How To: Splice-less Always On Power Outlet

I recently needed to be able to power an accessory while the Leaf was fully OFF so I moved the fuse connection to an unused always on slot in the fuseblock (heated seat). Took some pictures in case others are interested:

0) Open the hood and close all doors with the car off. Wait 5 minutes. Disconnect the battery.
1) Remove the two plastic screw/rivets under the steering column and pull down on the panel. Then unscrew the two 10mm hex screws below the hood release latches (indicated in the pic).

2) Pull down on the hood release assembly to expose a torx screw. Remove it.

3) Remove the fuseblock cover and gently pull the dash panel out as shown below.

4) Pull the 20A Power Outlet fuse and note the plastic retention tab inside the socket. Also see the empty socket below. You will need to insert a thin screwdriver and twist to release the fuse connector while tugging on the thick blue wire in the back. I found this easiest with the fuse block still attached. This is probably the trickiest part of this mod.


5) Remove the two screws holding the fuse block in place and lift up and in to free it.

6) The middle column in the fuse block is always hot so you just need to find an empty slot there to relocate the power connection. I chose the heated seat slot.

Push it in until it snaps in place.

7) Reverse the steps to put back together and label your fuse position on the cover.


Insert the 20A fuse in the new location. Done.

The heated seats are always live? What a terrible idea in this car!

He has a 2011. It doesn't have heated seats.

LeftieBiker said:

The heated seats are always live? What a terrible idea in this car!

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TomT said:

He has a 2011. It doesn't have heated seats.

LeftieBiker said:

The heated seats are always live? What a terrible idea in this car!

Click to expand...

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They were an option, I assume? And always live? See above.

I don't think it was even an option when I ordered my Leaf using the pre-order web interface. I wouldn't have chose them if it was, though, given my location. Must have either reused a fuseblock from another line (Juke?) or was a place-holder. There is also an empty heated steering wheel slot. I, too, thought it odd that the heated seat would be on an always-on circuit but maybe that is so they can preheat them on demand via CarWings.

I' pretty sure that the seats in my '13 turn off with the "ignition" but can also be activated via CarWings. I was just noting that always-live seat heaters would be a GREAT way for kids (or the absent-minded, like me) to drain the accessory battery.

If I were designing heated seat circuits, I’d have the relay control switched, but the seat heater element power always on.

This reduces the size of the relay needed for all the switched. Besides, seat heaters need their own relay anyway, so why put them thru the general switched power relay?