Help finding C301 (back up lights)

[AndrewG]

After sorting the new-to-me 535is manual car for drive-ability, I have moved on to sorting electrical.  Everything works as it should- except the backup lights.  The transmission switch tests well, but there is no wiring from that switch to the harness connector and I cannot find the harness connector.  I have been under the car looking for where someone might have zip-tied the connection, but find nothing.  Per the ETM, (and the forum) I looked for the connector and wiring under the shifter boot - nothing.  Nothing comes through the shifter boot (I have checked from above and below) and there is no loose connector that I can find in the center console cavity around the shifter.

Anyone got any ideas on where else I might find the harness connector for the back up lights in a 535is (manual)?  I can run new wire from the transmission switch to that connector (C301) but not if I cannot find it!  I have seen photos of the pigtail at the shifter in the forum, and my 533 has the pigtail at the shifter, but I cannot find it in this car.

I have looked at various ETM's in case the models/years differed, but they seem to all be the same.  

[kojo96]

The connector (car side) comes in under the carpet just in front of the shifter opening. The transmission connector is a shorter harness, from the gearbox sensor to the shifter opening. Those are kinda easy to loose and still available. 
When I was rebuilding my shifter, I left the shifter opening open as I was trying different shifters, the harness from the transmission was just hanging there, it somehow got caught on the driveshaft and pulled off at the sensor, never saw it again, the car side was still there...

[Mike W.]

A WAG is it's a 5 speed conversion and who ever converted it never bothered with the details. It came with a separate micro harness, 2 wires, 4 or 5 feet long, that went from the tranny up thru the shifter area. Find your wiring diagram here, https://wiki.mye28.com/index.php/Electrical and go from there.

[AndrewG]

Thanks guys.  With your confirmation that there was not some ocassional alternate location, I began removing the center console trim and immediately found the car end of the circuit (C301 with both a BU/WT and GR/WT).  It was bundled with the power seats switch harness and run past the shift lever area to just beneath the emergency brake lever.  I'll pull the missing harness length off the 533 and use that.  The car came from factory as a manual so not sure what became of that section of harness but (since the inner rubber shift boot looks fairly new) my guess is that at that point some previous owner determined the wires were broken or chafed and pulled them when they did the boot.  

Mike- what is a WAG?  And I'd like to stick up for whatever shred of dignity I may have left - I have the Electrical Diagrams and I referenced them in my post!

 

[Mike W.]

Mike- what is a WAG?

 

Wild Ass Guess. A scientific term. Also SWAG which is Super Wild Ass Guess.

[AndrewG]

Hah!  I can see how those could be a useful terms!