why are all the cigarette lighters always powered even with the key out of the ignition?

its frustrating on my 01 to always have to pull the power adapter for my dash cam out after each drive. would be so much more convienant if the lighter socket was key switched so the camera would just auto-shutdown and then I could hide the wires lol.

looks like I'll have to buy an aftermarket lighter socket and wire it to a proper keyed on source.

I thought they were only powered for 15ish minutes. Why not just wire the camera to a keyed power source?

Why??? Why are you not asking this question in your own thread about a topic that is oft discussed and many would have suggestions...yet you chose to bury your question in this multi-topic thread that spans the course of multiple years and is 30+ pages long.

Again, in your own thread & under a specific topic you would have had multiple suggestions by now which deals with a common issue with BMW models for the last 20 or so years. One answer is to use the BMW adapter that plugs into the switched outlet in the glove compartment for the flashlight.

I don't wanna sound like I'm defending this thread because I started it , but how many times does someone ask a question and is told to use the search button? a lot of questions just need a quick yes or no answer or someone to post a link. I understand people want everything nice and neat so other people can search and find things better but if that's the case then someone should sticky all the most commonly asked questions like "what oil do I use"or "my mirrors won't fold" or "my door handle isn't opening"

I think many users are such in a hurry for an answer they forgot to browse the xoutpost site. I believe tips and tricks section covers the most frequent fixes and repairs already

03/2003 E53 X5 4.4i M62 FB 33

Wow. I guess you could say I struck a vein

Its not about making anyone upset...its just that your question is not a simple yes/no or here's a link.

In fact you pose a very important question to anyone that may be looking for the BMW auxilliary power adapter that plugs into the flashlight socket in the glove box (which is switched).

BMW has stopped making them, and they are quickly being gobbled up in the market...and the gougers are already raising the normal $25 cost to up to $100 dollars and more on eBay.

Again, this information is important to anyone that may be considering the same thing...and time is wasting because the market is drying up. Starting your own thread...would have put this information out there for anyone else looking for the same thing...or caught their attention if they had put this upgrade on the back burner. But now...this important information is buried in this multi-topic thread...on the 31st page. A whole lot of members will NOT see this important info versus if you had asked it in your own thread where you would have had specific replies to an important topic and fast disappearing part that used to be readily available.

As a counterpoint, some of us who have been answering the same questions on this site since 2005 don't read this thread, and therefore won't see the questions or respond. I personally find it is too generic and broad to be useful.

I stopped checking this thread long time ago... same with the other monster thread, what did you do to your X5... visit them once in a while, skipping 10-15 pages at a time... lol...

looked in my glovebox and I guess mine didnt come with the optional flashglight.

its either just the template for that to be cut out or there's a block plate in there but either way its blocked off and I cant seem to get it to pop loose.