to address rear USB charging in earlier models.

It's basically a USB charger + an extension for rear charging ports. I can't find the specific one I got, but there's many flavors of this. Lookup "car charger front back" on Amazon.

I hang the rear ports within the seat back pocket. Wire even snakes nicely from below and within, and it's more reachable than a USB charger at the foot level where my kids would keep kicking. Still nice to see Lexus address a shortcoming of the earlier models.

Yes!!!

 

[Arcturns]

Might be passengers.
-As soon as any passenger presses a temperature button...it switches to 4 zone.

For 3 years I thought my wife had the fast hands and could hit the 4 zone button without me seeing her. Doh! Time to apologize to her.

 

[tbisaacs]

As much as I like to mod and install stuff, I found some descent products out there to address rear USB charging in earlier models.

It's basically a USB charger + an extension for rear charging ports. I can't find the specific one I got, but there's many flavors of this. Lookup "car charger front back" on Amazon.

I hang the rear ports within the seat back pocket. Wire even snakes nicely from below and within, and it's more reachable than a USB charger at the foot level where my kids would keep kicking. Still nice to see Lexus address a shortcoming of the earlier models.

This worked out great. Cord is under the mat and I secured the charger to the seat hinge using 2-sided extra strength Gorilla tape.

 

[Markuson]

This worked out great. Cord is under the mat and I secured the charger to the seat hinge using 2-sided extra strength Gorilla tape.

Are you concerned about the low 12V plug mount point getting kicked/broken by 2nd row passengers or gear? Seems like they could have raised it above shoe-level.

 

[Reckless]

Chicago is colder than antartica this week and my TPMS sensors are not functioning. Is it too cold or did a battery die?

 

[tbisaacs]

View attachment 1889332
Are you concerned about the low 12V plug mount point getting kicked/broken by 2nd row passengers or gear? Seems like they could have raised it above shoe-level.

Nah, my kids are tiny The charger is slim enough that you don’t really make contact with it sliding in an out.

 

[Beams37]

OK ... I bought an 09 yesterday ... Do I have KDSS?

 

[Yossarian]

OK ... I bought an 09 yesterday ... Do I have KDSS?

Land Cruiser (US) has KDSS, LX570 has AHC.

 

[nwfl4runner]

Question: Is there actually any difference in the rear brakes between the 2010/11 Lx and the 2013 Lx? Stoptech makes their rear BBK for the 13+ only, but browsing the parts diagrams, I can't see any differences in the backing plates/rotors/calipers, at least by part number.

Anyone? (Thanks in advance!)