What is this Button? - Solved

[Joseph Garcia]

While I was under the driver's side dashboard troubleshooting another issue, I found this black toggle button, between the steering column and the center console, right underneath the lower trim panel, about where the driver's right knee cap would be located.

Any idea what this button is and what its function is? (I did not mess with it, as I'd like to know what I'm messing with first).

 

[wjburken]

While I was under the driver's side dashboard troubleshooting another issue, I found this black toggle button, between the steering column and the center console, right underneath the lower trim panel, about where the driver's right knee cap would be located.

Any idea what this button is and what its function is? (I did not mess with it, as I'd like to know what I'm messing with first).

View attachment 255634

Man, that could be anything. Security system switch, secret James Bond type missile launcher......

Can you trace the wires to see where they go? Whatever it is for, it looks like the switch is in the off position so I don't think it is a kill switch for anything.

Where did you buy the vehicle from?

 

[OR VietVet]

Yea, I was thinking it has to do with an on/off security system.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Aftermarket fog lights?

 

[89Suburban]

That's the rear squirter button in case @Rocket Man comes flying up on your ass.

 

[GreyStone]

STAY CLOSE TO YOUR PHONE!

 

[Joseph Garcia]

Thank you for your quick replies and humor, folks. Much appreciated.

So, it remains a mystery for all of us. I bought it used, so who knows what a previous owner did.

Now, I'm really hesitant to try it out and see what happens. Perhaps, it is a passenger seat ejection switch.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Thank you for your quick replies and humor, folks. Much appreciated.

So, it remains a mystery for all of us. I bought it used, so who knows what a previous owner did.

Now, I'm really hesitant to try it out and see what happens. Perhaps, it is a passenger seat ejection switch.

Most likely a dead ended switch. Is the wiring anywhere near the bcm? Never know.

 

[OR VietVet]

Thank you for your quick replies and humor, folks. Much appreciated.

So, it remains a mystery for all of us. I bought it used, so who knows what a previous owner did.

Now, I'm really hesitant to try it out and see what happens. Perhaps, it is a passenger seat ejection switch.

Maybe it is a self destruct button and you have 30 seconds to get as far away as you can before we see the mushroom cloud.

Hey, it's a guy thing. You know you are gonna have to toggle that *****!

 

[gat0r]

any neighbors (or neighborhood kids) that you dont care for? have them try it & stand back around corner w/ camera just in case LOL

 

[gooffeyguy]

There was something on here a few months back that showed a pin out diagram that had a park lock and all it needed was to be wired to a switch to ground.

I mentioned that some police depts will use that so no one unauthorized will drive off in a vehicle that's sitting on a scene idling.

Flip it on and see if you're able to start the vehicle and/or take it out of park

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[petethepug]

I’ve got that same switch in our Audi allroad. It’s used to turn the VIM on/off for watching video / tv while you drive.

It switches the features back to OEM defeat for disabling the video feed while the vehicle’s in motion. I only used it when valet parked or it’s being serviced so the car isn’t crashed with Sponge Bob playing.

Your switch could be same or ....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[wjburken]

 

[avalonandl]

Here....Hold my beer....

 

[avalonandl]

On a side note I see a lot of "aftermarket" wiring in that photo....

 

[Joseph Garcia]

On a side note I see a lot of "aftermarket" wiring in that photo....

Yes, that is for the aftermarket sound system, but this mystery switch is not related to any of that.

 

[intheburbs]

Why not just trace it, and see what it's connected to? It's obviously not OEM, so that shouldn't be hard to do.

 

[rzabel]

I had two after market switches like that when I bought mine used. Turns out one was for switching off the rear video as previously mentioned and the other was an aftermarket remote start. I pulled out a mile of wires and crap that never worked and my electrical gremlins and battery draw went away.

 

[Kwilson1671]

There is a great possibility it’s the brake ground so you can watch videos in front while driving. If you put a disc in the player while in park, put it in drive and hit the switch twice as it needs a Double ground pulse to bypass, if the video plays up front then you know. If that’s not it you can only hit it on and see if rockets shout out or or passenger. Good luck

 

[kbuskill]

There was something on here a few months back that showed a pin out diagram that had a park lock and all it needed was to be wired to a switch to ground.

I mentioned that some police depts will use that so no one unauthorized will drive off in a vehicle that's sitting on a scene idling.

Flip it on and see if you're able to start the vehicle and/or take it out of park

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I remember reading about this but can't remember where it was posted... I thought I had saved the info but not sure where it's at.

*** EDIT ***

I found it... it was actually a 12V power source through a switch to the shift lock solenoid.