Quick Question

[e30Andym42]

What's this?
It is located inside the driver's side air vent for your feet.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm26/e30Andym42/DSCN2982.jpg

In case you can't tell, it says On (red) and Off (black).
The way I figure it, it engages HYPERSPEED!

[ak96ss]

Alarm kill switch?

Phaser?

Ejection Seat?

[VacMan2]

I'm about 99% sure that's a valet switch for the alarm that was, or still is, in your car.

Whoohoo, first post on M42club.com.

[Cobra Jet]

Damn, you have the optional Spy Hunter oil slick/smoke screen switch! Cool!

:)

[JP 91iS]

Have you tried switching it off? Could be an ignition kill switch to prevent theft.

[e30Andym42]

Haha, thanks for the replies, gotta love em =D

I did try switching it off, while the car was running, and it remained running. FYI...

[quinn11m20]

I know my car ain't got one. Probably an alarm switch.

[e30Andym42]

appears to be popular belief, or...the only realistic one for that matter, lol. But the PO disconnected the alrm somehow cuz "it was draining the battery" To me, this is a simple solution: disconnect battery.

But the PO did insert a piece of wood where the e-brake button was cuz it was disappearing behind the handle, and drilled a screw through the handle to keep it from flying out. My solution would have been: slide the e-brake handle backwards until the button appears!

Now I have no alarm system, and a useless switch. So time to invent an awesome thing to connect this to. Train horn?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQpa8whzwAE&feature=related
lol, can't see me doing that, which is why train horn stays on train, not e30

[Cobra Jet]

make a starter kill switch out of it, this way when it is armed, it will disable your starter and the car cannot be stolen (unless flat bedded or towed away).

Or you could hook it up to your fuel pump - no fuel, no start.

:)

Although, the Spy Hunter features are pretty cool...

[txleadfoot]

Could be the on/off switch for an FM modulator hookup. Look for any suspect audio cables hanging down near the radio.

[roundel318]

I have an alarm with a similar switch as well.
I believe it may have been the "factory" alarm, not made by BMW, but sold by BMW at dealerships.
Sort of like the husco / oe armrest arrangement.
Do you have the alarm speaker unit behind your drivers side headlights in front of the washer tank?

[JP 91iS]

I found a similar switch in my glovebox. My car came with an Alpine alarm/keyless entry installed, but the wire for the alarm horn (which is a huge horn btw) is disconnected. My alarm horn is on the engine bay battery tray. I haven't looking into the whole system yet, I was going to wait until I swap the dash out.