Hey guys so this past weekend I was parking my Mini on a steep incline, and I got a warning that told me to "Secure vehicle against rolling" by applying the parking brake. I didn't think too much of it, and applied my electronic parking brake. Normally I notice that the car automatically applied the parking brake on some inclines, like when I park behind another car on the driveway on the ramp part - obviously it didn't do that this time.

Since this past weekend, on my regular drives now, I get the same warning every time I park. I also get this warning every time I come back to the car and start it up. It's been 2 days now. I did an OBD scan with BlueDriver and received "Gearbox Controller Trouble Codes: 420106: Status: Active - Shift Lock Solenoid: Unlock stuck"

I did a quick search and found BMW X1 owners having this issue and needing to get their mechatronics replaced. I have an appointment at my Mini dealership for Thursday afternoon, but wanted to see if anyone else here has come across this issue before.

Thankfully my car is at about 36k miles and is still under warranty, so I don't think the dealer will have an issue taking care of the issue. But now it has me wondering if I should purchase the extended warranty before mine expires next year. They quoted me around $3-4k for coverage up to 100k miles. On the BMW forums that I was lurking on said that the mechatronics unit was just under $5k to replace. So maybe I might just bite the bullet and pay now for all the coverage, just in case a few things go wrong...

 

Not familiar with the Gen 3 hardware...but...is there a manual handbrake still included in all the new microcomputerized technology? Also, are you operating a manual or auto gear box? A yes to both of those includes setting the hand brake, putting it in 1st gear then turning the front wheels appropriately for which side of the hill you are on. That is shown here:
https://driversed.com/driving-inform...on-a-hill.aspx

Dealing with computers that think there is a problem with procedure sounds like a total papa india alpha but you gotta deal with what you have...personal rant over.
Parking on hills was a major part of H.S. driving class back in the day. Our car was a '48 Army surplus Chevy sedan, 3 on the tree - still had the MilSpec plate on the glove box door.

 

The car has the 8 speed sport AT transmission and it has an electronic parking brake (button).

The problem is that I am receiving the warning even though I am parking on level ground.

 

Well, there we are. They've taken all the personal input out of operating these machines and given it to computers that can decide to do or not do things their own way and leave us wondering and or wishing. Sorry, I can be of no help at all against these near AI robots. This old fart that remembers cranking 2 long and 1 short for central quit the technology advancement when his trusty flip phone became obsolete.

 

How do I cancel the notification secure vehicle against rolling?

 

It ended up being a problem with the gear selector. There was some kind of stuck solonoid or pin or something. If you have warranty, your dealer will cover it at no cost. If not, I think my advisor mentioned it was something like $1500.

 

So it sounds like there was something preventing the CPU from knowing the gear selector was in the Park position, yet I am guessing the transmission would still go into Park? Gotta love all the interconnected stuff going on under the skin in our vehicles.

 

I got this exact same problem on my car fixed under warranty earlier this year.

 

I know this is an old thread, but net -- it's a dinky little torsion spring inside the gearshift (which, unless you're just up for the labor, is probably simpler to replace than repair).

I repaired mine of course (F56 MCS)

DIY fix video for BMW 2 series F45 F46, apparently same issue
Unlike the guy in the video, I actually replaced (rather than "refashioned") the existing torsion spring. Finding that spring seems to be impossible, and a direct replacement would likely fail just like the original. So after a *ton* of time getting square on the engineering of torsion springs, I replaced it with one I created by hand using a section of a $2.50 spring from Lowe's (well, 2 of them came in the package, so I had to spend $5).

 

My 2017 is getting this error and I plan on doing it myself in a week or two. @cjv2 I agree that spring in the video looks dinky so I think its better to replace. Do you remember the size torsion spring that you bought or did you just bring the old spring to Lowe's and find something similar? Thx

 

Hey there @minif56, glad you asked, I’m surprised I didn’t think to post the particulars of that torsion spring (maybe because I wanted to get some road time to prove to myself that my fix worked? Who knows).

But yeah I took the original spring with me and found something similar. I also took measurements of the original spring with digital calipers to ensure I knew all the dimensions of the original, esp the thickness of the original wire.

Full detail, taken direct from the package (glad I kept it!) so folks can find it and comparables in the future. BTW the wire of this spring is just a smidge thicker than the dead factory one — it fits perfectly but will hopefully have greater durability.

