Routing 12V Supply Cable to External GPS Unit

This is a simple one, but thought I would post it in case you are trying to figure out how to mount an external GPS system on the windshield without having to have your cigarette lighter cable running from the receptacle up across your dash to the GPS unit.

I was able to remove the flat trim panel(*) called the "Front Pillar Garnish Corner Piece" in the repair manual, which is under the small triangular window on the front left. I cut the adapter off the supplied 12V cigarette lighter supply that came with the Garmin C330 GPS and wired the negative to the negative on the back of the Smart Key Disable switch (labeled "Key" under the steering wheel) and the positive to the same wire on the fuse box referenced in the "Cigarette lighter always hot/on" modification.

There may be a better point to hook-up the negative lead, but this was easy and convenient enough.

Picture as shown below.

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*Note - As I had already pulled the dash apart for another job, I cannot remember if you have to remove the Front Pillar Garnish (the inverted Y shaped side curtain air bag trim) first to get that small bottom panel out first. It pops out but with some effort. Remove your battery negative terminal first if you are going to do this though as it involves working around the air bag.

 

I wouldn't install a jack in the vertical part "front pillar garnish" that houses the airbag assembly for various reasons, all to do with interfering with proper airbag operation. Doing so in the "front pillar garnish corner piece" would work well though, although not sure it is worth it vs. just running the wire as I have done.

I don't have the car here right now to check, but at least one of those two bumps is I believe the daylight sensor for the automatic headlight turn-on function. If one is just a filler piece though, that would be a good choice for sure.