A vehicle power outlet switch (10) can include a threshold detector (14) for comparing a predetermined threshold with a vehicle battery characteristic and a power switch (18) controlled by the output of the threshold detector. Note, the vehicle battery characteristic differs while the vehicle engine is turned on or turned off and the threshold detector provides an enabling signal to the power switch when the vehicle engine is detected as being on. The threshold detector can also provide a disabling signal to the power switch when the vehicle engine is off. The power outlet switch can further include a timer (16) coupled to an output of the threshold detector that continues to provide an enabling signal to the power switch for a predetermined time after the threshold detector detects that the vehicle engine is turned off. The timer can include or be a one shot timer.