key wont turn...

[Pejacob97]

so i didnt know where to post this so i thought this would be the best place, if it goes somewhere else feel free to move it, anyways though...

so a couple days ago i went to turn my car off and i turned the key and pulled it out, but the car didnt turn off. Ended up choking the engine and then disconnecting the battery and pushing it into my garage. My dad and I played with the car for a while and figured a few things out. The problem was that key wouldnt turn either forward or backwards. We can get it to turn backwards though if u kinda jiggle the key and slowly pull it out, then they key will do a full 360 degrees, but then just get locked back in place. Nothing works though. The car is stuck in "accessory mode" i guess you could say. We talked to a locksmith on the phone about it and he says I either need a new ignition switch and/or a new "lock" (TO BE ORDERED BY US DEALERS ONLY 05 LOCK (WITH KEY CODE)" part #5.

Need help desperately pretty, anyone know how much it would roughly cost to have this installed by a shop, or the process that i would have to go through to do it on my own (preferable)

EDIT: o any does anyone know if i would need to get a whole new key for this? and if so, is there any way to get the key ordered already made along with the part?

[nyle]

hmm. sounds like you need to call and ask a dealer?

i doubt its the ignition switch. that is just a basic electrical mechanism. i haven't taken that whole deal apart yet on my 318ti, i've done it on a chevy before.. (chevy.. blasphemous, i know..) but if it's anything like that then i don't understand what could possibly go wrong and cause that issue. if the key wouldn't turn and you could pull it out while it was in a position other than the off position i think the issue would be the actual lock part. i would think a key would come with it but i dont know. i imagine the car is already out of commission. see if you can get it apart and take a peek at what might be keeping the key from turning.

[Bobbak]

hope this helps

http://member.rivernet.com.au/btaylo...eylockE36.html

[elchicano]

Dude i just got this fixed a couple of days ago. Mine did the same thing. In the end i had to replace the lock assembly, lock cylinder, and ews ring antenna. After going through 2 mobile mechanics and not being able to get it done, i took it to the dealer. For labor alone it was $580 plus parts it came out around $800. Good luck with it its a pain in the arse to it.

Edit:
I wouldn't do a lock smith because they will only guarantee the lock cylinder. Well at least that's what i was told. There's no reason to replace the lock cylinder if it's the assembly that's broken.

[thesk8nmidget]

also try another key

but probably same thing that happened to dave

[Pejacob97]

thanks for the response everyone, and thanks much for the money estimate elch, *sigh* i dont have that money laying around at 18...ugh time to save up again....

EDIT: i tried both the normal key and valet key, neither worked :-/

[elchicano]

Yea im 19 and i didn't have the money either but i got lucky. My b day is coming up and my parents decided to pay for it as a gift. I tried both of the keys. But i think it was my old key that messed it up. I bought a new one and it has a square tip while my old one was almost rounded. But most likely it's the lock cylinder or lock assembly.

[NeoMishMoo]

Just had the same thing happen to me!

Car is in accessory mode when key is removed, steering wheel lock won't activate. Stereo stays on. Thinks the key is in it but it but the key won't turn. Want to tow it to my house but maybe I'm going to have to tow it to a bmw dealership now...

Maybe if I pull the lock cylinder myself I can get it to turn over?

[Philly]

ohhh this old problem... take your lower column cover off, remove your ignition switch. It should be orange IIRC and there is a tamper proof bolt in there covered with some sort of plastic crap, remove it and you should be able to pop the ign. switch right off.

Until you sort out whats wrong with your tumbler, you can start and stop the car by using your key directly in the ignition switch. Just make sure its close to your EWS antenna ring when you do it or it may not go... or stick the key back in the normal spot and use something else to turn the ignition switch (spare key, etc)

After you remove your ignition switch, you'll see a metal square that used to go into the switch from the tumbler, if you play with it by rotating it back and forth, it may free up and be fine again. I went through this and it fixed itself.

Again, at least you can still use your car well you sort out whether you need a new tumbler or not.

[cooljess76]

Sometimes the steering wheel lock can jam the ignition cylinder. Another common problem is a spinning ignition cylinder. It doesen't seem to be the case for you, but perhaps this may help resolve your issue:

http://www.318ti.org/forum/showpost....16&postcount=4

If you remove the ignition switch and play with things , maybe it'll "fix itself" like Philly said. It amazes me how often this happens, but it does, lol.

[NeoMishMoo]

No the cylinder does often spin a few 360s I've been jiggling the wheel as I turn the key and it'll catch and turn fine. So thats a problem I've been having too, wasn't sure if it was normal or not. Luckily the car thinks the key is in it so I just got some speed and popped the clutch, started up just fine. That at least got me home. Had to just pop the clutch to kill it once I got home. Going to try Philly's fix first. Maybe I can use the video provided for the spinning tumbler to get the tumbler out and maybe loosen the jam?

Whew you guys have made me feel so much better I was worried I was going to have to pay around 800 to get this fixed...

EDIT: Key is still stuck but I pulled the ignition switch off and am just using a screwdriver to start the car for now. Might try and pull the cylinder once its daylight and see if I can fix it a little better. Worse comes to worse I guess I'll just buy a new cylinder. Hundred bucks isn't bad. So you just need to buy the one part right?

[Philly]

before you go pulling the lock cyl or tumbler, try giving the part the goes into the ignition switch on the tumbler a good crank backwards with your hand, thats how i managed to free mine up again. My tumbler also did 360's leading up to it, if you get it fixed again by cranking that part back, don't let yourself do 360's anymore, always turn it back to 'OFF' and try again til you feel it catch. I havn't had a problem since.

[NeoMishMoo]

TrIed to mess, with the tab that goes into the ignition switch but no dice. Guess its stuck pretty good. Not sure what I'm going to do.cant pull the tumbler unless key is in forward position right,? Screwdriver in switch is working pretty alright for me at the moment

[RobE30]

The 97 I'm getting is beginning to have this problem. Looks like a fun project