How do you remove the steering lock?

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

I've removed the plate on top of the steering column, the one with the two anti theft bolts, but now I don't know how to remove the steering lock itself. I see no way to continue the removal process. There's nothing under the plate, very weird, the plate doesn't even seem to be necessary.

This is essentially a continuation of a previous thread where you all, and especially Bubba helped diagnose a no-start condition on my Nieces 1995 525ia. I got the car started by removing the ignition switch, and manually turning it with a large slotted screw driver.

I dremeled slots in the the anitheft bolts, but they would not budge. I ended up dremelling the whole head off the bolt. The top plate is off the steering column, but the steering is still locked. So I can drive the car, but only straight. doh

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

Because of some weird problems with the board, and an itchy trigger finger, I accidentally blew away the previous thread where I originally asked the question. So I will add Bubba's post here as I had it saved in an Email I had sent off to my niece.

Here's bubba's post:

She shouldn't have been able to get the key out of the ignition with the shifter still in reverse. If it is actually still in reverse and she did get the key out it sounds a lot like a broken steering lock.

Though what's confusing me is the fact that the tranny lock should only be engaged while it's in park. But it could be possible that the steering lock broke while the tranny was in reverse and broke in a manner to allow the tranny lock to engage even though the tranny isn't in park.

I can't tell you for sure though as mine broke when the tranny was in park.

You can make it temporarily driveable if the steering wheel isn't locked.

You need to take the shroud off of the steering column. Disconnect the tranny lock cable off of the right hand side (it's next to the ignition cylinder) of the steering lock. You can then push the button on the end of thee cable in to disengage the tranny lock.

And then you have to take the ignition switch off of the steering lock by unscrewing the two very small slotted screws, one on each side of switch. Then you can pull it off of the steering lock and use either a large (like a #3 philips, or a larger slotted) screwdriver or even the key to put into the hole that the steering lock engages and turn the ignition switch with that.

If the car has EWS II you'll have to have the key very close to or in the ignition cylinder as the EWS II receiver is around the ignition barrel.

But if the steering wheel is locked and the steering lock is broke you won't be able to unlock the wheel until you take the steering lock off.

You can take the steering lock off and pull out the cam that locks the wheel and put the lock back on as a temporary repair. But you'd still have to pull the ignition switch & tranny locks off the steering lock and use them like I mentioned every time you wanted to start the car.

Once the steering lock is broke there's no disengaging the tranny lock or turning the ignition switch while everything is still together.

You might want to ask if the steering is locked. And does anything happen when she turns the key to the start position. If she turns it to the start position and gets no resistance, and gets no radio, no cluster, no dash lights etc. then the steering lock is broke.

Unfortunately I'm rather sure that the steering lock is broke. A new steering lock is about $150 at the dealer. And you'll need a set of snap ring pliers and a dremel tool to fix it. You'll need the dremel for the anti-tamper bolts on the top plate of the steering lock.

If buying a new steering lock is in order, make sure they get you the one for the auto tranny, and make sure any other steering column parts are for the airbag column. You might want to get a new bearing (#2 here http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...& hg=32&fg=30) and possibly a new snap ring (which'd be #5).

Steering lock is #2 here http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...& hg=32&fg=30

And the tranny lock cable is #13 in that diagram.

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

This is the realoem link:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD63&mospid=47404&btnr=32_0906&hg=32&fg=30

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

This is the realoem link:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD63&mospid=47404&btnr=32_0906&hg=32&fg=30

[dacoyote]

It's been a while.. however I think once I pulled the two antitampers out I was able to slide the entire assmebly off and pulled out the lock...

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

Oh, I assume that the steering wheel needs to come off then? right?

[dacoyote]

Oh, I assume that the steering wheel needs to come off then? right?

It's been almost 4 years... however I think I took the wheel off....

Now... as some others would attest... my way and the best way are normally not that same...

[bubba966]

Ed,

You need to pull the steering wheel off.

After that is off there's a large snap ring that needs to come off. It's #5 in this pic
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=HD63&mospid=47404&btnr=32_0522&hg=32&fg=30
#8 is the bolt that holds the steering wheel on.
Then you pull off the spacer (#6) to see the snap ring.

Get yourself a pair of snap ring pliers if you don't have them already. It's a bitch to get that thing off without one. And putting it back on makes pulling it off look really easy. Really wished I'd bought a pair when I did mine.

After the snap ring is off you can then pull the spacer off that's underneath it (#3). Then the steering lock just pulls off. #2 is that bearing I said you might want to replace while you've got it all apart.

#1 is that inner steering column piece I mentioned that kinda sucks itself into the steering column which then sucks the snap ring groove too far into the column to get the snap ring back on. Which is why I used the steering wheel bolt & a box end wrench to pull that center piece back out far enough to get the snap ring on.

I'm sure that with a set of snap ring pliers you can get it all back together by yourself. But when I was doing it without a set of pliers I had to have help as I couldn't hold the center column shaft out and try to force the snap ring back on the shaft at the same time. But with the pliers you should be able to hold the center shaft out far enough with one hand and quickly (because there's a shitload of force trying to pull that shaft back into the column) get the snap ring back into place with the other hand.

