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Thread: broken ignition cylinder?!?

  1. #1
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    broken ignition cylinder?!?

    So I got in my car to run a couple of errands and my car started fine. I got to my first stop and tried to turn off the car and the key pretty much just spins in the ignition cylinder. I can turn the key forward, back, even take it out while the car is still running. It may also be worth mentioning that the steering wheel lock does engage but it is quite a bit looser than normal.

    What would you guys suggest? It didn't feel like anything broke when I started the car or when I turned it off from my previos trip. As soon as I get home I am going to start tearing things apart but any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

    More when I get home...
    Last edited by pgrindstaff; 09-11-2009 at 03:09 PM.

  2. #2
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    Update

    Alright, after battling to get the ignition cylinder out (thanks dad), I have found the problem. If any of you can identify the part that has broken and can offer some idea as to how to fix it I'd be very grateful. Some of the pictures might be a little out of focus or dark but I did the best I could.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  3. #3
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    Sorry to say it but... you are heading to the dealership for a new ignition cylinder.

  4. #4
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    I should be able to keep my key though right? The piece that is broken is separate from the tumbler. Would you say this is a diy job or am I ging to have to get the car to the dealership.

  5. #5
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    You have to buy the whole casting, they don't sell the inner dammit separately:

    The casting style will vary by model year. Check the part number on the underside of your old one. If you only find the 7 digit part number and not all 11 characters, the 1st 2 numbers will be "32 32". e32's e34's & e36's all shared common castings depending on build date so that increases the odds the dealer might have them in stock.

    Mine just snapped 2 weeks ago. the dealer had it in stock. AutohausAZ also has them for about the same price. It's fairly straight forward to replace. You'll have to take the steering wheel off (disconnect battery so you don't trip the SRS light). Then take the plastic covers off the top & bottom of the column. The turn signal & other column stalks unclip & pull out without tools. I didn't bother taking any pics when apart. There are 2 breakaway bolts on the upper half clamp. I removed them by getting a bite on the bolt head with a sharp chisel and tapped them CCW medium hard with a hammer and they both unscrewed without any problem. You might as well get hex head bolts to replace them should you ever have to do it again, or the new breakaway bolts are pretty cheap at the dealer. They're an anti-theft item but if a thief is that far into your car, he's gonna succeed at stealing it anyway so what's the point.

    More info:

    http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...47&postcount=8
    ​"The US Olympics bobsled team has renamed their sled 'Biden' because nothing has taken America downhill faster"

    TheStigg (aka "gale")
    92 735i 5-spd, turbo pending
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    94 325ic 5-spd
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  6. #6
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    New cylinder, you keep your key. Happens a lot, happened to me
    -Denton

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by 4500 RPM View Post
    New cylinder, you keep your key. Happens a lot, happened to me
    Wish it were that simple. In this case, the actual inner workings snapped off.





    ​"The US Olympics bobsled team has renamed their sled 'Biden' because nothing has taken America downhill faster"

    TheStigg (aka "gale")
    92 735i 5-spd, turbo pending
    89 535i 5-spd (may she rest in pieces)
    94 325ic 5-spd
    87 325is

  8. #8
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    Thanks for the help Gale. You know exactly how surprising it was for me to turn the key to off and have nothing happen. Luckily I was able to disengage the steering lock.

    I already have the whole steering column taken apart minus the stalks. I actually had to unplug the battery to get the electronics to turn off, and like you, stalled it to shut the engine off.

    The casting I have has two numbers, 1 161 556, and 1 161 551. I'll let the parts guy figure out what the right part is as neither number show the correct part on realoem. Now I just have to hope the dealership has one in stock.

  9. #9
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    been there done that....

    as stated you will need the whole housing. it comes with the pin that snapped off in yours iirc, mine did the same thing. if you need the car for the time being, just use a sharpened up 3mm? or smaller allen wrench in the whole of the lock cylinder to withdraw it. you will need to turn it to 45 deg. with the key in, then insert your allen, or stiff wire, and try to get the cylinder to dislodge.

    i couldn't remove mine with the housing in the car for some reason, so i used a dremel with a cutoff, and cut the lock cylinder off after it. it never touched the cylinder, then i used a pair of needle nose vise grips to hold the steering lock off. next you have the option of removing the 2 small grub screws, (flatheaded set screws that hold the ignition switch to the housing.) you can use your key to turn the switch to start the car, because a flathead in the switch over time will beat it up a bit...

    i have a pic of the "setup" i had going for awhile if you want.

    let me know if you need anymore help.
    Last edited by sweet e36 pimp; 09-12-2009 at 09:45 AM.

