6mt shift linkage broken?

mocohead · 05-22-2016, 03:42 AM

Hello All,

Strange issue - I've been driving my 2016 6mt m235i all day. The car has about 7500 miles on it. The entire day it was fine.

Went in for dinner. When I came out I couldn't select a gear. The lever was obviously disconnected. I pulled the shift gator up and felt around. At the base of the lever there is a small s shaped bend, which fits into a ball, which in turn slides onto the selector rod. The s shaped part of the lever appears to have come out of the ball. I was able to push it back in enough to select 2nd gear and drive home.

Has anybody experienced this? Do I have to take it to the dealer or can I fix it myself?

Thanks!

kz1000 · 05-22-2016, 07:49 AM

You have a warranty. Let the dealer fix it.

nike001 · 05-22-2016, 10:02 AM

Let the dealer deal with it.

Unless you're absolutely crushing each gear-shift, there shouldn't be any issue.

Cyberdemon · 05-22-2016, 10:15 AM

Take it to the dealer - even if you can fix it yourself in the short term the cause is most likely a mechanical failure that needs to be looked into. Could have just been a manufacturing issue, part not correctly torqued etc.

xantdieselx · 05-22-2016, 12:30 PM

Yes dealer. You don't want it coming out when you're on the highway or at some other in opportune time.

raleedy · 05-22-2016, 01:58 PM

Notwithstanding what all the previous posters are saying, I think you should take it to the dealer.

mocohead · 05-23-2016, 04:28 PM

Yeah the car is at the dealer and I am waiting for the diagnosis.

I take it this is a first? Has anybody read about this happening to other people?

raleedy · 05-23-2016, 07:34 PM

I had a clutch linkage fall a part once, but that was on a a 1987 735i (E32).

Lucky13 · 05-23-2016, 08:14 PM

I had this happen on a brand new 1982 Camaro I bought in Cincinnati on my drive home from the dealer with a couple miles on the odometer. I was on the interstate and almost got killed. I was holding the shifter literally about 6 inches higher than normal. The pin that connected the shifter at the base disconnected and I had to rig it so I could at least get off the interstate. This was before cell phones existed so it sucked, needless to say it was my last Camaro.

mocohead · 05-23-2016, 08:31 PM

Well we have found the culprit...the shift lever snapped

bozman9 · 05-23-2016, 08:47 PM

As others said, definitely let the dealer handle it since that is absolutely a warranty issue. FWIW A similar situation happened in my S4 about 15 years ago (although that was with around 40k miles if I recall). I used it as an excuse to replace with a short throw shifter. I did the job myself and, ultimately, wasn't very satisfied with the end results. It felt ok at first, but I started to feel like I couldn't trust it and was worried something would fail while I was at speed. About a year later, I started worrying about failing turbos and then it was time for the S4 to go.

Definitely a scary situation considering that it could have snapped while driving! Glad you and others were safe. Might be worth writing a letter to BMWNA - that's more than just "this random part broke", that's seriously concerning.