[bubba966]

Oh, and if you need anymore info on how to fix this PM me and I'll tell 'ya what you need to know.

Your niece's car isn't anywhere near Seattle is it? If it is I'd be happy to just fix it since I know quite well how to deal with it now...

[dternst]

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27696

[bubba966]

Oh, and here's some more useful info that was in the other thread that got deleted.

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38488&page=2

That's an easier way to get the ignition tumbler out of the steering lock when you replace the steering lock.

Yes, many people report that the proper way of getting the tumbler out with a stiff wire works just fine. But it didn't work at all in my car as the grease in the tumbler had gotten dirty & gummed up to the point that you could no longer release the retaining catch with the wire.

[bubba966]

Looks like I did actually get that post up yesterday. Forum wasn't showing it, yet was telling me that I posted it. Ah well, at least it's now up and can possible help out Ed or anyone else that need to pull their ignition cylinder and can't get the wire method to work.

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

Well, I didn't take the steering lock off, I took the lock cylinder off, and pulled out the broken part out of the inside and stuck that OH SO HANDY BMW screwdriver into the steering lock, along with a bic pen. This pushed down on some mechanism in side the steering lock which unlocked the wheel. I just now drove the car home, and now I can take my time to fix correctly (using the bubba procedure above to replace the steering lock). I'll take more pics when I get a chance. Thanks again guys.

http://www.bimmernut.com/ed/photo.jpg

[Ross]

Ed, since you have access to the security bolts now try giving them a few raps with a sharp chisel along the edge before fooling around with Dremels and such. They don't require much torque to loosen.

[Austin]

Yah I just finished changing my tumbler and steering lock housing few days ago so lemme know if y'all have any questions. I'll try and post some pics I took.

[Bimmer Nut Ed]

Funny Ross! Those bolts were torqued down so much that after I dremmeled slots in them, The screwdirver, with pliers on them, simply stripped the slot. I dremmeled the whole head off, and got the palte off. I think Arnold was working at the factory that day when this car was built! lol

Thanks Austin, next I have to get that snap ring plier. Right now, the car is local (not 2 hours away anymore) so I'm going to take my time. I have a clutch to put in wifeys Z3 first.

[Ross]

Glad you got them off anyway. When installing the new bolts you'll see how little it takes to snap the heads off.

[Austin]

Here are a few pics I took of the process. Shows tapping the bolts off holding the plate down. I used some new bolts once I reinstalled everything. Also taking off that ring the first time was a PITA. To remove the tumbler I dremeled out the housing right above the locking tab so I could easily slide it in and out while making changes to the housing. I drilled the housing and used a screw to hold the tumbler in place instead of the factory locking system. The last picture shows how I reinstalled the ring. Used the steering wheel bolt to do the work for me.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a128/auztin069/5%20series/DSC_0176.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a128/auztin069/5%20series/DSC_0181.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a128/auztin069/5%20series/DSC_0189.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a128/auztin069/5%20series/DSC_0200.jpg

[bubba966]

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a128/auztin069/5%20series/DSC_0189.jpg


Instead of cutting the steering lock apart like that to remove the ignition cylinder you can just cut a slot in the steering lock perpendicular to where you have the Dremel cutting in that pic.

Once you have a slot cut through the steering lock at that position you'll see the release tab of the ignition cylinder as it'll be a brass color. You can use a small slotted screwdriver inserted into the slot you just cut to push down the release tab on the ignition cylinder and then pull the cylinder out. Just be careful to only cut the slot in the steering lock and to not cut into the release tab on the cylinder too much.

That way you preserve the integrity of the steering lock and the ignition cylinder.

I recommend doing that to the new steering lock as well to facilitate taking out the cylinder should you ever need to again (and I took mine out a few more times before I had it all back together properly).

[bubba966]

Oh, and one other slight advantage of cutting the small slot in the steering lock to access the release tab on the ignition cylinder is that it's not going to be terribly obvious to someone trying to steal the car what the slot is for. I'm sure it could be figured out by most professional thieves, but it'd take them a bit to figure it out.

[bubba966]

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a128/auztin069/5%20series/DSC_0200.jpg

That's a good pic of the setup I was trying to explain to use to pull the center of the steering column out far enough to get the snap ring back on after you're done with it all. You use the steering wheel bolt and a wrench. Put the bolt through the wrench, then thread the bolt into the steering column. You then have something to use to pull the center of the steering column out with. There's no way that you can pull that sucker out without something to get a good hold on. The spring that keeps tension on the center of the steering column (which keeps the steering wheel tight) has a pretty good pull to it.

[Austin]

I cut around the lock on the tumbler totally bypassing it since it was the current thing pissing me off. I used a screw to hold it in place so when you pull the keys out the tumbler would stay in, but I'm sure your way would be better against car thieves. Plus I pulled mine in and out many times since the lock housing had to be modified. The metal was casted poorly so I had some grinding todo and removed the steering wheel lock. But everything is back to normal minus the steering wheel lock.

The wrench was just alil to short so I had to add the paint can opener.