    BMW Parts Whore... BUY THEM PLEASE!!!

  10. #10
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    If you could post a couple of the pics you have that'd be great. I have a new housing lined up and will be going to get it a little later today but am having a hell of a time getting the old housing out.

    Right now I am trying to get the plastic bits off that all of the stalks slide into. I see the 4 tabs holding it in place on top but cant get them to budge. I think my biggest problem is that I don't want to break any of the plastic bits. Also, are the two breakaway bolts I am looking for the ones directly on top of the housing that have a kind of rounded head? Once I get everything out I will be replacing the 'non-replaceable' bolts with hex bolts as Gale suggested.

    I really appreciate everyone's help. Without this board I probably wouldn't get very far on tasks like this.
    Last edited by pgrindstaff; 09-12-2009 at 11:09 AM.

  11. #11
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    The 4 clips on top of item 8? I busted a couple on mine getting it off. I transferred it to the new one with JB Weld, thinking it's been 18 years + 185k miles & the car will be long gone the next time it breaks.
    ​"The US Olympics bobsled team has renamed their sled 'Biden' because nothing has taken America downhill faster"

    TheStigg (aka "gale")
    92 735i 5-spd, turbo pending
    89 535i 5-spd (may she rest in pieces)
    94 325ic 5-spd
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  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheStigg View Post
    The 4 clips on top of item 8? I busted a couple on mine getting it off. I transferred it to the new one with JB Weld, thinking it's been 18 years + 185k miles & the car will be long gone the next time it breaks.
    Yeah, number 8 is the problem. I can get them started through the hole but only one at a time with needle nose. I guess I have to stop being so gentle...

  13. #13
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    the stalks/ connectors unclip easily... just take your time and i doubt you'll break them.

    the round headed "rivet" looking tamper bolts are best removed by cutting a slot in them with a die grinder or dremel cutoff disk. you can them use a flathead bit with a ratchet, or a flathead screwdriver with pliers or an open end wrench to give you enough torque to initally break them loose.

    don't forget the need for a good pair of snap ring pliers, as a circlip holds the bearing/ race portion of the ignition housing.

    i don't have any pics on my harddrive, just a pic on my cell of my keys "in the ignition" with them hanging off the vice grips. lol

    BMW Parts Whore... BUY THEM PLEASE!!!

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by 4500 RPM View Post
    New cylinder, you keep your key. Happens a lot, happened to me
    +1 to the effect of $500. Thanks Stealership!

  15. #15
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    How did you guys pull the column out far enough to get the lock ring on? I put the bolt for the steering wheel on but still cant get it pulled back far enough to get the lock ring on.


    -------------
    Nevermind, I 'MacGyver'd' it and used an alen key to press against the steering wheel bolt to hold it out. Not exactly something I wanted to do to the steering wheel bolt but I was running out of options.

    -------------
    Thanks to all those that helped me with this. I have gotten everything back together and it works perfectly.
    Last edited by pgrindstaff; 09-13-2009 at 05:35 PM.

  16. #16
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    Did you have any warning before it actually broke off? The reason I ask is because mine has always had an odd feel to it...not loose but just seems a bit fragile.

    Also, if the key cylinder broke with the engine running, how would you stall it if the car was an automatic?
    1993 BMW E34 535i/M30/Alpina mods...more to come.

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by John SCB View Post
    Did you have any warning before it actually broke off? The reason I ask is because mine has always had an odd feel to it...not loose but just seems a bit fragile.

    Also, if the key cylinder broke with the engine running, how would you stall it if the car was an automatic?
    I had no warning or idea that that there was a problem until I got somewhere and turned the key just to find that it was spinning freely. When I initially turned the car on I didn't even feel something break.

    For an automatic car I'd say you just need to pull either the fuse or relay for the fuel pump and your car will turn off as soon as it's burned what is in the lines.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by John SCB View Post
    Did you have any warning before it actually broke off? The reason I ask is because mine has always had an odd feel to it...not loose but just seems a bit fragile.

    Also, if the key cylinder broke with the engine running, how would you stall it if the car was an automatic?

    When mine broke on me there was no warning before it went. Mine also broke in a different place than it did in those pics. It didn't allow the key to freewheel like was described. It turned like normal but had no resistance. It had stops at the standard beginning and end of travel. But no pauses in between, wouldn't unlock the steering, wouldn't unlock the tranny, wouldn't start the car, wouldn't turn anything on.

    Mine had snapped further along the shaft which kept it from freewheeling but disconnected it from the ignition switch & steering lock mechanisms.

