electrical and ignition Mystery connector/cable - help to identify

[Tsingtao_1903]

My car is missing the switch for the hand brake.  I was poking around to see if I can find a replacement switch and fashion a bracket to install it.  I was also looking for any pre-existing cable for the hand brake switch.  There was no cable anywhere on the driver side.  But, there was a cable on the back passenger side.  Both wires are black.  The contacts are all gunked up.  I am going to trim off the old connector and install a new one.  Before I do that, I want to know what it is.  Please help to identify the cable in the attached picture.

 

Thanks.

[OriginalOwner]

My first thought is for the seat belt switch under the passenger seat.  Each seat in my car has a switch intertwined into the seat springs so that when you sit in the seat the switch connects (or disconnects ??) and the "fasten seat belt" sign on the dash lights up until the seat belt is fastened ...... not that I understand how any of that works as it never did in my '74tii.

 

If that is actually the wiring for that, then there "should be" a matching connector and switch for the driver's side.

 

Cheers,

 

Carl

 

Edited October 9, 2016 by OriginalOwner

[Russell74Fjord]

yeah, that is the connection for the seat belt inter lock, the connection for the hand brake is underneath the car, and also, check that the bulb is OK on the dash light indicator for the hand brake being engaged. and do your back up lights come on? If so, likely the switch is ok, the dash bulb is burned out.

[Tsingtao_1903]

Forgot to say mine is 1972.

 

The dash light indicator is okay.  I can short across the two leads off the brake fluid cap and the light will come one.  Back up lights come on when in reverse.

 

Should there be a switch right at the back of the hand brake?  Mine is missing along with the bracket.

[Buckeye]

38 minutes ago, Tsingtao_1903 said:

Should there be a switch right at the back of the hand brake?  Mine is missing along with the bracket.

yes, there should be one. part No. 61311369771

 

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-bmw-parts/parking-brake-switch/61311369771/

Edited October 9, 2016 by Buckeye

[PaulTWinterton]

AFAIK pre-74 cars did not have a hand brake indicator light. Therefore no switch.   The red light on the dash is only for the fluid reservoir level and subsequent brake failure.

 

Cable under seats is definitely for the seatbelt warning system.

[Buckeye]

10 minutes ago, PaulTWinterton said:

AFAIK pre-74 cars did not have a hand brake indicator light. Therefore no switch.   The red light on the dash is only for the fluid reservoir level and subsequent brake failure.

 

Cable under seats is definitely for the seatbelt warning system.

Paul, It is good to know. I went back and looked at Realoem and does not specify "From Up To". Edited my post. I am wondering what they were thinking?

[Tsingtao_1903]

Learned something today.  Thanks.

[Conserv]

1 hour ago, PaulTWinterton said:

AFAIK pre-74 cars did not have a hand brake indicator light. Therefore no switch.   The red light on the dash is only for the fluid reservoir level and subsequent brake failure.

 

Cable under seats is definitely for the seatbelt warning system.

 

+1

 

What Paul said.

 

Before the 1974 models, the dashboard brake light on U.S. models only indicated low brake fluid. From 1974 onward it indicated both low brake fluid and handbrake activation on U.S. models.

 

The plug you've uncovered (black plastic) originally connected to the inertia reel for the right front seat belt.  A separate plug (white, as shown below) connected to the seat bottom sensor for the right front seat.

 

Regards,

 

Steve

 

Edited October 9, 2016 by Conserv

[JohnH]

My red light flickered yesterday as I went over a particularly rough bit of road. That's when I realised that the needle on the fuel gauge was at the bottom of the red. Oops!

[Conserv]

3 hours ago, JohnH said:

My red light flickered yesterday as I went over a particularly rough bit of road. That's when I realised that the needle on the fuel gauge was at the bottom of the red. Oops!

 

John,

 

I don't know why, but the U.S.-spec cars never received the low-fuel warning capability that the Euro-spec cars, like yours, received.  I'd love to hear why this functionality was not present on the U.S.-spec cars.

 

I recall clearly reading in my first '02's (early 1970) Owner's handbook that the brake warning light also provided a low fuel warning function, and asking my dealer, who couldn't explain why the U.S. cars didn't have that function.

 

Best regards,

 

Steve

 

 

[Simeon]

Legal requirement to have it in 'continental Europe' in those days but really doesn't explain why it wasn't taken over to US cars. 

 

Use for brake fluid level / failure mean that they were concerned about the mixed messages? Something had to give and it was low fuel given this already had a gauge. Not sure all the various brake failure type functions were present on euro cars.