Help! Ignition Chime keeps beeping when Key is out

[getty150]

Some things not clicking back into place when the key is removed,
An idea...try a quick blast of dry lube and then each side of the key. Then insert the key. Just before winter I maintain this with my BMW.

[80stech]

It would have been a good opportunity to see if the car started with the newly cut key before the locksmith coded the EWS chip. The car seems to think the key is in the ignition when you open the door so that kinda rules out the door switch right? Everything else works properly with the door, interior lights etc. ?? Do you have a scan tool that you can use to find out if the EWS is seeing a key ? I'm still think'in there is a EWS chip hiding somewhere. Did you try pulling the plastic shell 1/2s off ?

[X'd]

Originally Posted by 80stech

It would have been a good opportunity to see if the car started with the newly cut key before the locksmith coded the EWS chip. The car seems to think the key is in the ignition when you open the door so that kinda rules out the door switch right? Everything else works properly with the door, interior lights etc. ?? Do you have a scan tool that you can use to find out if the EWS is seeing a key ? I'm still think'in there is a EWS chip hiding somewhere. Did you try pulling the plastic shell 1/2s off ?

Yeah he cut the key that was working the best. He also tried all the keys after and they all started the car.

Everything else works, I have a basic scanner tool. Doesn't have that function.

The previous keys all had ews chips inside. I think the new one does too. Are you saying an old ews chip laying around can cause this problem?

I'm not sure that is the case because after about 10 to 15 times of pulling the key in and out, the beeping would stop.

[80stech]

I'm just guessing, without more info and maybe proper scan tool it's hard to do much more. I thought the beeping would stop randomly after a while of tapping the column housing ? Does it start up again if you put the key back in? Have you had the car since new so no chance that someone installed a remote starter at some point?

[80stech]

What happened with this ??

[Factory6speed]

I just had this exact problem with my E36 last week. Not saying it's the same as the e53 here and not saying this is what you should do, but this is what happened to me.

I came home late and took the key out and it kept beeping. Disconnect the battery. Problem continued into the next day something is wrong. The cylinder still thinks the key is in.

Again not suggesting you do this but I sprayed WD-40 into the cylinder and around the area. No change. Then I tried the white lithium grease. And things got worse, the key wouldn't do anything it was completely stuck like it was the wrong key. Panic. Spray electrical cleaner all over everything. Try some more WD-40, no change.

I took the lower trim off sprayed more electrical cleaner. Then I lightly tapped the metal thing on the bottom of the steering column and the cylinder with a hammer. That did it, works great. The cylinder feels like new and works perfectly, the beeping is gone. So probably don't spray those particular chemicals in like I did but perhaps there's a suitable chemical. And maybe try the hammer and electrical cleaner thing first.

[80stech]

Did the steering lock ?

[Factory6speed]

The steering lock always worked as normal. When the beeping problem started the wheel was unlocked. And I tried moving it and it locked. I think the steering lock is completely unrelated to the beeping the problem. As far as I understood it is there's a little spring and pin inside the cylinder that has to move to tell the switch that the key is out and then the switch sends the signal to stop the beeping. That pin doesn't move. It gets stuck and then the beeping continues. So some sort of chemical or mechanical force to get that pin and spring free and moving again is all that is needed. In my case at least. The E36 has that ews antenna thing going as well I think they are pretty similar

[80stech]

Yep, that is what I was wondering. I don't think there is any electrical connection to the lock cylinder though ?? The only thing I remember is that there is a pin in the back of the lock cylinder that works with the steering lock? Maybe switch is in the ignition switch and works by way of the steering lock pin ??
EDIT- that can't be right either because the OP replaced the ignition switch.

Maybe the key out chime works with the steering lock but some mechanism moves enough to lock the steering but not quite enough to disable the chime ??

[80stech]

So I am having some trouble with mine (steering not locking and key hard to turn) now (again) and the chime will still shut off when the steering lock pin sticks and steering doesn't lock. I if I slowly pull the key there is no sound from the steering lock and the steering does not lock and chime stays on, about half way or a little more there is another very light click(maybe tumblers) and chime stays on. Chime turns off when key is almost out if the lock cylinder but no click sound seems to be related. I was hoping to get the key out and keep it close enough to fool the EWS (if that is what controls the chime)but chime stops just before the key is out. I will probably go further with this and try to pay some attention to how the chime works.