- UPC code (on the UPC barcode) is 038902002464. Appears on the back of the package.

- additionally shows “HPM# 08728” and “H# 543311”, also on back of package.

- Manufacturer is Hillman, Cincinnati, OH 45231 (also on back of package), product made in Taiwan.

- front side says:

• Resorte • Ressort
• SPRINGS
• Extension/Extensión
• 5/16” x 1-18” x .023”
• 7.94mm x 28.58mm x 0.60mm
• 2pcs/pzs

- back side additionally says:

• Safe Working Load: 0.33 LBS.
• Carga de trabajo segura: 0.15KG.
• Charge utile sécuritaire: 0.15KG.

Package is plastic, mostly blue with white. Contains 2 springs that have WAY more loops than needed, which means you have lots of material to work with if you screw up your first attempt to craft a replacement torsion spring out of it.

Hope this, along with the pics, helps!!




Old broken spring next to penny, new hand-fashioned spring to immediate right of old broken spring. Make sure you use the same # of coils and in the same direction as the original spring as well as the same leg lengths and the same deflection angle.

If you don't loop in the same direction... uh... I just realized from this pic that I didn't (couldn't because the springs I bought wind in the opposite direction) and it worked anyway but still do it the right way for your Mini if you decide to use a different spring

If you use more/fewer coils, or change the leg length, or change the deflection angle, OR ESPECIALLY IF YOU USE A DIFFERENT DIAMETER WIRE (the one I got was apparently "close enough") you're going to alter the amount of pressure on the plastic components that the spring rests against -- definitely don't recommend that unless you just want to take unnecessary risks with your gearshift.

 

That is extremely helpful! Thanks @cjv2 !

 

Glad to help! One more thing -- I used these instructions to handle removal and reassembly of the center console / getting to the gearshift assembly.

MiniMania - NM Short Shift Adapter center console removal/reassembly PDF

Where parts of these instructions don't apply to your disassemble/reassemble, adjust accordingly -- but this PDF was REALLY helpful (obviously, ignore the stuff within about the NM adapter proper since you are not installing one). Once you get to the gearshift, you should be able to figure out how to get the cable off of it to remove it from the car. The YouTube video in earlier post is also helpful despite it showing teardown of a different-model BMW, this automatic gearshift assembly is (apparently) the same part as in the Mini.

 

Great - thanks @cjv2 for that additional instruction. I plan on doing this in 1.5 weeks. The part that looks difficult is cracking open the gearshift assembly and reassembly it ....but should be doable with the video despite my limited skills!

 

You'll probably be a-ok doing the open/reassemble of the gearshift assembly!

Biggest tips I can give: go slowly, be deliberate about the disassembly, make sure you note what is resting where so that you can reassemble knowledgeably. Take LOTS of pictures, the idea being you want to know which internal parts are resting against whatever other internal parts. If you're going to remove -- or even just move -- *anything* inside the assembly, take a pic first!

There isn't a ton of fancy going on inside the assembly, but you'll feel a million times better -- and you'll know what to cross-check -- if you are snapping photos along the way.

Let us know how you fare!

 

I changed the spring yesterday in my gear selector and it has fixed the problem! I'm not much of mechanic beyond oil changes, but this procedure was straight forward, although time consuming. It took about 2- 2 1/2 hours to get the gear selector out, including a 1/2 hour fussing with an electrical connector which was stuck. About an hour to disassemble / reassemble the gear selector and then an hour to put everything back. So total ~4 1/2 hours and $20 for spring, grease and electrical connector cleaning spray versus $1500 that the dealer wanted to charge.

@cjv2 thanks for the springs specs and advice. The PDF on removing the armrest and that video were really helpful. Going slow and rewatching the video step-by-step was essential.

 

Very cool @minif56 , glad to hear it worked out -- your experience sounds similar to mine. No stuck electrical connector in my case but otherwise 100% the same.

Worth a mention that the gearshift assy is somewhere between $550 and $700 in casual searches online, so if you call it 5 full billable hours of labor at, say, $150 each, that'll get one at or near the $1500 dealer quote easy. Pretty glad I have the tools and the skill to disassemble and reassemble the more LEGO set-ish parts of my Mini in a context like this, lol

Nice work -- so far my "custom spring" has held up and I hope it will continue to. I also noted that direct replacements for the spring are circulating around eBay for about $20 each -- all good for those who want/need it even if pricey. But if the "eBay spring" specs are a dead match for the original spring, I expect those eBay springs will ultimately break just like the original factory part did. I'm happy to have installed a spring with just a smidge more resilience.

