The Challenge: I need a place in the cabin of my '97 SE to wire a 12V bulb to. Are there any wires that receive power when the car is turned on, stay on as long as the key is in the Accessory or ignition spot, and will turn off when I take the key out and open the door? Does the cig. lighter outlet do this, or does it run a current as long as there is something plugged in? I dont want to forget to turn it off and kill the battery, (which I think that I will).

There should be one that runs to the radio. Get a testor and find it in the radio wiring harness and splice into it. The cigarette lighter always has power available.

so you want it to come on when you have the key in either on acc or run...and when doors open w/ no key in? if thats it id guess trying to find the wires for the current lights that are in there for the doors...and running it off that...what are you trying to do?

Do you have Retained Accessory Power? Then use the radio.

Fuddy? I assume Retained Accesory Power is the ability to operate almost all options with the ignition in the OFF position (ie engine not running)

The stereo stays on, the windows work etc until a door is opened. I just wanted to be clear. If that is the case, then yes, the radio is fine

I used the sunroof power for my heated seats. The fact is if I need to turn on the heated seats it'* probably too cold for the sunroof to be open. Do you have a sunroof? ???You might have the circut for the sunroof at the panel even if you don't have a sunroof???

Either way, find something (like they mentioned) that runs only when you want (ie: windows, radio, other?) and tap into that at the panel.

Access the circuit you're interested in via the fusebox under the dash.

if you had a aftermarket radio and a wiring harness you just connect it to the red wire(red wire only has power when the car is on or acc but no other time id check your stock radio or amp harness (if you have premeunn sound)

i want it to work with the retained accessory power, so that it will automatically shut off when a door is opened. The light will be running whenever the radio is on, so I would probably end up taking power away from the radio, right? I think I will just find a miscellanious light that I dont need and splice it in to there, maybe put a switch so I could turn it off if i wanted to. The sunroof idea is good, did it affect the speed of the sunroof opening/closing? Does the cig lighter have Retained Accessory Power, or will it stay on?

The cig lighter has constant power.