Replacing gear selector lever in i3 rex 2013

[tongsli]

Some more pictures. On the left is the V shaped cam and on the right is the post or stud which is pushed by the v shaped cam. to the right of the wiring harness are the little gear teeth which engage another gear which is electronically connected to the wires.

 

[tongsli]

Having disassembled this knob, I don't understand how mechanically it is not working on some of the older vehicles. There is one single torque screw on the end which holds the rotating knob onto the gear shaft. If that screw is loose then the white plastic cam can disengage. It would only take 1mm of travel for the plastic gear to disengage.

Has anyone with a non-functioning gear selector tried tightening this screw? Is your knob "loose" on the Z-axis? Maybe this is all that needs to be done? I don't see how lubricating that area fixes the problem.

thanks

 

[quaycrest]

Having disassembled this knob, I don't understand how mechanically it is not working on some of the older vehicles. Theire is one single torque screw on the end which holds the rotating knob onto the gear shaft. If that screw is loose then the white plastic cam can disengage. It would only take 1-2 mm of travel for the plastic gear to disengage.

Has anyone with a non-functioning gear selector tried tightening this screw? Is your knob "loose" on the Z-axis? Maybe this is all that needs to be done? I don't see how lubricating that area fixes the problem.

thanks

Having disassembled this knob, I don't understand how mechanically it is not working on some of the older vehicles. There is one single torque screw on the end which holds the rotating knob onto the gear shaft. If that screw is loose then the white plastic cam can disengage. It would only take 1mm of travel for the plastic gear to disengage.

Has anyone with a non-functioning gear selector tried tightening this screw? Is your knob "loose" on the Z-axis? Maybe this is all that needs to be done? I don't see how lubricating that area fixes the problem.

thanks

I took the screw that sits under the plastic cover off and retightened it but made no difference to my loose lever. The screw seems to bottom out.

 

[tongsli]

I took the screw that sits under the plastic cover off and retightened it but made no difference to my loose lever. The screw seems to bottom out.

did you try adding a washer underneath the torque screw to see if it would pull the main shaft out tighter to the knob? Is your knob loose in the Z-axis? The shaft has two slots which the main knob fits onto. Were you able to see those slots and the two tabs on the knob? Is everything in tact?

The other way you could "tighten" the knob is to cut 2-3mm off the torque screw so it doesn't bottom out into the shaft which might pull the selector knob tighter to the shaft.

 

[tongsli]

Many thanks for the advice and confirmations to my queries, much appreciated.

I took off the gear lever selector only today to see if there was anything mechanical under the lever but it looks like it may only be electronic sensors that are in the lever and/or main unit.

On replacing the lever I can now only select drive not park or reverse!

Does the lever need recoding or recalibration?

when you remove the screw to the main shaft, it release tension on the shaft which has a centering mechanism (see photo below). I posted the picture its the white post on the left side. When you removed the screw, you may not have placed the main shaft correctly back before re-tightening the main screw. you can try to loosen the main screw slightly push the knob in, jiggle it slightly, pull out and tighten again. those gears inside are very small it wouldn't take much for you to get them off calibration so the electronic switch inside doesn't work. You may be off by one or two teeth.

it's hard because you are working 'blind" unless you open everything up. Try adjusting slightly backwards and then tighten the screw.

can you post a video showing the "loose" knob? Can you post a pic of your replacement knob?

If you don't fix the loose knob issue it will never work because the knob and shaft must be tight in order for the white cam and gears to engage the switch correctly.

Hope this helps

 

[quaycrest]

when you remove the screw to the main shaft, it release tension on the shaft which has a centering mechanism (see photo below). I posted the picture its the white post on the left side. When you removed the screw, you may not have placed the main shaft correctly back before re-tightening the main screw. you can try to loosen the main screw slightly push the knob in, jiggle it slightly, pull out and tighten again. those gears inside are very small it wouldn't take much for you to get them off calibration so the electronic switch inside doesn't work. You may be off by one or two teeth.

it's hard because you are working 'blind" unless you open everything up. Try adjusting slightly backwards and then tighten the screw.

can you post a video showing the "loose" knob? Can you post a pic of your replacement knob?

If you don't fix the loose knob issue it will never work because the knob and shaft must be tight in order for the white cam and gears to engage the switch correctly.

Hope this helps

Gear knob is no longer loose sorry as it reset itself back to normal operation after being left overnight. I didn't try a washer or jiggling the screw as at that stage I didn't know what I was working with inside the unit. I still have my spare gear lever to be fitted but the issue has not returned after the first instance over a month ago. If it does reoccur I will dismantle my existing switch and follow the advice on greasing the shaft mechanism. Great detective work here from you guys.

 

[ChrisEngelman]

Take out the entire white gear you see. It sits on an axle from the knob. Take the knob off, pull out the entire axle please!

 

[ChrisEngelman]

Then, when the axle is out, you see a long pin, parallel to this axle. Take that pin out!

 

[tongsli]

Then, when the axle is out, you see a long pin, parallel to this axle. Take that pin out!

Maybe this will help. the big hole is for the main shaft. at 11:00 o clock is the parallel hole for the white plastic plunger (photo on left)

 

[tongsli]

One more thing. There is a slot in the white cam (with gears). The black horizontal gear has a tab which must go into the slot for alignment. See photo. I cannot get my iPhone to focus on such a tight area. The slot is on the top of the white gear turner. It rotates with the gear knob and it moves the horizontal black plastic gear that sits horizontally.

 

[TheAirman]

Which method did you use to remove the airbag? The factory manual method, or the pdf file posted by Chris? How did it go? I am planning on a air bag removal soon. Did you disconnect both the 12v battery and the traction battery? I watch those youtube videos where they do neither.

 

[tongsli]

Which method did you use to remove the airbag? The factory manual method, or the pdf file posted by Chris? How did it go? I am planning on an air bag removal soon. Did you disconnect both the 12v battery and the traction battery? I watch those youtube videos where they do neither.

Airman
I have a spare switch and haven’t removed an airbag yet. I wish you luck. Please update us on your impending success. If I wanted to be safe I’d disconnect both.

L

 

[tongsli]

Moving the wiring harness allowed me to focus

 

[Dutchi3]

Great post, I have had this problem for years, my BMW dealer "never heard"of this problem. The problem shows up in cold weather in my case, so I assume that the grease of the white pin will become less viscuous and make the pin stick. In summer, this problem with the loose shifter never occurred, only in winter. Now that I moved to a warmer country, I hope this problem will not happen again

 

[tongsli]

Great post, I have had this problem for years, my BMW dealer "never heard"of this problem. The problem shows up in cold weather in my case, so I assume that the grease of the white pin will become less viscuous and make the pin stick. In summer, this problem with the loose shifter never occurred, only in winter. Now that I moved to a warmer country, I hope this problem will not happen again

That smaller pin with the spring clearly keeps the main shaft with the knob "tight" by pushing out of that main shaft with the "cam" with the groove.

 

[tongsli]

Which method did you use to remove the airbag? The factory manual method, or the pdf file posted by Chris? How did it go? I am planning on a air bag removal soon. Did you disconnect both the 12v battery and the traction battery? I watch those youtube videos where they do neither.

Airman, if you remove the right steering wheel controls, does it expose the hole or the tab which keeps the airbag installed?