BMW: Gear shift problems., head bolt, bmw 520

Question
My car is a 1992 BMW 520 automatic. When the car is on I cannot shift the gear out of park. The car turns on fine, but I just can't shift the gears. Do you know what the problem might be? thank you

erika

Answer
Sorry to hear about the problem. I am curious what the car actually is, there is no 520. I only ask because the 525 and 540 had different shifter mechanisms. The problem sounds like the shift interlock cable. It runs from the inside of the steering column, through the dash, and bolts to the shifter assembly. If you remove the upper and lower steering column trims with #2 philips screws you will see next to the ignition where you stick the key in, a cable that comes out of the front of the ignition with a gold colored 13mm hex. Make sure that 13mm hex is tight. If it is go to the center console. Take off the shift handle with a 3mm allen wrench-that screw faces forward from the shift lever shaft. After the shift handle is off that whole wood insert in the console prys up-it will probably be hard because of all the years of dirt and coffee stuck in the crach where you can't see. After the wood trim is off look down at the shifter assembly base and you will see that cable from the ignition coming into the front right of the shifter base. It is clamped down with a 10mm head bolt. If you loosen the bolt you can slide the cable toward the shifter assembly to take up the tolerance from the shift cable. One of those should do it. Please let me know if it doesn't or you need help with the instructions. Good luck.