Bozman

05-22-2016, 03:42 AM	#1
mocohead Lieutenant 54 Rep 453 Posts Drives: '16 M235i 6MT & 12 128i Msport Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: CA iTrader: (1)	6mt shift linkage broken? Hello All, Strange issue - I've been driving my 2016 6mt m235i all day. The car has about 7500 miles on it. The entire day it was fine. Went in for dinner. When I came out I couldn't select a gear. The lever was obviously disconnected. I pulled the shift gator up and felt around. At the base of the lever there is a small s shaped bend, which fits into a ball, which in turn slides onto the selector rod. The s shaped part of the lever appears to have come out of the ball. I was able to push it back in enough to select 2nd gear and drive home. Has anybody experienced this? Do I have to take it to the dealer or can I fix it myself? Thanks!
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05-22-2016, 07:49 AM	#2
kz1000 Mensch 60 Rep 122 Posts Drives: 2021 230i 6mt Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Cincinnati iTrader: (0)	You have a warranty. Let the dealer fix it.
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05-22-2016, 10:02 AM	#3
nike001 Captain 312 Rep 818 Posts Drives: 2018 718 Cayman Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: US iTrader: (2)	Let the dealer deal with it. Unless you're absolutely crushing each gear-shift, there shouldn't be any issue.
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05-22-2016, 10:15 AM	#4
Cyberdemon Brigadier General 1538 Rep 3,331 Posts Drives: 2020 X5 40i, 2018 M3 Comp Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Long Island NY iTrader: (3)	Take it to the dealer - even if you can fix it yourself in the short term the cause is most likely a mechanical failure that needs to be looked into. Could have just been a manufacturing issue, part not correctly torqued etc. __________________ Current: '20 X5, '18 M3 ZCP Previous: '11 E90 335i, '11 E90 M3, '16 VW GTI, '15 M235i, '13 335i, '08 TL-S, '00 Corvette
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05-22-2016, 12:30 PM	#5
xantdieselx Kingslayer 411 Rep 1,479 Posts Drives: 23' M3 Base Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: SWFL iTrader: (0)	Yes dealer. You don't want it coming out when you're on the highway or at some other in opportune time. __________________ Previous Cars: 2008' 135i, 2010' 328i, 2013' 328i, 2016' M235i, 2017' X1, 2019' M240i Current Cars: 2019' X3, 2021' M3 Comp
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05-22-2016, 01:58 PM	#6
raleedy Colonel 160 Rep 2,248 Posts Drives: 2016 228i 6-speed Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon iTrader: (0)	Notwithstanding what all the previous posters are saying, I think you should take it to the dealer.
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05-23-2016, 04:28 PM	#7
mocohead Lieutenant 54 Rep 453 Posts Drives: '16 M235i 6MT & 12 128i Msport Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: CA iTrader: (1)	Yeah the car is at the dealer and I am waiting for the diagnosis. I take it this is a first? Has anybody read about this happening to other people?
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05-23-2016, 07:34 PM	#8
raleedy Colonel 160 Rep 2,248 Posts Drives: 2016 228i 6-speed Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Portland, Oregon iTrader: (0)	I had a clutch linkage fall a part once, but that was on a a 1987 735i (E32).
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05-23-2016, 08:14 PM	#9
Lucky13 Lucky13 211 Rep 1,762 Posts Drives: 2014 M235 manual, 2020 X3 30X Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Columbia, S.C. iTrader: (0)	I had this happen on a brand new 1982 Camaro I bought in Cincinnati on my drive home from the dealer with a couple miles on the odometer. I was on the interstate and almost got killed. I was holding the shifter literally about 6 inches higher than normal. The pin that connected the shifter at the base disconnected and I had to rig it so I could at least get off the interstate. This was before cell phones existed so it sucked, needless to say it was my last Camaro. __________________ 1995 325i, 1996 328ci, 1997 528i, 1997 Z3 2.8, 2000 528i, 2001 X5 3.0, 2001 330i Convertible, 2002 M3 Convertible, 2003 M3 Coupe, 2004 M3 Coupe, 2004 Z4 3.0, 2004 X3 3.0, 2007 X3 3.0, 2007 335i Convertible, 2013 X1 28 sdrive, 2014 M235 manual, 2020 X3 30i Xdrive
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05-23-2016, 08:31 PM	#10
mocohead Lieutenant 54 Rep 453 Posts Drives: '16 M235i 6MT & 12 128i Msport Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: CA iTrader: (1)	Well we have found the culprit...the shift lever snapped
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05-23-2016, 08:47 PM	#11
bozman9 Private 15 Rep 72 Posts Drives: 2016 M235xi CV Join Date: May 2016 Location: Worcester, MA iTrader: (0)	As others said, definitely let the dealer handle it since that is absolutely a warranty issue. FWIW A similar situation happened in my S4 about 15 years ago (although that was with around 40k miles if I recall). I used it as an excuse to replace with a short throw shifter. I did the job myself and, ultimately, wasn't very satisfied with the end results. It felt ok at first, but I started to feel like I couldn't trust it and was worried something would fail while I was at speed. About a year later, I started worrying about failing turbos and then it was time for the S4 to go. Definitely a scary situation considering that it could have snapped while driving! Glad you and others were safe. Might be worth writing a letter to BMWNA - that's more than just "this random part broke", that's seriously concerning. Bozman
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