Small button on steering column behind steering wheel

[Dethstryke]

Anyone else have this button on their steering column? This button is my horn. My steering wheel horn doesn't work and I'm assuming that it is because the PO installed a Dinan cold air intake and had to relocate the horn and rewired it to this switch. Is this an OEM button or was it installed here by the PO? If so, what is its original intended use?

IMG_4847.jpg

[jclausen]

Is an after market switch somebody installed, what would a cold air system have to do with the horn.

[Dethstryke]

The installation instructions for the CAI specify that you must relocate the stock horn location to a lower part of the bumper. So I figured maybe since they had to move the horn they weren't able to re-connect it to the stock steering wheel wire so had to modify it like this... I am confused as to why they wouldn't just keep it hooked up to the steering wheel... A button behind the steering wheel is a very odd place to put your horn switch!

[ultimatetester]

That's no excuse, you can always extend original wiring. I think something else was connected to the original horn... maybe a train horn or another kind of siren or another steering wheel was installed

[Dethstryke]

Yeah its pretty weird. When I first bought the car I noticed the steering wheel wasn't honking. Figured it was a fuse or a relay etc. Then I randomly found that button the other day while trying to see if I could adjust the steering wheel position.

So, next question is: Why in the world would they have wired it like this. The steering wheel seems original. The airbag light is on, PO said it was on because they installed Vader seats which again, doesn't make sense why the airbag light would come on because of that... The car does not have door airbags installed, just driver and passenger front bags. I know they also did the ASC delete so the ASC light is permanently on as well... Some head scratching going on over here for sure.

[flyfishvt]

Someone swapped steering wheels and replaced the original with one that has a different slip ring on it. Instead of spending 15 minutes to properly do the conversion they installed that stupid switch in an idiotic location. BMW used at least 3 different slip rings on the e36.

[MParallel]

Someone swapped steering wheels and replaced the original with one that has a different slip ring on it. Instead of spending 15 minutes to properly do the conversion they installed that stupid switch in an idiotic location. BMW used at least 3 different slip rings on the e36.

I know 2, the old and later style one. At least 3? Curious what you have in mind.

[JDStrickland]

So, next question is: Why in the world would they have wired it like this. The steering wheel seems original. The airbag light is on, PO said it was on because they installed Vader seats which again, doesn't make sense why the airbag light would come on because of that... The car does not have door airbags installed, just driver and passenger front bags. I know they also did the ASC delete so the ASC light is permanently on as well... Some head scratching going on over here for sure.

This is easy. The airbag system does a self check every time the car is started. If at ANY TIME there is a fault in the system, missing parts and the like, the airbag light is turned on and it will remain on until the end of time or until the system is reset, whichever comes first. Once an airbag fault, always an airbag fault until there is a reset performed. Airbags are a safety-of-flight item, and it demands a reset from a qualified trained technician. You can buy a Peake Research scan tool that has access to the SRS system to perform the reset, but short of having one of these, the reset cannot be done at home.

If any part of the SRS (Supplemental Restraint System -- airbag) is missing AND the key is turned on, a fault will be logged and the special reset tool is required. So, if somebody is working on something and has the seats removed, for example, and the key is turned on, there will be a fault logged. Even if the fault goes away, the seats are installed, the fault will persist and the scan tool is required to perform the reset. If the Vader seats do not support the SRS, then the fault persists correctly. If the Vader seats do support the SRS (and they should) then the fault persists incorrectly but since there was a fault once upon a time, then there will be a fault forever until a proper system reset is performed.

Flyfish coculd be right on the steering wheel swap, and this could also be part of the SRS trouble if true. This would play to both the goofy horn button and the SRS.

- - - Updated - - -

You can clear the question of the steering wheel swap if you posted a picture. Well, it might clear the question.

[Dethstryke]

Current steering wheel:

IMG_4957.jpg

Unsure why it uploads upside down on here... is there a way to edit my image once its embedded in the post?

[JDStrickland]

That's not the right steering wheel. The 3 Series 4-spoke wheel does not have the thumb rests.

You can turn your phone over.

[jagerking]

That's not the right steering wheel. The 3 Series 4-spoke wheel does not have the thumb rests.

Wrong (again). E36 M3 steering wheels until 1998.5 are exactly what is pictured. 4 spoke wheels with thumb rests and ///M tri-colored stitching. OP, the wheel has obviously been replaced with an M3 wheel. You probably just need a new slip ring.

[jakermac]

The PO probably had an aftermarket steering wheel in the car which was not properly connected for horn operation. They put that button in to operate the horn. Then when they decided to sell the car, they took out the aftermarket steering wheel and put in another (not the original) BMW steering wheel and didn't care about making the horn work properly. The button is simply a remnant of the previous owner's setup.