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12 volt hot in back seat

2K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  gdp 
#1 ·
I want to install a USB port inside the center armrest that folds down in the back seat. Does anyone know where I can find an always hot wire in the back seat area? Thanks, it will save me some work pulling things up to find one.
 
#2 ·
I'll try this again. I know there is a wiring harness that goes under the rear seat driver's side door sill. Can anyone please tell me which wire is, preferably hot all the time, and if none, hot with the ignition switch on? I know I can check it with a test light but prefer not to poke holes in all the wires if I don't have to.
Thank you to anyone that knows.
 
#3 ·
Good question and free bump. When I added an amp back there I had to run a new wire for power IIRC...
 
#4 ·
Interested as well. I’ve been wanting to run the USB ports but believe I’m going to run them on both rear doors where the useless ash trays are (don’t allow smoking in my vehicles anyway)
 
#5 ·
You could check and see what color wire that goes to the center pin on your trailer hitch plug. That pin is a constant 12v with key on IIRC. That may help you narrow down the wire in the bundle under the rear door cover panel.
 
#6 ·
I could be wrong but I don't think you have anything in the back of a crew cab that is constant hot. The only things that have power are the rear cab lites. The other wires would be for speakers. So I suspect if you want to run 12 volt constant you are going to have to splice into the wires for the trailer plug below the cab (i would not recommend that) or run a constant hot back from the fuze block. I put a painless wiring fuze block in all my trucks, it makes adding things like gauges, seat warmers, ect pretty easy.
DENNY
 
#7 · (Edited)
Correct, there is nothing in that harness you could or should use.

Assuming we are talking about the truck in your signature, there is a 12V 10 amp fused "hot in run" wire in the "Customer Access" bundle under the drivers side of the instrument panel that you could use. It is a white wire with a light blue tracer and uses fuse #29 in the instrument panel fuse box. To locate it, remove the lower cover under the steering column and follow the harness back from the diagnostic connector (DLC). There is a bundle of cut wires with shrink tube on the ends. Simply isolate the wire, strip the end and connect your wire to run to the rear of the truck. Running the wire would be simple as you can secure it behind the left kick panel and back under the sill trim.
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the replies. Good to know about the customer access bundle, thank Ford Dr.
I did the installation on Friday and wound up splicing into the wire for the switchable reading lights above the back seat. Green wire with a yellow stripe in the harness on the drivers side rear seat. It's only hot while the ignition is on but was simple to get hooked up. I'll go back sometime and run a hot from the front.
FYI, I bought this double USB plug
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32658867252.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.383e4c4d1g8ud8
for $4 including shipping from China (took about 6 weeks) and ran the wire thru the seat back behind the fold down armrest and over to the wire near the seatbelt. The USB plug stays behind the armrest and can be pulled out when needed. Only had to punch a 1/8" hole behind the armrest for the wire. Best $4 I've spent on the truck!
 
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