Never had a car within the last 10 years you couldn't charge your phone with the power off...am I missing something here why you have to power up in the accessory mode to get power to start charging your phone.

 

I assume it is so you don't drain the battery. This is the same operation as on the other Lexus vehicles I have owned.

 

Every car I've owned over the past 10 years, turns off the accessory power. Probably for the reason Elliot mentioned.

 

Never had a car within the last 20 years you could charge your phone with the power off.

John

 

My 2001 Audi, 2003 and 1974 Chevy trucks both had cigarette lighters where I plugged the cell phone charger into. Guess the Lexus without the cigarette lighters takes that option away. There is still power to the seat memory buttons and seat movement switches without turning power on, why not the center consol outlet.

 

I've not had a toyota or lexus profuct in the last 9 years that left the cigarette/12v accessory outlet on. While a phone may not drain a battery much, other things you could plug into that outlet could potentially drain the battery very quickly. You would have to be doing some pretty strange things for a while with your seats to completely discharge a battery. I haven't tried it out in the lexus, but toyotas also had a limited amount of time windows and other items remained on after the engine was turned off and before the door was opened when they were all turned off - except the seats.

 

A guess only, but the seat functions are used and then released, while something/anything plugged in would draw power continuously.