suprfli

I've searched through the forums and haven't found anything on this.

The xB has a great flat area in front of the steering wheel. I'm planning on using my TomTom navigation system. I may add a few other things but what I was wondering is why in the world auto makers don't put an electric adapter up on the dash at the base of the windshield w/a nice little dash colored cap on it for when it's not in use. It would be nice if I could plug in my TomTom GPS system right on the top of the dash and have virtually no wire exposed. A friend of mine has a radar detector, phone, GPS, bluetooth adapter and iPod. He has a 4-way outlet adapter and a million cords running down his dash. It's a complete mess.

I love the way that the Scion is designed. I was wondering if there has been any discussion about running cables behind/through the dash down to the cigarette outlet. I'd like to hide at least the cable from the GPS unit. Any suggestions or has anyone tried this?

xBHAWK

You are correct to want to hide wires. People mount gauges on that flat surface behind the shelf, so it must be posible. Let me suggest this: mount a guage there, but one that is not wired to anything. What kind of gauge would that be? I got a gift from my brother, it was an altimeter/barometer. It measures air pressure and it just happened to fit the blank circular dash cover next to the speedometer on my moped. I just removed the blank and slid the gauge in. You could use a gauge like this to plug the hole needed for when your nav gear is on your dash. If the wire is thin, you could slide gauge in with the wire comming out the side of this gauge nearest to the unit. The wire would go down to a hidden adapter you can buy and wire hot somehow, somewhere behind the dash.
When the nav gear is not in use, you would see this gauge.
When the nav gear is in use, the wire would go from the back of it, into the gauge hole behind the nav gear, perhaps next to the gauge.
The gauge I have has a face that is larger than the hole. It can be had at any good parts store. It measures air pressure, it is a barometer if it stays in one place, or it measures altitude if you go up a mountain. Let me know if you want a picture of my moped dash.
A hole in the dash is a big deal, this gauge is a way to plug it neatly.

suprfli

xBHawk: good idea! i'll look around and see if i see something like you're describing. i might be able to do something like that. thanks.

billyng

Have yoy mounted the tomtom gps yet? If so, would you tell me how to hide the power cable. I want to install the tomtom 700 because it comes with the bluetooth handsfree.

Krakkles

I've been thinking of doing something like this - I've got a sidekick (cellphone) and want to put it facing toward me on the dash, preferably with the charger hooked up. I'm figuring I'll just drill a hole in the dash, though.

billyng

It's just my 2 cents. I may drill the hole if I am sure the device will stay in the dash for a long time, but it may be, to me, too risky for a sidekick or cellphone because they changed models too rapidly.

suprfli

i'm waiting on the 2006 so i haven't done this yet.

i plan on putting a cell phone and gps on the dash that will need access to the cig lighter. i don't want the wires all hanging out and i'll be upgrading and adding other components when needed so i plan on always having -something- that needs a wire. i'm not so worried about drilling the hole. i'm more concerned about once i drill the hole how difficult it will be to get behind the dash and maneuver the wire. anyone know what kind of access you have behind the dash?

xBHAWK

Even better.... Try a dash mat. I like mine and it would hide a multitude of wires.
http://www.allscion.com/dashmats.html#Top

cjastacio

I have done a quick write up on how to hard wire a radar detector, maybe it will give you guys an idea on how to do it with a tomtom. If I was rich enough to have one of those I could probably give you guys some specifics on how to do it. Check it out here https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...716&highlight=.
As far as running wires under the dash I just ran my power cable from the fuse box up along the driver's pillar. It's really easy to do if you remove the weather stripping on the driver's side along the pillar. My write up also gives you an idea of where to plug in a fused power wire in the fuse box. Hope this helps!

H8me

it is realy easy to remove the actual dash so you can drill and run wires as clean as factory all u need is a phillips head screw driner and a 12mm. socket if u want details let me know and ill give u step by step.
just took mine off to day to in stall remote start alarm.

chadfo

I've had my dash out several times. I'm just sharing a pic so you can see what's under there. Maybe it'll help your planning. The defrost vent is not installed at the moment. You can see it in the passenger seat but it rests right against the insulation on the firewall.

midtowndesi

I am trying to do the same. I am trying to find a place to mount my Microsoft streets and trips 2006 gps locator...

this is a pic of it



right now, i just have it suction-cupped to the windshield. it'd be cool to find a pace to put it so that only the usb -end of the cable was visible...
- sh00k