Keep Radio On After Shutting Engine Off In P

Hi All,

After parking I put the shifter in P and shut off the engine by pushing the start/stop button. With that everything shuts off, even radio.

However, sometimes I want to continue listening to radio but will then have to put it in accessory mode manually which kind of sucks.

From what I was able to find the only way to keep the radio on is to put the shifter in any other location (R, N, D) and push the start/stop button to shut off. That kind of sucks too.

I realize it is a first world problem but are there any settings that keep just the radio on after shifting to P and shutting the engine off?

For example my previous car kept the radio on and shut it off when the driver door opened.

 

I actually wondered myself but never posted to ask.

 

Does listening to the stereo in accessory mode drain the battery though?

 

I've been thinking of doing some kind of mod for this. My first thought is to run a wire from one of the power window motors to the accessory wire on the back of the head unit. This will accomplish two things. It will keep the stereo powered after the ignition is turned off, and it should also allow use of the windows in accessory mode, rather than only with ignition on.

So far this is only an idea, I have not had (and probably will not have anytime soon) time to check any voltages or current draw on either of these circuits. Probably the windows draw a lot more current than the head unit, so I would almost definitely want to wire in a relay (maybe two).

The other hesitation is that this idea only keeps the head unit powered up for 45 seconds (or until a door is opened) after the ignition is turned off. If it's going to be on a timer I would want the head unit to stay powered up for at least a few minutes.

There's a lot of options though, latching relays, toggle switches, TR7 or TR12 modules (these are really cool but take a little know how)...

When and if I get around to it (unless someone beats me to it), I will do a write up.

 

I regularly shift into N and turn off the engine. Then shift to P. One time I had it in this mode with the radio playing for awhile and the display beeped and said "shutting down to save power" or something like that. Maybe this isn't what your'e looking for though.

 

Thanks for all the responses.
I'll experiment with shifting to N before shutting off. Then to P

Is there any detriment to the transmission when shifting while the engine is off?

 

No.

 

P and N are the same thing except P engges the parking pawl which keeps the truck from moving

 

I'm more so curious to see how I can get it to start at a lower volume. Sometimes I turn off the truck at like 40 volume. then start it first thing in the morning at 5am going to work and its still at 40 lol.

 

Ha, I wondered the same but didn't want to post a thread.

This is annoying when I'm picking my kid up and want to keep the radio on when I turn the engine off.

Guess I just have to get used to shifting to N, turning it off, and then shifting to park. Just like learning to turn the engine off before opening the door..

 

Damn push button start issues.

If I am early to work I sometimes sit and chill before going in so I shut it off and then shift. I can't remember if I leave it in drive or neutral or what. I usually go to shut it off then remember to shift it out of park then off then shift back to park.

My wife's last car would keep the radio on after shutting off until you opened the door. While I would prefer the Tacoma do this it really isn't a big deal to do the sequence above.

 

is it really that big of a deal to just put it in park and then press the start button twice?
Thats what I do. first press turns off then second press turns on accessory.
Just wait 1 sec before second press and its fine.

Like I said I'd be more interested in a fix so start up volume isn't what it was turned off as, since I often forget to turn it down before shutting off. My Jetta would only start at 20% volume (which I could set higher)

 

Personally I turn down my radio before I exit the vehicle because doing that isn't a big deal to me and my IQ indicated this to be the best course of action for easy repeatable results.

Different strokes - I do my sequence for keeping the radio on and others do theirs.

 

You're right and I would say normally, no, it isn't that big of a deal.

It became an issue when I was talking on the phone through the vehicle and upon arriving at my destination turning off car also turns off the phone routing through the truck and I would be left scrambling to get my phone to continue the conversation. Not a biggie, but annoying enough that I discovered the shift to N solution which resolves that for me.

 

My 2014 Corolla is the worst with the volume. The radio is slow to boot up and activate so there is at least a five second delay from when music starts blaring and when the dial will actually work to turn it down.

 

So when using your phone through BT to the head unit doing the shut off then shift to park keeps your call going through the radio? I haven't tried this yet so I keep it running until my call is finished. It would be sweet if this works.

 

Yep! Works for me with push button and JBL.

 

I'm still used to my other vehicle and often forget too turn it down.

 

On another note OP just realized your user name. The acid synth legend haha best bassline machine

 

Yes sir!
Honestly I'm surprised that someone would get my user name in a truck forum

Been listening to the sounds that come out of that shiny silver box for the last few decades and still not sick of it.

In fact, Roland released the tb3 and the tr8 that reproduce the analog sounds if the originals. Been driving my wife and kids nuts with them LOL