Stuck in park

[The foolish fellow]

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.

[X5Sport]

You need to have your foot on the brake and press the shift release button.  Key will not release unless in P' or 'N' if memory serves.

If that's what you are doing then I'm puzzled..... ???

[The foolish fellow]

That's what I'm doin. There is a fault. I have had this car 4 years now.

[The foolish fellow]

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

[snipez999]

Sounds daft but have you been doing any work round that area recently?  The cables are a bit like bicycle brake cables and can require adjusting on occasion especially if disturbed or in need of lubrication (ooeer missus).  Dealer or indy should be able to sort very easily.

[X5Sport]

Does this info from the BMW TIS offer any help?

Transmission shifter.

Interlock cable.

Richard

[The foolish fellow]

Only got time today to check this out. The cable from the steering colum to the shifter had worked loose and only required re seating by pushing it back in. 

BTW the above links do not work. Can you post again.

[X5Sport]

Unfortunately the owner of the TIS Website deleted the BMW content just before Xmas.  The 'speculation' is that they got 'leaned on' by someone with a copyright angle.  No more BMW TIS I'm afraid to say  :cry1:

A lot of websites & Forums used to make use of it, so it's a real loss.  The only way around it seems to be to buy your own copy from a well known auction site, and as long as you have a 32-bit copy of Win7, an XP build, or can configure virtual machines then you're OK. 

I have updated the 'sticky' to say it's gone down..... :'(.  That site now offers VAG, GM and Daewoo TIS, but not BMW.

Richard

[jaynana]

unbelievable loss!!

says 'BMW TIS and WDS removed by request from BMW AG'

[The foolish fellow]

Found the TIS disc and the carsoft 6.5. Anyone know a compatible lead.

[The foolish fellow]

The cable from the gear selector to the steering lock had worked loose. I lubed it and pushed it into place again helped this time by some tie wire to ensure that it doesn't work loose again.