What is this?

[ExpensiveHoby]

What is this switch what appears to make contact with the gear selector shaft? I know its not the reverse switch as this is on the transmission itself. No electrical diagrams show anything like this.

[Son of Marty]

It's a lock out switch when it worked the car would not crank unless the shifter was in neutral, I think it was a 73 only deal.

[JsnPpp]

New one to me! 

[jgerock]

This very topic has been discussed several times.  My 73 (at one time) had the interlock.

[jgerock]

16 minutes ago, ExpensiveHoby said:

What is this switch what appears to make contact with the gear selector shaft? I know its not the reverse switch as this is on the transmission itself. No electrical diagrams show anything like this.

BMW treats this as a neutral safety switch.  Automatic trans has one on the casing. Manual trans uses the shifter rod and platform.

[tzei]

My ’73 does not have it. Is it a US ’73 thing?

[jgerock]

Just now, tzei said:

My ’73 does not have it. Is it a US ’73 thing?

Believe USA only, because we need all the goofy stuff.   Just like we needed the low brake fluid warning at the reservoir cap.  Details were in the USA owners manual supplement.

[Son of Marty]

It seems to me that this was dropped sometime in the 73 model year and a fair numbers of 73's didn't have this fitted, but that's just my memory which is foggy most of the time.

[tzei]

7 minutes ago, jgerock said:

low brake fluid warning at the reservoir cap.

This goofy thing I added to mine (and coolant level).

[ExpensiveHoby]

Thanks guys! It all makes sense since my car is a ‘73 that was born Oct 17, 1972. 

[Mike Self]

Huh--never noticed it; the original owner must have disconnected it before I got it in 1978, but IIRC it wasn't present on the shift support bracket when I removed it during a five speed install in 2004.  My 73 is a Dec 72 build.

 

About the same obtrusiveness level as the key-in-ignition door buzzer, but not nearly as bad as the "if you don't fasten the seat belt around the sack of groceries in the passenger seat, the car won't start" feature.  

 

All ended up in neighbor's pool.

 

mike