Discovered my rear fag lighter is permanently live.

iirc it should stay active for 10 mins after switch off..

Is this just a relay does this?

Anyone know what I need to replace to sort it?

Cheers

....if it is the relay and you swap it out can I have it? Would like mine to stat live (but only when something is plugged into it????)

To confirm, yes it should only stay live 10 mins, was playing with a phone charger yesterday, and there is an audible ping under dash when it goes off on mine.

Ps, with josh's post in mind, do the steering wheel controls stay lit as well?

I seem to recall its much longer than 10 mins

30-60 mins on some from memory.

It is under the steering wheel

Page 75 of the user handbook....

Accessory socket
The socket in the c entre console, i. e. the
cigarette lighter socket, can be used to
connect electrical accessories. There is a n
additional accessory socket 3 in the centre
console below the rear air vents. The
sockets are op erational when the ignition is
switched on. If the engine is off, the battery
will be discharged.
The accessory soc ket 3 in the centre
console under the rear air vents shuts off
automatically after approx. 15 minutes to
prevent the battery from becoming
discharged.
Do not damage the soc kets by using
unsuitable plugs.
The maximum power consumption of
electrical ac cessories m ust not exceed
120 watts.
Do not connect any current-delivering
acc essories, e.g. electrical charging
devices or batteries.
Electrical ac cessories connected to the
socket must comply with the
electromagnetic compatibility
requirements laid down in DIN VDE 40 839,
otherwise vehicle malfunctions may oc cur.
Depending on the vehicle equipment level,
the socket may be covered over.


so 15 mins assuming the relays are all the same. anyway, I plugged a coolbox in after the car had been stood overnight, and it whirred into life, So its definately knackered.

Marks DTM Calib wrote on 01. Aug 2010 at 18:53:

......only just found out about relays, near mind surgical procedures 

Can it run down the battery without anything plugged in?

I'd prob change it anyway regardless as I know Ill leave the coolbox on when I leave the car and come back to a flat battery

Jimbob wrote on 01. Aug 2010 at 19:07:


The same tlngth of time as the accessory socket.

If the relay is permanently energised then it will draw some current....not massive but some.

If the contacts are permanently welded together then no.

It could also be a door switch or similar which is causing the timer not to time out (it has inputs from door switches etc)

I very much doubt it

Ive yet to have timer delay on any of my MV6's, are you saying it should have one, just assumed weren't fitted to that model?

Chris   

zirk wrote on 01. Aug 2010 at 19:34:


2001 onwards 

ISTR there is a group of 3 "relays" behind the fuse box up under the driver's side footwell. One of these is the servotronic control unit (6 pin device, IIRC). Another of these (an 8 pin device) is the timer itself (K153 in Mark's diagram). The socket itself is fed via K154 which is a 4 Pin relay and the lowest of the 3 IIRC.

So, K153 feeds all the interior lights, etc. and energises K154. K154 feeds the socket.

Could be either K153 or K154 faulty, depending on if the interior light circuits extinguish after the timeout or not. If the lights don't extinguish, it's likely that you have a drain on the battery since K154 will be permanently energised.

Easy to test the timer. Leave the boot open. Light will extinguish after 10 minutes or so. Press the pillar switch on the boot lid. Light should come on for another 10 minutes and then go out.

If you want a permanent socket supply, just remove K154 and bridge the contacts with a piece of wire with 2 spade connectors on.

Disclaimers about not flattening your battery, etc. 

Kevin

Right, Investigations stared and concluded and the result is :

No Fault Found 

Several tests done,

1, Left glovebox open, locked and left.
On return, glovebox out, plugged in a phone charger, was active.

Hmmmmm

2, Left a charger with an LED in the rear socket, and glovebox open.
On return, and BEFORE opening the car, both off.

2.5 Open the car, both come back on, and stay on for another 10-15 mins.


SO, the confusion came from the fact the rear socket becomes active when opening a door, not using the ignition.  So whenever you open a door and plug something in, it will be live for 10-15 mins.  If all working correctly.
I wrongly thought the ignition was involved.


Cheers all for the advice. 

Yep, mine is activated by opening any of the doors, unlocking the car using the remote, turning the ignition key, etc.

Kevin

Woo, never noticed that. Also presumed ignition related, which does wake it up again if sat on the car after it pings off.