525iT auto shifter stuck in park

My automatic shifter is stuck in park. I don't mean the transmission
is stuck in park, I mean the shifter. the transmission has about 500
miles on it since a complete rebuild. The nice burlwood handle (that I
thought was stock until finding out otherwise) came off in my hand
today. When I put it back in and got it seated back down on the shift
lever the shifter will not shift out of park. The button on the bottom
of the shifter is locked into place and won't release.

What's involved here a new shift handle and parts or the whole shift
mechanism? When the shift handle first came out it had a white plastic
shaft inside it that ended with about a quarter inch of steel. Now the
handle comes off without the plastic shaft. Does this plastic shaft
come with a factory or aftermarket shift handle?

I have noticed prior to this that it's very easy to have it in
performance mode in third gear and when shifting to fourth it
overshoots fourth and lands in neutral. Making me think something is
worn in there.

If I pop 80 bucks for the Bentley service manual will it provide the
instructions I need to tear the center consule apart and repair the
shifter?

So far my BMW mechanics experience is limited to replacing the door
handle release cable and fixing a power window. This is the first BMW
I've had a chance to work on I'm impressed with the construction. Beats
most of the GM and Honda vehicles I've owned hands down.

MarkInOregon wrote:
> My automatic shifter is stuck in park. I don't mean the transmission
> is stuck in park, I mean the shifter. the transmission has about 500
> miles on it since a complete rebuild. The nice burlwood handle (that I
> thought was stock until finding out otherwise) came off in my hand
> today. When I put it back in and got it seated back down on the shift
> lever the shifter will not shift out of park. The button on the bottom
> of the shifter is locked into place and won't release.
>
> What's involved here a new shift handle and parts or the whole shift
> mechanism? When the shift handle first came out it had a white plastic
> shaft inside it that ended with about a quarter inch of steel. Now the
> handle comes off without the plastic shaft. Does this plastic shaft
> come with a factory or aftermarket shift handle?
>
> I have noticed prior to this that it's very easy to have it in
> performance mode in third gear and when shifting to fourth it
> overshoots fourth and lands in neutral. Making me think something is
> worn in there.
>
> If I pop 80 bucks for the Bentley service manual will it provide the
> instructions I need to tear the center consule apart and repair the
> shifter?
>
> So far my BMW mechanics experience is limited to replacing the door
> handle release cable and fixing a power window. This is the first BMW
> I've had a chance to work on I'm impressed with the construction. Beats
> most of the GM and Honda vehicles I've owned hands down.
>

Not being intimately acquainted with the 525 I could be wide of the mark
here, but it sounds like you didn't engage the button correctly when to
put the handle back on - it can be a bit tricky.

HTH :-)

--
Regards

Steve G

>>I've removed the earlier messages why repeat here what you can read there?<<

Thanks Steve

The white plastic shaft is disconnected from the t-handle and from the
looks of this particular t-handle design there is no taking it apart to
reconnect it. Also part way down the white plastic shaft is another
hole and I'm wonder if it engages on something in the shifter shaft? My
impression of this t-handle is it's a very cheap item, I hope it's not
one of the $85.00 models I've found on the web.

At any rate I have removed the white plastic piece. With it removed and
the brake pedal firmly pressed to the floor and the engine running I
can move the shift handle. That leaves the question of what's broken?
Just the t-handle and white shaft? Or the whole shift mechanism below
the center console?

One thing I am happy about in looking around the web at prices of parts
most of the parts are in the same price range as the Chevy and Honda's
I've owned in past or less!. And most are a LOT cheaper than my 1990
Acura Legend's part prices. Does this apply to all BMWs or is it a
benefit of the E34?

You have to pull the handle off to see what is wrong with it. There is a
button that mates to linkage inside the shift lever, and this mating is not
being accomplished properly. You push the button, but the linkage does not
move.

You got the handle seated, but big deal. You seem to have ignored the
linkage inside. Take the handle off and begin again.




"MarkInOregon" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> My automatic shifter is stuck in park. I don't mean the transmission
> is stuck in park, I mean the shifter. the transmission has about 500
> miles on it since a complete rebuild. The nice burlwood handle (that I
> thought was stock until finding out otherwise) came off in my hand
> today. When I put it back in and got it seated back down on the shift
> lever the shifter will not shift out of park. The button on the bottom
> of the shifter is locked into place and won't release.
>
> What's involved here a new shift handle and parts or the whole shift
> mechanism? When the shift handle first came out it had a white plastic
> shaft inside it that ended with about a quarter inch of steel. Now the
> handle comes off without the plastic shaft. Does this plastic shaft
> come with a factory or aftermarket shift handle?
>
> I have noticed prior to this that it's very easy to have it in
> performance mode in third gear and when shifting to fourth it
> overshoots fourth and lands in neutral. Making me think something is
> worn in there.
>
> If I pop 80 bucks for the Bentley service manual will it provide the
> instructions I need to tear the center consule apart and repair the
> shifter?
>
> So far my BMW mechanics experience is limited to replacing the door
> handle release cable and fixing a power window. This is the first BMW
> I've had a chance to work on I'm impressed with the construction. Beats
> most of the GM and Honda vehicles I've owned hands down.
>

"MarkInOregon" > wrote

> What's involved here a new shift handle and parts or the whole shift
> mechanism? When the shift handle first came out it had a white plastic
> shaft inside it that ended with about a quarter inch of steel. Now the
> handle comes off without the plastic shaft. Does this plastic shaft
> come with a factory or aftermarket shift handle?

You may have broken the plastic rod. The TIS says not to twist
the knob when removing or it will shear. You can tell just by
looking. The new handles do come complete with shaft.

Very few adjustments are possible with the actual shifter. If
the interlock works correctly that's it. Anything else would
involve the shifter piece with the detents for each gear. This
would have been inspected and tested when the transmission
was changed.

I think all you need is a new handle.