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Q: The Radio stays on when the car is off

asked by on December 14, 2016

Happened suddenly. The radio and cigarette lighter port stay live when the car is off. I removed the radio and tested the 12 v accessory line and found it putting out 12 volts even with the car off. Also the cigarette lighter which also should turn off stays live as well. The radio is aftermarket but that doesn't matter as i removed it and the wire stayed live. The only other item added was a remote start 2 - 3 years ago.

Thanks

My car has 127000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hi there:

Accessories are powered by the battery until the vehicle is started, when the alternator takes over. If the radio is staying on after removing the key, it’s receiving a constant supply of battery power due to a faulty relay. You’ll have to purchase a service manual to trace which relay is faulty, or contact a professional mobile mechanic to complete an electrical problems inspection.

Nissan
Altima
2008
V6-3.5L
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