Key problem...means lights on! arg

[Coopershoots]

I rode my 1999 r1100s about 150 miles yesterday in the rain but no problems, even today, no problems..until this evening. It is bitterly cold here ( Toronto ) today and I started the bike, no problem, drove about 15 minutes and then tried to get the key out.
The key would not turn. It is in the on position. I put some isoprol alcohol and lubrication in the key hole thinking it may have been frozen, to no avail. The headlights are still on. I figured the battery will be toast soon so I pulled the 4 fuses ( when sitting on the seat looking forward, on the left 2- 4amp, 2- 15 amp). The head lights didnt go out, so I decided just to pull the headlight plug off the light. The signal flickers still have power and so does the dash. The signals can be cancelled so there isnt a problem but the instrument panel light is on. The clock is out, the electric starter is out, brake lights out but not head light...and I still cant move the key setting. ( the key does come out luckily). any brilliant suggestions for a non mechanic like me.

[AntonLargiader]

With the key in the on position, use a thin pick or a bit of stiff wire to push into the slot on the front left edge of the ignition lock housing. It's directly on the left side of the rib that runs along the front of the housing. This will let you extract the lock cylinder and key (just pull them straight out). Then use a screwdriver to turn the switch in the bottom of the lock housing.

The bottom of the lock cylinder has a metal plunger that keeps it in the housing. You need to press that inward (through the slot) to lift the cylinder out. You can only do this with the key in the on position.

[Peter Parts]

The removal procedure starts in the CD manual in section 31, page 179, and continues in section 51, page 271. About as forbidding a job as any I can imagine with words like non-removable screw and extractor..... I hope Anton's method is all you need.

[CARacic]

yup same thing happened to me. I ended up replacing the lock assembly. I was lucky that after enough fiddling I was able to turn it off. I think you would be better off separating the electrical switch from the bottom of the lock assembly. There is a very small set screw that holds in the switch. My '99 needed a small flat blade screw driver. The set screw is located on the throttle side of the latch close to the mounting. Loosen the screw then you can slide out the electrical switch and turn it to off
The screw hole is located in the center of the picture. Ok it is a little fuzzy but I think you get the idea. Good luck

chuck

[deanmw]

Well you have had some very legitimate responses, now for my two cents. You live in Toronto, at any time did you exceed 50 kph over the limit? If so, likely the police have initiated an interlock on your bike from their GPS units. As they were on break at Tim Hortons as you passed by their laser trap the interlock was applied as an alternative to giving you a ticket so they could impound your bike on the spot for street racing, remove your license for 10 days and fining you $10,000. Consider yourself lucky and buy a lotto 6/49 ticket this weekend.

Unless you live in Ontario you may not understand my response but if you do then you might accept my response as a valid explanation for what has occurred to the bike.

[Corkus]

Thank you Anton Largiader for the directions listed in this thread. The directions worked perfectly because my key would still turn to the ON position. In the ON position with the ignition key in place there is only a Spring-Pin holding the lock cylinder in place and that pin can be released by pushing on it through the slot Anton described. Then the lock cylinder does just pop out of the bike smoothly and easily.

I bought a new lock cylinder (BMW Part No. 51 25 2 313 286. BMW Part Name: Steering lock.) from BMW for $31.92. Heads up: If the key is not carefully pulled out of the new lock cylinder, tiny pieces start falling out like a disintegrating 3-D puzzle. The BMW tech did have to collect a few parts. Then he matched the new cylinder to my existing key for free even though I had been quoted about $40 for the key matching. One thing about the replacement lock cylinder, the new cylinder had a one-sided hole for the Spring-Pin. I don't see that working. I drilled out the closed side of the hole so the spring-pin from the old cylinder fit all the way through the new cylinder and everything was the same going back in.

I took the fairing off the bike and disconnected the battery but nothing needs to be removed to get the lock cylinder out when it is in the ON position and the key is in place. No set screw needed removing.

This Spring-Pin is the important piece. The new lock cylinder did not come with one and it did not accept the old pin in the same way until it was drilled to match the old cylinder.



After drilling the pin fits as in the old cylinder.



I made a Push Key by grinding down a luggage key. It fit perfectly. The Spring-Pin needs to be pushed down when removing the old cylinder and when putting the new cylinder in place. The old cylinder came out all greased up, the manual specifies Shell Retinax A. One of the side pieces on my old lock was dinged.



Here is the slot for pushing on the Spring-Pin. The lock cylinder must be in the ON position with the ignition key in place. The slot is out in the open and easy to reach.


After I finished installing and testing the new lock cylinder, I think it might be possible to complete this job without the new lock cylinder. I had a slight ding in one of the pieces that fits into the side of the lock cylinder. The ding was easy to see. If I understand the little dinged piece correctly, it might be workable to simply remove the dinged piece and put the old lock cylinder back in the bike. After removing the lock cylinder from the bike and very carefully removing the ignition key the dinged side piece should just slide out. (All the side pieces seem to want to fall out without the key in place.) This could possibly work if a key stops working while out riding as long as the key still turns to the ON position and some sort of push key can be worked into the slot to free the lock cylinder.

[twodear]

I think this should be linked to the "solutions to unique problems" thread

[flatbutt]

Wow Cory thanks for this. Never woulda found that slot. Maybe now I can fix my fork lock.