One of the ways you can quickly confirm if your issue is at the shift rod assembly is by disconnecting your shifting cable at the motor and manually check function of the shifter. You should be able to manually move it with your fingers. If you can’t, shift rod assembly will need some heavy duty lubrication.

I pulled the controller and disconnected the throttle cables and was able to easily move them by hand. When I first started to fix this issue, I was convinced the throttle cables were the problem (20+ years old), so I bought a cable lubing device (search 'cable luber' on amazon) and was planning to lube the cables. Once I removed the controller and played around with the cables, I realized they were not the issue since they moved freely with little effort. This lead me to digging into the controller and playing with all the mechanical pieces of the assembly.

I had initially suspected the throttle cable, but it is not the issue here. I tested the cable by isolating it and ensuring it was not hanging up.

What year and model BMW do you have? What are your symptoms?

@@IIcrackerII i dont actually have a problem, but since i retrofitted the obc 18 button fully working i was looking for that relay since is related to a hidden function about the code, pin 3 x1071 needs a wire to that relay to stop fuel pomp to start, even if the code function already works i was curios to add that wire too

very easy

Good to know. There was clear evidence of old white lithium grease in there that looked factory.

@nextphase7481 I have exactly the same problem. Did you manage to solve it?

@@chemagb5559 I ended up just replacing that whole ignition tumbler with a new one. The shaft it contacts was okay. I removed the old cylinder/tumbler using the BMW tool (nothing special, just has a bent pin, you can do it with a bent paper clip). A bit tricky as was apparent in the video, I played around with it for about 10-15 minutes. Once the pin and tumbler are both in the right place it just comes right out with finger pressure and a slight pull. The replacement tumbler comes with a different key so you will end up having two keys, your original master for the door locks, etc. and the new one for the ignition (no big deal for me). You could change out the dozen or so individual "key pieces" (there is a BMW repair kit for this) inside the tumbler but I didn't bother. It's more of the pain in the neck than replacing the ignition cylinder! If you have the same issue I described I would suggest the easiest solution is to replace the ignition cylinder. Good Luck!

Hey Norman! When you try to start the car again does the starter activate?

@@IIcrackerII If my friend, the starter motor turns but does not start and when leaving the car after a while if it starts

@@normanantoniomasissoto1549 That is very unusual. When it doesn't start again, I would suggest pulling the spark plug and inspect it for fouling and smell for fuel. If you have a strong fuel odor the plugs may be fouling (too much fuel). You may also benefit from replacing all of the plugs if they haven't been done recently. Right now you need to determine why the car doesn't start. Is it a fuel issue? Is it a spark issue? Inspecting the spark plugs is a quick easy way to hopefully determine this.

@@IIcrackerII Thank you very much I will do it

Friend and that relay what it is for

same year and same issue as you, did you find a fix?

no..

I'm not sure i completely understand what you mean when you say "it looks like it's out a quarter of a turn." Can you explain more? And when you say "it's out of whack" what do you mean? Does the tumbler just spin? It sounds like you're very close. And good on you for buying extra shafts! It puzzles my why Valeo made these shafts with such a small diameter. Make sure you apply lithium grease to the shaft when you install it. The grease should go on the middle of the shaft where the shaft unlocks the steering column. This will prolong the life of your shaft.

obviously shaft was broken, i put back altogether but something wrong , when i pull key out it does not clank the way should be, i assembled it with bearing grease I love my e34 but this really shit me

Glad to hear it!

The other end of the shaft goes into the ignition switch. Follow the shaft to the other side of the steering column and you will see it. It is an orange circular shaped switch. There are two screws that hold it on and they are covered with a wax so you cannot see the top of the screws. Remove the wax with a razor blade and take out the two screws. Now you can pull off the ignition switch. This should give you access to remove the shaft. I used needle nosed pliers to get it out. When you put the new shaft in be sure to apply lithium grease to it to ensure its longevity.

yes i have removed the red/orange cylinder but the shaft that is broken and it still wont come out something is holding it in. my steering wheel is also locked i can not steer it, maybe thats why it wont come out?

@@IIcrackerII ;pp

My apologies for the (very) late reply. The issue I experienced was my flashers would randomly activate while driving the car. Any little bump in the road would cause them to activate so I replaced this and fixed the issue.

is your key sloppy feeling? If so, you probably broke the shaft that this guy broke that I also broke. If it runs fine on a push start, it's probably your starter. Very unlikely but it's happened to me before in another vehicle (not a BMW), but my ignition switch went out. Accessory and run worked, but the start position didn't do anything. I'd check starter first. It's easy to check, connect up a trigger starter (connects to the starter terminals and you just have a trigger so you can turn the engine over without it starting. Very commonly used by OHV guys to adjust rocker arms), if it cranks then your starter is good.