Does anyone have any experience in getting behind the fuse box? I'd rather know the correct/best way, before I start taking the dash apart willy-nilly.

I'm planning on fitting a relay for the power socket, so it no longer gets power when the ignition is off, and I was thinking behind the fuse box might be the easiest place to do it. Planning on using the vent fan circuit.

Any thoughts, suggestions, comments would be appreciated.

Surely it would be easier to put the relay in the centre console next to the socket, then you only have to run a single switched live from the back of the stereo to the relay to energise it.

Surely it would be easier to put the relay in the centre console next to the socket, then you only have to run a single switched live from the back of the stereo to the relay to energise it.

I was thinking it might be easier to get behind the fuse box than take apart my centre console, and mess with my bloody radio (I fitted a DAB with antenna a while ago, and whilst it's been fine since, I'd rather not go through that struggle again!).

It would be a single point of entry, rather than taking apart two parts. Well, that was my thinking. If I can't get behind the fuse box easily then this might be the better option.

To get behind the fuses the panel right behind it needs to come off, the one with the light switch mounted on it.

 

Take the clip on panel above the steering column off. Remove the 2 screws behind it.

 

Take the fuse panel cover off. Remove the screw behind it.

 

Remove 3/4 screws along the bottom of the panel in the footwell.

 

Ease off, watch the ODB2 port you can unclip this with a screw driver and unplug the light switch/headlight leveling switch.

 

* sorry memory was a little foggy as to which came first, this or the center panel, despite the fact I installed these today*

The entire centre console can be removed in minutes making it really easy to mount the relay and do all the wiring, then you can slide the stereo out scotchblock the switched live and reassemble in minutes.

^ It's true.

 

Alternatively (and less easily) following the first 7 steps of this how-to will get you in behind the lower dash panel, where the heart of the electrical system lives.  It's an awkward environment to work in though, and doesn't even give you good access to the back of the fuse panel IIRC. 

Thanks for the comments so far. Yeah, if the centre console does come out that easily, then that's what I'll do. Cheers.

If your just after switched power can't you just use a piggy back fuse as per the dashcam guides?

If your just after switched power can't you just use a piggy back fuse as per the dashcam guides?

Got a link? Does this effect the fuse rating?

I would suggest cutting off the live cable and insulating it, then run a new feed from the fuse box (use an "add a circuit" from the rear wiper fuse with a 10A fuse) and join this to the cigarette lighter socket

Got a link? Does this effect the fuse rating?

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/265343-dash-cam-12v-multi-adaptor-hidden-install-driver-storage-compartment/

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/265343-dash-cam-12v-multi-adaptor-hidden-install-driver-storage-compartment/

Nice one. Cheers

Here's how I succeeded in making my cigar lighter socket switched with the ignition (as opposed to supplied 12V all the time):

 

As suggested, I didn't attempt to get behind the fusebox, instead opting for removing the centre console.

 

I also removed the glove box, which was dead easy.  The Haynes book-of-lies says that to do this you need to remove the whole dash facia!?  I didn't; just the 5 screws for me.  3 in the glove compartment, 2 underneath, mind the connector for the light, note the vent hose)

 

Instead of removing the radio and looking for a switched-12V there, I decided to use the switched-live for the blower.  I'm not convinced there is one for the radio.  Not according to the drawings I was looking at.

 

The 12V for the blower can be easily accessed from the large (12pin?) connector behind the glove box.  Mine only had two wires in it.  The red&white wire is the switched-live.  The brown is good earth, back to the battery, which I also used.  Via a little cutting and crimping I ran two wires to the bottom of the centre console (under the blower-ac controls), where I planned to install my 25A SPST relay.  This is also where I intercepted the cigar lighter live wire, which is the black&white one in the loom on the right hand side (some unwrapping required).

 

A little more cutting and crimping, and the relay is installed.  Easy in hindsight, but it took a lot of swearing, fiddling and figuring-out to get there.