# Cigarette Lighter Backlight??



## TexasAggie (Mar 2, 2005)

I went out to the garage to charge my phone and there is no power w/o the key turned to ACC. Two questions:

1. How do I access the power w/o the key
2. Is the little green circle (similar in looks to the ignition that lights) that surrounds the lighter supposed to illuminate?? Mine doesn't illuminate like the ignition does (whereby the full "circle" lights up to help you find the keyhole). In other words, is the green circle around the cigarette lighter supposed to light up the same way as the green circle around the ignition?? :confused


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## Holden (Sep 10, 2005)

What yr Goat? I turn radio on to use one in console, stays on for 1hr


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## TexasAggie (Mar 2, 2005)

Holden said:


> What yr Goat? I turn radio on to use one in console, stays on for 1hr



I have an '06. I'll go try that now. Is the green ring around the lighter supposed to light up?


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## TexasAggie (Mar 2, 2005)

Nope...when the key is pulled out the power shuts off. Dohhhh!!!


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## disastertourism (Jul 31, 2006)

sorry i can't help you with your lighter problem. i have problems with mine too. i have another question though. it sounds kind of strange but, do any of you guys have radar detectors? and if you do, where do you put them? i have an 05 goat (don't know if there is a difference in the new models with the lighters) and the only plug is inside the center console, makes it damn near impossible to plug a radar detector in and put it anywhere convenient


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## Mike_V (Mar 10, 2006)

disastertourism said:


> sorry i can't help you with your lighter problem. i have problems with mine too. i have another question though. it sounds kind of strange but, do any of you guys have radar detectors? and if you do, where do you put them? i have an 05 goat (don't know if there is a difference in the new models with the lighters) and the only plug is inside the center console, makes it damn near impossible to plug a radar detector in and put it anywhere convenient


You have to get the front smoker's package installed, the one that comes with the lighter.

Also, Holden is right. Take the key out and hit the radio's on button. You will have accessory power for 1 hour.


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## TexasAggie (Mar 2, 2005)

Mike_V said:


> Also, Holden is right. Take the key out and hit the radio's on button. You will have accessory power for 1 hour.


Got it to work with the radio on...but what a STUPID design. So, in order to charge my phone, my phone gets to listen to music for an hour. 

Does the green circle light on the lighter actually light up?


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## Mike_V (Mar 10, 2006)

TexasAggie said:


> Got it to work with the radio on...but what a STUPID design. So, in order to charge my phone, my phone gets to listen to music for an hour.
> 
> Does the green circle light on the lighter actually light up?


Ummm, it should.


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## kegbelly (Mar 23, 2006)

TexasAggie said:


> Got it to work with the radio on...but what a STUPID design. So, in order to charge my phone, my phone gets to listen to music for an hour.
> 
> Does the green circle light on the lighter actually light up?


On my '06, the little green ring around the lighter does light up, but it's nowhere near as bright as the key light or the radio knob light (at least on my car it's not). Turn your key on acc, preferably in a dark garage, and you should see it light up a bit. Take the lighter out of its socket and there is indeed a light back there, but it's set way back at the rear of the lighter socket, so it doesn't light up the green circle much at all. You can also pop out the ashtray insert and see a light in there. There is a little white lens in the upper right rear corner of the insert that the light is supposed to shine through into the ashtray. It doesn't light up much either, I guess it's more of a reference marker so you're not stabbing a lit cigarette around in the dark hunting for the ashtray.
On the same subject, does anyone know how to remove the whole ashtray, not just the insert? I was wondering if I could adjust the position of the light to illuminate the green lighter ring a little better. 

I agree with you on the design. I don't know if the Aussie Holdens are the same, or if GM had to change a bunch of electrical stuff around when they modified the cars from RH drive to LH drive for the US, but it seems to me that some of the electrical operation in these cars was poorly designed or thrown in as an afterthought. Like the doorlock operation that requires you to use the key fob to lock the doors...:confused 
But I can see the logic of killing power to the lighter and accessory outlet when the ignition is turned off... it might save you from walking one day because you forgot to unplug your radar detector and the phone charger. I've done it.


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## kwiktsi (Apr 5, 2006)

You are not required to use the keyfob for door locks- you can use the - get ready for this- lock cylinder or door lock knob directly :lol:. Both doors lock/unlock together. Before people bash the GTO for this- there are several cars like that, with no lock button in the center console for the "door lock operation impared" types.


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## TexasAggie (Mar 2, 2005)

kegbelly said:


> On my '06, the little green ring around the lighter does light up, but it's nowhere near as bright as the key light or the radio knob light (at least on my car it's not). Turn your key on acc, preferably in a dark garage, and you should see it light up a bit. Take the lighter out of its socket and there is indeed a light back there, but it's set way back at the rear of the lighter socket, so it doesn't light up the green circle much at all. You can also pop out the ashtray insert and see a light in there. There is a little white lens in the upper right rear corner of the insert that the light is supposed to shine through into the ashtray. It doesn't light up much either, I guess it's more of a reference marker so you're not stabbing a lit cigarette around in the dark hunting for the ashtray.
> On the same subject, does anyone know how to remove the whole ashtray, not just the insert? I was wondering if I could adjust the position of the light to illuminate the green lighter ring a little better.
> .



Okay. I guess mine lights up properly then. You're right...the FULL green ring around the lighter doesn't fully illuminate, more like a small portion and the rest isn't that bright.


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## kegbelly (Mar 23, 2006)

kwiktsi said:


> You are not required to use the keyfob for door locks- you can use the - get ready for this- lock cylinder or door lock knob directly :lol:. Both doors lock/unlock together. Before people bash the GTO for this- there are several cars like that, with no lock button in the center console for the "door lock operation impared" types.


Actually, yes, you are required to use the key fob in certain circumstances, and no you can't manually lock the doors, again, in certain circumstances. I posted another thread related to this. ( http://www.gtoforum.com/showthread.php?t=9101 ). Maybe you should take a moment to read this before you start calling people "impaired".
The only time the console door lock button works (and I'm talking about my '06 here) is from _inside_ the car with the doors shut. If the door is open, the console door lock button WILL NOT work, and you CAN NOT manually lock the doors by using the lock knob. It won't let you push it down to lock. Therefore, the key fob or the cylinder lock is your only choice to lock the car from outside the vehicle. When I unlocked the door with the key, it set the alarm off and woke half the neighborhood, and I'm afraid to try to lock it with the key, it might self-destruct. :lol:


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