Steering wheel won't lock, key won't go in
 

Greetings All. 1st post here.

I couldn't find anything on this problem in another thread, so here it goes...

Have an '02 S with 105k miles. I disconnected the battery for a few months whilst doing some engine extended repairs & maintenance (replace supercharger, sump gasket, radiator fan, etc., etc.).

When I nearing the end of reassembly, I put the battery on charge for a few hours. I put the key in the ignition & turned it to position 2 (I think), but didn't start it yet. Everything came on just like normal. Then I remembered that I didn't have the fan fuse in, because I had taken it out last autumn when fan went out, so I pulled the key out, found the fuse, & put it into place.

When I got back into the car to start it, & the key wouldn't even go in the lock, & the steering wheel won't lock - obviously related - it just spins around. I disconnected the battery & charged it another hour or so, but it didn't help. The key will still not go in the ignition lock.

Am I missing something? As was famously said - Any help you could give would be most, er, helpful.

Don't everybody jump in at once...

A little update:
Mostly out of frustration, I just repeatedly jammed the key against the ignition lock & after a while, surprisingly, it went in. Now it cranks up & runs like normal. It stops & restarts fine with the key in the ignition.

I was afraid to take the key out in case I couldn't get it back in, but it pulls out & goes in & restarts fine. However, the steering lock is still not engaging once I turn the car off. I haven't driven the yet - I'm still bleeding the cooling system & checking for leaks.

Any ideas about the steering lock not engaging?

This is a mechanical issue with the lock assembly. You will need to disassemble the column to clear out the obstruction.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/partgrp.d...21&hg=32&fg=30

Update: After a few drives on the road, the steering lock/ignition switch resumed normal function.

I read on one of the threads here that the steering lock is an electro-mechanical device, not just purely mechanical. Apparently, it wasn't getting the signal it wanted & now it is.

All part of the intrigue & excitement of owning a BMW-wired vehicle, I suppose.

The steering lock is mechanical. No electronics are involved. The electronics have to do with the key having a "code" that the car reads and allows the car to start.