The key is stuck and won't come out. The car will start after letting the car sit a little while. I need to get the key out though. The warranty just expired in December. The car is in park. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

son of a bitch! I remeber when that happened to me, your tumbler is essentially screwed up. At least you can drive the car, I had to tow mine, it would not strat or let me take it out. Anyway.

You need to take it to a mechanic or dealership and order a new tumbler from the stealer for around 75-100 dollars and have them remove the old one and install the new one. Very easy job but the actual labor is a bitch, remove the steering wheel, airbag, controlers, ...) and then you get to the tumbler. I first called a lock smith to remove the tumbler from the housing with their special tools and dissadembled everytyhing and just popped the puppy in whaen all was ready.

good luck

Thanks for the info. I am going to take it in to the dealer tomorrow if it starts. It has started the last few times I tried today.

how'd that happened? did the key just break off or the entire key wont come out?

how'd that happened? did the key just break off or the entire key wont come out?

In the lock tumbler mechanism there's a small bearing that locks the key from being removed when it's in the accessory or powered positions. Basically, that bearing is not returning to the proper position and causes the key to be stuck in the ignition. Only way to remove it is to remove the ignition key cylinder and disassemble the locking mechanism.

It's actually quite a common occurance.

I have a 96 ti and this has happened to me twice A friend at my local bmw dealer told me how to remove the key. Its very simple. Im not sure if it applies to your car but it may be worth a shot. You have to remove the steering column trim cover. Mine is in two pieces, top and bottom. Take a look at the following link.

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=CG73&mospid=47506&prod=19960600&btnr=32_0909&hg=32&fg=30

Part number 3 (ignition switch) in the picture is want needs to be removed. Its held by two small set screws that screw in from the bottom. You have to remove some plastic (at least on mine) to expose the set screws. After the ignition switch is removed, a keyed shaft will be exposed that runs down the middle of the key lock. Take a small pair of pliers and rotate that shaft and it will release the key.

Thanks everyone for the replies. My wife drove the car in to the dealership today and the key came right out. They took it apart and found nothing wrong.

What is wrong however is that Don Mackey BMW in Tucson gave her a KIA Rio to drive. Is this common practice at BMW dealerships? I guess it is "only a 3 series". She usually gets a grand am. They also don't wash the cars.

Anyway,
Thanks

What is wrong however is that Don Mackey BMW in Tucson gave her a KIA Rio to drive. Is this common practice at BMW dealerships? I guess it is "only a 3 series". She usually gets a grand am. They also don't wash the cars.

Anyway,
Thanks

Yep, the dealership in Minneapolis gives out Toyotas I think. Maybe not Toyotas but definitely not BMW's to everyone.

They give car wash coupons to a pretty decent car wash. It takes about 45 minutes to get through the wash. And the coupon they give is for a basic wash.

They claim that there are water restrictions that won't allow them to wash there cars. The Lexus dealer in the same automall washes my car no matter what I bring it in for.