Steering Wheel and Ignition Locked

[th3_blur]

Hi,

While getting out of my '95 540iA today, I inadvertently turned the steering wheel and it locked. Upon further investigation, I found that the ignition was locked as well thus rendering the car useless for driving. Does anyone know how to unlock the steering wheel and ignition when this happens? Thanks.

[filmy540i/6]

While trying to turn the key in the ignition, jerk the steering wheel either (or both) way. You've simply got the wheel spring up against the inner lock pin.

[John in CT]

Same thing happened to my 1995 525i last year, the local dealer clipped me 600 bucks...what happens is that a thin pin, less than pencil thickness and about three inched long is used to transmit the turning of the key into the steering lock and the electric part which are both at the end of the pin furthest from the key. This pin can shear, which is what happened to mine. There were some recent posts here on dissasembling the lock, the housing which contains the pin is 130 bucks, Good luck, John

Number 2 on this drawing;

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...06&hg=32&fg=30

naturally the 50 cent pin is not available as a seperate piece....

[attack eagle]

While trying to turn the key in the ignition, jerk the steering wheel either (or both) way. You've simply got the wheel spring up against the inner lock pin.

YEp, try that first. I was convinced I had broken the IGN once, and that was all it was.

I had to tug on it pretty good before it unlatched. However I don;t have the cylinder interuptus / dufus use-parkus mess on my 92.

[bubba966]

Can you turn the key in the ignition at all?

If not, then you need to pull the wheel hard to one side or the other while turning the key in the ignition. You probably had the wheel turned hard over before you turned off the ignition. The steering lock engages and the wheel turns itself back a bit but is stopped by the steering lock. Now the lock has a good amount of pressure on it from the steering assembly which is preventing you from turning the key over. That's the pressure you need to relieve by pulling the wheel hard over before you can turn the key over.

If you can turn the key but the steering stays locked and the car doesn't start then your steering lock is broke. Here's some pretty good info on fixing that. http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38779

[Ross]

I'll bet a fair amount of the broken locks are attributable to forcing the key to turn against a cocked wheel. The key is apparently stronger than the link in the locking mechanism.

[th3_blur]

While trying to turn the key in the ignition, jerk the steering wheel either (or both) way. You've simply got the wheel spring up against the inner lock pin.

That worked beautifully, thanks all.

[bubba966]

I'll bet a fair amount of the broken locks are attributable to forcing the key to turn against a cocked wheel. The key is apparently stronger than the link in the locking mechanism.

That stress along with the added friction of the ignition cylinder grease gumming up over time is sure to stress that part to the point of breaking. The grease in/around my cylinder was rather nasty. The new cylinder I put in and lubed with some rather nice Amsoil racing grade grease turns easier than the old cylinder with the sticky grease.

[bubba966]

That worked beautifully, thanks all.

Good to hear it was just having your steering wheel cranked over hard and that your steering lock was busted. A new steering lock is about $150 at the dealer. And kinda fun to replace if doing it by yourself as it's not really documented anywhere.