MetaChat - What is this thing?

MetaChat is an informal place for MeFites to touch base and post, discuss and chatter about topics that may not belong on MetaFilter. Questions? Check the FAQ. Please note: This is important.

01 August 2011

What is this thing? →[More:]My wife just got a 2010 Honda Fit. Nice little car. Gonna save a bunch on gas. Anyway...

I was looking around in it and I noticed this odd, small button-like thing mounted at the lower edge of the knee panel, just below and to the left of the steering wheel. It's obviously a third-party add-on and no one here has any clue what it might be. There's a wire leading out of the bottom of the thing and runs back up behind the knee plate.

You can push the red button but nothing seems to happen. What looks to be a light on the top of the thing doesn't blink or anything when you push the button.

Anyone have any idea what it might be?

post by: Thorzdad at: 16:17 | 13 comments

It looks like somewhere to connect a seat-belt. If it were anywhere but on the driver's side, I'd say it's for mounting a child seat or infant seat. But on the driver's side... hmm. I dunno. Can you tell if it's got a slot on bottom like a seat-belt clasp would? If so, the button's the release.

posted by BoringPostcards 01 August | 16:30

Garage door opener? Part of an in-car kit for a phone (the button would answer/hang up)? Ejector seat button (try pushing it with someone sitting in the passenger seat ;-)

posted by dg 01 August | 16:40

My first thought was a garage door opener remote, too. But, I've never seen one like this. It would be nice if it IS a garage door opener, if only I could determine how to program it.

BP...It's way too tiny for a belt connection, and it's clearly an electrical piece, what with the wire coming out of the bottom.

posted by Thorzdad 01 August | 16:44

posted by mullacc 01 August | 16:47

I thought the wire might be to lock the clasp when the brakes were on (since it's an after-market addition), but I misunderstood the scale of it. Huh... if you ever figure it out, now, you HAVE to post again and tell us. :)

posted by BoringPostcards 01 August | 16:49

I probably shouldn't keep pushing the button. No one has had any loved ones or co-workers mysteriously vanish this afternoon, have they?

posted by Thorzdad 01 August | 17:19

It looks like a button for a third-party alarm system. I had a button in a similar location on my 2001 Civic and it belonged to the dealer-installed alarm. I can't remember if it engaged the alarm, turned it off or what. I never used it.

This was my initial thought too, even before looking at the picture. My '97 Saturn had one in a similar location. That car wouldn't start if the alarm was going off without pushing the button as you turned the key in the ignition.

posted by ufez 01 August | 17:56

Looks like an emergency LED flashlight. If you unscrew it and turn it over, is there a battery slot? Might be a plastic tab that prevents contact so the batteries don't drain.

posted by Eideteker 01 August | 18:44

Ha! I thought ejector seat button as well.

Make a post at AskMefi, you'll have a larger audience and perhaps find an answer.

posted by deborah 01 August | 19:46

Mystery solved!
We out running an errand, so we just dropped-by the Honda dealership to see if they knew what it was. Turns out, the base Fit does not come with a keyless entry system. My little whatchamacallit is part of an aftermarket keyless system the original dealer had installed. We never noticed that the remote fob that came with the car wasn't a Honda piece. Doh!

posted by Thorzdad 01 August | 20:18

You pressed it? Someone somewhere died. Did you get your million dollars yet?

posted by Splunge 01 August | 20:31

Well, that's a pretty boring explanation. I was hoping for the ejector seat :-(

posted by dg 01 August | 20:33

I am disappoint.

posted by deborah 01 August | 21:59

← Visiting Yellowstone in 2 weeks || Judgmental Gorilla. Courtesy of Animalsbeingdicks.com →

HOME || REGISTER || LOGIN