Stuck in park

[matthew gleeson]

My e53 2004 wouldn't release from park. I was able to lift the gear lever surround and lift the cam allowing me to move the lever and select drive, reverse, and neutral. I still had to have my foot on the brake pedal in order to release the lever from park. The key will not release from the ignition. The car driver fine.

[TerminatorX5]

it sounds as if you are describing a proper operation of the interlock feature on the automatic transmission E53.

What are you trying to accomplish?

[dhyrk3]

I had Hondas and Toyotas where this is normal too.

[matthew gleeson]

Don't think I am making myself clear. I have to poke a screwdriver underneath the selector lever in order to get it to move into r n d , and the key wont come out. The car would be stuck in park I'd I didn't prise off the lever trim surround and manually release it with a screwdriver

[JCL]

There is a cable running from the ignition to the transmission selector lever that provides an interlock. It sounds like that cable is your problem, particularly if you have a problem with the ignition key not releasing, and the transmission selector not moving.

[matthew gleeson]

Any more details on this cable ?

[Bulk]

Does the key release from the ignition when the gear lever is in P?

[matthew gleeson]

No. The key stays .

[upallnight]

Either the bowden cable is broken or out of adjustment. Sticking a screw driver down there probably didn't help either.

Here's the part

Bowden cable. ZF . Shift interlock automatic transm. BMW 530i (1992 - 1996) # 25161218708

[matthew gleeson]

The cable in the steering colum had worked loose. I re seated it and all is fine.