BMW E39 520i SE Auto - won't go into Drive

mike66uk · 19 Sep 2015 at 04:25

Hi all, I noticed yesterday when I went to drive it having reversed off my driveway, I then went to put it into drive and the gear stick just wouldn't move down to drive at all. I moved it up and down between Park Neutral and Reverse a couple of times until until actually went down in to drive and off I went.

Well today it's happened again, any ideas on what this might be?

I've had no error messages or warning lights.

It's a 2001 with 183,000 miles, not in great condition but runs fine up until now, if this is gearbox/clutch replacement I'm worried it might be destined for scrap as the car is worth pretty much nothing

Tesla · 19 Sep 2015 at 06:53

If the stick won't physically go to D perhaps an issue with the selector mechanism?

Unluckyalf · 19 Sep 2015 at 07:12

Is it something as simple as the brake light switch? Generally you have to put you foot on the brake to engage drive and if the car thinks you havent, it wont select. Does the E39 have a shift lock button to override the lock?

slick rick · 19 Sep 2015 at 09:02

Have you adjusted the steering wheel at all? I once pulled my wheel all the way out and down before for cleaning, there is a cable that is attached to gear shifter and pulling the wheel out and down all the way locked it. I had to pull the gear shift surround off and release it manually.

Mine was stuck in park though and also would not release the ignition key so not sure if it is the same issue?

mike66uk · 19 Sep 2015 at 09:23

I've not repositioned the steering wheel at all, I've tried pumping the break several times I case the car thinks I've not got my foot on it, maybe a loose connection somewhere? In terms of gears and clutch when it's driving it's very smooth and no problems.

slick rick · 19 Sep 2015 at 09:33

I would try the manual override and see if it free's up the mechanism.

ShivP · 19 Sep 2015 at 11:37

Does it allow you to change gear when the car is off? i.e. reverse out of your drive, turn car off, put into D and then go?

koooowweeee · 19 Sep 2015 at 12:38

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v9t3XBXmtgQ

This guy is having a similar problem

mike66uk · 19 Sep 2015 at 13:42

Manual override? How do I do that? RTFM??

I'll have another play when I finish work, hopefully it lets me drive home!

[TW]Fox · 19 Sep 2015 at 14:29

slick rick said:
I would try the manual override and see if it free's up the mechanism.

He can't get into Drive, manual override requires you to be in drive...

[TW]Fox · 19 Sep 2015 at 14:30

Shivy011 said:
Does it allow you to change gear when the car is off? i.e. reverse out of your drive, turn car off, put into D and then go?

Car won't start if you do that.

ShivP · 19 Sep 2015 at 14:32

[TW]Fox;28583913 said:
Car won't start if you do that.

Hmk, just a thought on a whim as it happened some years ago on my dad's ford galaxy

It was something related to brake lights or so, but that's already been suggested

slick rick · 19 Sep 2015 at 16:10

mike66uk said:
Manual override? How do I do that? RTFM??

I'll have another play when I finish work, hopefully it lets me drive home!

Lift up the black plastic surrounding the gear lever (the bit with shift lights) up with a pry tool or a thin flat head screwdriver, underneath you should see a lever to the right of mechanism it is black if memory serves, pull this lever up and it should release the shifter.

[TW]Fox;28583912 said:
He can't get into Drive, manual override requires you to be in drive...

Sorry I didn't mean tiptronic mode, I meant what I posted above. I wasn't very clear.

mike66uk · 20 Sep 2015 at 09:34

So I got back to my car Saturday evening got in straight into drive and all was well. Then I get back in this Sunday morning for work and it just wouldn't go into drive so I ended up having to use our other car in the end.

I'm wondering if this is a heat problem, as in it worked in the warmish evening at 7pm, but it was quite cold at 4am this morning when trying to drive it?

I did notice a clicking noise coming from the dash near the steering wheel, a bit like an indicator stalk type noise every time I tried putting it into drive.

Any ideas?

I've still not had time to try the manual override yet but I will soon.

ci_newman · 20 Sep 2015 at 10:26

Try the override before you diagnose anything else

mike66uk · 21 Sep 2015 at 04:32

You were right, it was a problem with the gear stick being restricted from moving down. I didn't see any manual override lever, but I did notice that there was a bit of metal rod that when moved down into drive should fall into a chalice to hold it in place, well over the years the mechanisms must have loosened a little and it was slightly out of line, hitting on the mouth of the chalice. I haven't fixed it but all I have to do is nudge the stick over to the left a little when between N and D while pulling down and it pulls it back into line and slots into D.

Scania · 21 Sep 2015 at 14:30

Mines the opposite, it'll go from D to P without pressing in the button, it'll also select D without pressing the brake pedal, having had a look, I can't see anything wrong with the mechanism, wear and tear in guessing, it's a fairly recent development.

tcfreer · 21 Sep 2015 at 15:30

Stupid question - don't they need a fluid change auto gearbox's?

or a software reset? totally different, but it helped with my dad Disco4

snapdragon69 · 21 Sep 2015 at 15:35

tcfreer said:
Stupid question - don't they need a fluid change auto gearbox's? or a software reset? totally different, but it helped with my dad Disco4

The shifter doesn't use software or fluid, but yes you should change the transmission fluid when required..

BMW E39 520i SE Auto - won't go into Drive

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