    And the ignition/key cylinder isn't what breaks. It's the steering lock which is in Gale's pics & #2 in the parts diagram. There's absolutely no reason to replace the ignition cylinder if this happens to you.

  19. #19
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    I just ran into this problem on my old 525i, 95 (It is now actually my little brother's car). Care has 261,xxx miles on it. The only thing I ever had to really replace that was major was the transmission.

  20. #20
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    To remove the cylinder barrel from the lock here's a vid on YOUTUBE.

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5JYSb6e_Hw[/ame]

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tETEtb5Yr_o&feature=fvw[/ame]
    Last edited by upallnight; 10-04-2010 at 08:28 PM.
    Quote Originally Posted by GarrettSR5 View Post
    Hate to admit it but attack_eagle is right.
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    ............. then upallnight has probably got it right
    Spirit

  21. #21
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    I spent several days attempting to get my ignition lock off. Then in the wee hours I got a idea; since all said it takes some strength (which I don't have lots of) to get it off. So I got the small allen wrench in the little hole & slowly turned the key until it moved forward then I hit it twice with a hammer (my strength) until it moved further in then gave the key & cylinder a little twist and tug & out it came. Finally! That is when I noticed the top part wasn't sitting straight in the barrel. Give me strength, I had read about this problem and hoped and prayed this was not what I was going to find...dumb luck huh. Finding the ignition lock housing isn't going to be my problem, breaking it down to get to and replace the part is....I am so not ready but tomorrow or this week end is another day. If there is a quick fix or a way to weld the top back to the shaft 'PLEASE" let me know. Thank in advance

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by bubba0966 View Post
    When mine broke on me there was no warning before it went. Mine also broke in a different place than it did in those pics. It didn't allow the key to freewheel like was described. It turned like normal but had no resistance. It had stops at the standard beginning and end of travel. But no pauses in between, wouldn't unlock the steering, wouldn't unlock the tranny, wouldn't start the car, wouldn't turn anything on.

    Mine had snapped further along the shaft which kept it from freewheeling but disconnected it from the ignition switch & steering lock mechanisms.

    And the ignition/key cylinder isn't what breaks. It's the steering lock which is in Gale's pics & #2 in the parts diagram. There's absolutely no reason to replace the ignition cylinder if this happens to you.
    Im having the same problems. When I turned the key in the ignition i heard a small snap, and the key now is free moving in the ignition with no resistance when i try to turn the engine. (as you previously described.) Theres steering column is unlocked, but i cant turn on the car.

    Did you fix the problem with your car? What would I need to replace on my car? Is it expensive to fix? Is this a DIY job?
    Thanks!

  23. #23
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    As it turns out, you can get the individual replacement shaft without buying a whole assembly:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E39-E36-...mtr&rmvSB=true

    ignition_shaft.jpg

    Makes the job much simpler. I bought one to keep as a spare in my toolbox. I've had to do 3 repairs, an e32, e34, & e36.
    ​"The US Olympics bobsled team has renamed their sled 'Biden' because nothing has taken America downhill faster"

    TheStigg (aka "gale")
    92 735i 5-spd, turbo pending
    89 535i 5-spd (may she rest in pieces)
    94 325ic 5-spd
    87 325is

  24. #24
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    Before the link disappears, here the numbers: BMW E34 E36 E39 3/5/7/8 Series Ignition Lock Cylinder Shaft Housing 32321161551, interchange Part Number: 32301093571, 32311159063, 32311161551, 32321161554
    Ignition Cylinder Shaft (Behind Key Tumbler), Brand: Aftermarket Products Price:US $14.99, seller: chrome4urauto
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  25. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by shogun View Post
    Before the link disappears, here the numbers: BMW E34 E36 E39 3/5/7/8 Series Ignition Lock Cylinder Shaft Housing 32321161551 . . .
    If replacing the entire housing in an early e34, be sure to verify the part number on the casting (visible on underside of column with cover removed):

    lock3.jpg

    BMW used 2 different styles depending on build date and they are not interchangeable. Early style up to 07/90:

    370913_x800.jpg

    Later style:

    lg_8f355ed1-80e5-4442-a7b2-638bcc114b85.jpg

    I believe the previously mentioned ebay shaft only part will work with either one.
    Last edited by TheStigg; 10-28-2016 at 12:04 PM.
    ​"The US Olympics bobsled team has renamed their sled 'Biden' because nothing has taken America downhill faster"

    TheStigg (aka "gale")
    92 735i 5-spd, turbo pending
    89 535i 5-spd (may she rest in pieces)
    94 325ic 5-spd
    87 325is

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