What's this toggle switch for?

Car is an 89 328, purchased recently. The little cubby hole on the left end of the dash has a toggle switch installed in it. The only thing I can think of is that it's for an aftermarket alarm system. I can't trace the black and white wires because they disappear in a bundle of wires that go under the steering column.

I'm hesitant to throw the switch without knowing what it does. Any clues?

Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Call previous owner.

 

Good idea but I bought it from a dealer. I have no contact info for the previous owner.

 

Do you have two extra door switches in your door jam? If so, you probably had an alarm system installed at some point.

 

Not original, could be for driving or fog light or it could be part of an alarm syste.

 

Only way to tell is flip the switch and see what happens. If the car does not start, maybe it is an ignition disabling function as a budget anti theft device. My father did this on his old Fiat x19.

 

Call bell for the butler

 

Really? - I just used to take the rotor arm out of my X1/9's.

Cheapest and simplist engine immobilizer in the World

(A trick from World War 2 that my Grandad told me about! )

 

Trace the wires from the switch..

 

My bet is that it’s a fuel pump kill switch.

Alan
N.J.

 

A-ha! Yes there are two door jamb switches on the driver's side. It's gotta be for an alarm. I also found a little LED mounted right between the two dash vents below the radio. More evidence of an alarm installation.

 

Two door jamb switches on 1982 driver side is normal. Door light and key buzzer.

 

Ok, thanks. The mystery continues.

I'll try again to see if I can trace the wires from the switch.

 

Fill the NOS bottle and you will see.

 

Watch out for this switch, they seem to have been dealer installed options on some exotic cars...

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Thats the expensive chrome option..

 

I was able to trace the black wire far enough to find a 5 amp fuse holder, connected to a red 12v source wire via T-tap. I still don't know for sure what it was for, but I've removed the switch and associated wiring that I could get to. Another thing it could have been is a radiator fan switch override, but I didn't see any evidence around the thermoswitch itself.

Whatever it was, it's gone.

Question: "NOS bottle"?

 

NOS Bottle- Nitrous Oxide. Most setups usean 'arm' switch to enable the NO2 when you apply full throttle.

 

Oh, I thought NOS = New Old Stock