Mysterious switch underneath the rear seat

[grr]

Some time ago one of the users on a norwegian BMW board posted an image of a switch underneath the rear seat of his M5 converted 535i, wondering what it could be for. He says he thinks it's being pushed down by the rear seat, and he's tried pushing it down without noticing anything anywhere. He's also tried following the cables with no luck (disappears together with a bunch of other cables). There's been lotsa creative suggestions, but I don't think we've figured out the mystery of the switch yet. I and several others have checked the (BMW) part number in ETK with no match.

Here's a picture of the mysterious switch:
http://www.bimmers.no/albums/album219/DSC01780.jpg

Here's the original thread, but it's in norwegian:
http://www.bimmers.no/viewtopic.php?t=10638

Is anyone here able to tell us what it's for? We're dying of curiousity..

[grr]

Hmm, someone just said it's a light switch on US models.. but for some reason it seems to exist on some EU-models as well, even though they have no light underneath the rear seat...?!

[shogun]

That is easy. A Microswitch for the anti theft alarm.
There are various microswitches all over the car.
Switch the anti theft alarm on, lift the seat, and the alarm goes on.
I my car it is under the cover of the battery.
So if you have switched the anti theft device on the OBC and someone breaks into the car, wants to disconnect the battery for 15 minutes to get the engine started again (see owners manual for anti-theft code), alarm starts.

[Interceptor]

That is easy. A Microswitch for the anti theft alarm.
There are various microswitches all over the car.
Switch the anti theft alarm on, lift the seat, and the alarm goes on.
I my car it is under the cover of the battery.
So if you have switched the anti theft device on the OBC and someone breaks into the car, wants to disconnect the battery for 15 minutes to get the engine started again (see owners manual for anti-theft code), alarm starts.
Shogun, you are full of amazingly obscure details about these cars, I admire you! :)

[shogun]

see item 11
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HE63&mospid=47410&btnr=65_1000&hg=65&fg=60&hl=46

[2fast]

So that's what it is.Good to know

[tim s]

thanks
tim s.

[uscharalph]

thanks
tim s.
Mine didn't, but my battery is in the engine bay.