E85 Power Steering Column locking pin

[portculisz4]

I understand you must insert a locking pin into the steering column when removing it to prevent the column turning and damaging the internal torque sensor unit. Can anyone give me more info. on this procedure, ie where is the pin inserted and is it a special tool ??

 

[horseless_carriage]

The locking pin engages a flat ground into the steering shaft close to the torque sensor at the bottom. You can see it in the areas I circled in red in the attached images.

I ended up fabricating a custom pin by bending a piece of steel rod. The real version is a more complicated shape that has a detent to hold it in place, I just used some tape to prevent mine from falling out. I should have a drawing of the pin I made that I can upload later today when I get back to my shop.

Even with this pin engaged the wheel can still rotate +/-5°, it's real purpose seems to be preventing the steering wheel from rotating a full 360° while out of the car. If that happened and you inserted the steering column back in the car you could break the wires on the torque sensor. I believe they can only wind/unwind 2.5 rotations.

 

[portculisz4]

Many thanks, very helpful description and photos. Someone mention you could use the ignition lock but I guess that only locks the top of the steering column with the steering wheel while the lower section could still be free to rotate

 

[MKZ4000]

I looked into this a while back but I believe it’s a factory tool.

In the end it wasn’t necessary for my problem as the power steering motor could be removed with the column left insitu.

Not sure if you have the same issue ?

 

[portculisz4]

Not sure, haven't started on the disassembly yet. Spoke with ECUTesting who suggested problem is usually in the motor/ECU area, so start with this assumption first When removing your motor how far did you have to go in loosening off the steering column to get access to the two motor connection torx bolts ??

 

[MKZ4000]

I got Ross at RBM to do it. Mine was the motor and ecutesting fixed it.

 

[Ewazix]

The pin is mentioned in BMW TIS

 

[horseless_carriage]

Sadly I could not find my drawings but here are some photos of the pin I fabricated. It’s made out of a bent 2.5mm diameter steel rod.

Also I think you are right as long as you don’t need to separate the upper and lower half of the column you probably don’t need the pin and the ignition lock will be sufficient. I ended up pull the column out of the car and disassembling it to figure out how it worked before repairing it. In retrospect I could have done all the work with it in the car if I had the right length ratchets and Allen keys.

 

[portculisz4]

Excellent set of drawings, many thanks for your time to post this information. Hopefully if the problem is in the Motor/ECU unit then as you say I may not need to remove the column.