12V Power Ports Hot?

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K9BM

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Sorry to mislead with my subject, I already know that virtually nothing in my 2020 Expy Max is hot when the engine is off. Of course I can open a door and it lights up light a Christmas tree, the power running boards come out, the interior illumination comes on. But the various 12V power ports remain dead as the grave, as does the (mostly useless) inverter. I'd like to get my wife one of those nifty 12V car refrigerators (about 45W power draw), but it seems like a nonstarter unless I buy a spare battery for it to bounce around in the rear of the car. Is there a problem with my Expy, or did Ford design all these auxiliary power ports to be dead except when the engine is running? I own a Ram truck and a GMC truck and they both have 12V outlets that stay hot all the time....
 

Dclr

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Check the port in the center console. I have a flashlight/charger combo plugged in mine and it shows it's charging w/ the engine off and doors locked.
 
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K9BM

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Interesting. I should add that the vehicle has not been started for a few days when I did my testing. I took the key out to the garage and pushed the start button to turn it on to the accessory position, then turned it back off. So far, an hour later, the 12V ports are still hot (I have USB plugs in all of them, they each have a small LED that indicates power). I think these cars have a very complex power management system. For example, after turning off the ignition accessory position and locking the vehicle, the small blue courtesy light that illuminates the USB ports in the center console stays on for a long time, but eventually goes off. But just walking back into the garage and up to the car without a key and without touching the vehicle, I hear a sound of some motor and that courtesy light came back on. I have no idea what sensed my presence near the car, but presumably this would happen dozens of times an hour when the vehicle is parked in a busy store parking lot as people walk near it. Maybe part of the "perimeter alarm" system?

I'll post again tomorrow and report whether the 12V ports maintained power overnight....
 

Going_Going_Gone

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My wife's new Aviator does that whirring and clicking bit if you walk close to it in the garage without the fob on you. When we had it in for service last week, we went over that and a few other questions with our salesman who said that the fob in the house must be in close enough proximity that the car senses it and the noises are probably the vehicle going into warmup mode preparing for someone to open a door.
 
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K9BM

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OK thanks, that makes sense I guess. Unfortunately IU discovered that after the car sat for a few hours (maybe 3-4), the 12V power ports went dead. This was even with a battery tender hooked up to the vehicle battery, so it's not a matter of battery voltage, but rather a timed shutdown thing. User Dcly says his port in the center console stays hot all the time, so I'm a little baffled. Next time I have to take it into the dealer I guess we'll have a conversation about it....
 

Fozzy

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Using the vehicles 12v outlet is not the not the best setup for a fridge anyway. They are very prone to coming loose and falling out. Plus going dead when the key is off. Leaving you with warm food and beverages. The best way is to run a dedicated plug just for the fridge. A solar generator is also a great options. I currently have a SoGen in the cab and solar panels on my roof rack. The SoGen can run my fridge with freezer on for roughly 48 hours without charging. With the panels and only moderate sun it will stay charged as they put more power back than the fridge takes. It will pretty much run my fridge 24-7. Dometic also makes a small fridge that goes in the center console. And there are fridges that have a battery built in.
 

m3olsen

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Rejuvenating this thread as it seemed a good place: has anyone else experienced on their 22+ that some version of over-the-air updates has changed the function of the 12V cigarette/ power port in (at least) the dash? I've been using that to power my radar detector (still haven't gotten around to hardwiring it) and had been religious about unplugging it each time I shut down, but forgot to about a week ago and saw it turn off when I opened the door to exit the vehicle. I've confirmed this a number of times - that port is working differently now and switches off. My prior experience is similar to what @K9BM said above - detector would stay on. I'd sometimes go out and check - it was always on an hour later, but usually off if I checked 3 hours later. Now that port shuts off as soon as I open the door to exit the vehicle, and comes back on when I cycle the ignition. I'm glad to have a switched source, but how odd for it to change! Wouldn't it be nice if we had a setting to control the port functions?
 

TimberExpy

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Well I just installed a dash cam, which I plan to later hardware, and it’s currently plugged into the 12v lighter socket to the right of the center console. It’s been about 1/2 and hour, and it’s still powered. I have a ‘22.
 

TimberExpy

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Update: decided to just use the USB ports to power the Dashcam (for now) because 1) they definitely turn off after a minute or two after opening/closing the doors, and 2) the power indicator on my 12v usb adapter is still ON after several hours of being away from the vehicle.
 

m3olsen

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Well I just installed a dash cam, which I plan to later hardware, and it’s currently plugged into the 12v lighter socket to the right of the center console. It’s been about 1/2 and hour, and it’s still powered. I have a ‘22.
Very strange! Mine is definitely turning off when I shut down and open the door to exit the vehicle.
 
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