I have to admit I was very nervous taking out the center console but the instructions I've seen on Youtube were great - all the way down to which colored wire goes on what plug on the back of the USB charger. The prior owner had one in, but I stupidly took it out thinking it did not work - turns out the fuse was bad. Top tip - check the fuses first. But, it was a several hour odyssey to make sure I had the right wiring connectors. Overall very happy with this. I use a Garmin OBD2 port plug to power my front dash cam and my GPS, so I needed a separate power plug for my phone.
J gate cover removed -

Back console cover removed

Console off

Plug wired in

 

Nice! I did this as well last fall. I found one with green lighting to match rest of interior lights but mine only
has two ports, one 2.1 amp and one 1.something amp. Either way, good job! I’m a heavy smoker but always have lighters on me and a spare in the car, so push cigarette lighters are useless to me. Plus mine was so corroded from spilt drinks it was un-savable. And also as a kid I pushed in the lighter socket in my moms gremlin wagon, when it popped out I pulled it out and dared my sister to touch it….glowing red hot ready to light up any Marlboro or camel that came its way….well she did and got hurt but I don’t think as much as I did when my parents found out…so yeah do away with those antiquated sockets and modernize a little!!!

 

I recommend adding a trad 12v in either the glovebox or trunk or both to complement the one in the console. some day you may need to use a tire inflator or other traditional accessory and find yourself wanting...

 

Even smarter mod (and both quicker and more practical) is to retain the cigar socket but chuck the push-in lighter and replace with a dual USB adapter . . . but not just any garden variety adapter ! Grab the ones that have a central digital readout of the car battery voltage. Start the engine and note the 14+ volts that verifies your alternator is charging properly, then watch as it drops to around 13 volts (typically 12.9 volts) after the initial part of journey, that shows that the car battery has recovered to full charge.

This daily monitoring of alternator + battery charging can guard against so many low battery problems in these vehicles . . . as well as USB charging of phone and tablet.
I buy mine online direct from China in lots of 5 or more for around AU$20 total, post free (ie $4 ea) and that's ridiculous as cheap insurance.

Cheers,

 

I’m hesitant to go back in but I see the value in what you are saying.

 

The aux connectors in the boot/trunk and behind the passenger side glovebox make things much simpler. You don't need to piggy back off other lines and they give you a switched and unswitched option. I used the glovebox switched supply to install a four port USB charger in the centre glovebox (I removed the fitted telephone as I don't use it) and then put a switched USB charger and an unswitched standard cigar lighter style socket in the boot. I put in chargers with voltage meters - as @cat_as_trophy says, well worth keeping an eye on your battery and alternator condition.

You don't need a special connector to plug in - you can just use standard female spade connectors. I've attached the dealer instructions although I think they are a sticky somewhere.


Switched (right) and unswitched in the boot.

The centre glovebox.