Question -- when you took it apart -- did you find that your pre-repair spring was in the same condition as in the video? Meaning that the spring had broken but the two parts of it had not completely detached from each other? I didn't get a pre-repair pic in my case, but I found mine in exactly the same shape.

 

Bringing this one back yet again. Got the dreaded warning this past weekend...uugghh! There are all kinds of Ebay suppliers with these springs on sale, so must be more common than we would think, eh? I have seen them range from $4 each to $9 for 5 pack to $25 each. Guessing there is some differences, but not sure the almost 6x cost version that much better. I ended up ordering (2) of the $4 version for a grand total of $11 shipped. Waiting on delivery to see what they look like, but coming from Taiwan, so fingers crossed. If no bueno, I can always go the home-made route noted above.

I watched the BMW video above a couple times to see what all is going on with the basic repair. **Now, I haven't pulled anything apart on my car yet, so this is coming strictly from just watching the video.** Do you really have to pull the center console out to disconnect/pull the shifter mechanism out?? It looks like you should be able to gain access to the (4) mounting nuts and the retaining clip on the shifter cable, the only tough item I see is the push-rivet to release the cable from the slide. It looks like you should be able to manipulate the shifter enough to gain access to the bottom of the pin, possibly with a right-angle driver to push up the center pin. I guess I will see what I can do when I get the replacement springs in.

If you do, indeed, need to remove the center console, I can't seem to find any instructions of the true method to pull our F54 console. It seems that our consoles are not as somewhat simple as the 2 series in the video, but, again, I haven't put a driver to my console yet. Any detailed feedback/pics/info would certainly be appreciated.

 

Short version: yes you really have to pull the center console out. Or at least you do not only on the BMW in the video, but on the F56 (including my MY 2017 F56S). I can't speak to the F54 but I would be amazed if this same part (right down to the part number, I think?) is somehow held in place "differently" on the F54. Standardization on manufacturing approach (part, assembly, disassembly) seems to be what BMW has opted for here.

Longer version: Same as short version plus see my post here on the F56, play by play and my post here for some how-to on the console that isn't an exact match, but is close enough to be adaptable on the fly.

Re the push-pin for the shifter cable, wasn't that hard, it doesn't really fight you; the trick was getting to it, which was easy (well, "easy enough") once I unbolted the shifter and stopped being overcautious about moving it around.

Hope this helps! Funny, I was thinking less than 12 hours ago "I wonder if someone else in the forum has needed this info?"

 

The need for this info is definitely going to be ongoing, based on the design that appears to be guaranteed to fail. I am certainly going to see how potentially possible it is to pull the shifter out with the console in place, but will be fully prepared to remove mine once I get into it. Guessing it will be May or June when I get to this based on everything else I have going on and that I am not expecting the springs till mid/late April from the shipping notice.

What I am struggling to visualize is how the F54 console comes out. I have recently seen used consoles at online salvage dealers that shows it to be removed as a u-shaped 'skin' from the main structure underneath it, rather than a single unit like what I am familiar with and like what the BMW video shows. Ah, finally found some good info and pics here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post4306441 Our F54 consoles are quite complicated things to say the least and Gearhead60's warning is not taken lightly. Although pulling my first Fox Body Mustang dash for a heater core replacement was a bit unnerving, but I was quite adept at it on my 4th core replacement (ha,ha) since I had become the 'expert' to my friends by being the first to tackle that job.

I shall certainly report back after my adventures in console-land.

 

Holy cow I looked at the post at the link, that is one heck of a consolecreation you F54 folks have. It looks like it should do more than be a console. You know, like provide turbo boost, or power a laser shield, or something

Very interested in your future posts about your efforts!

 

The F54 console insides look like it is part of the side impact structure for sure, seems a bit over-the-top so to speak, but someone had an idea and were allowed to run with it. I will certainly do my best to snap pics throughout the process, should be interesting when I get to it.

 

I’ll be in LA and Florida during July 2023 if anyone needs this issues fixing.

You can find full details at securevehicleagainstrolling with the obligatory dot com on the end.

I won’t reply to DM but very happy to assist any desperate owners!