25 11 000 Removing And Installing Shift Lever

WARNING: This page does not describe the selected car, but rather 6 other vehicles, including the 2013 BMW 128i, 2012 BMW 128i, 2011 BMW 128i, 2010 BMW 128i, and 2009 BMW 128i. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Special tools required:

25 1 120 . See Fig 4.

Necessary preliminary tasks:

Remove reinforcement carrier.
Remove rear underbody protection . See 51 47 491 REMOVING AND INSTALLING/REPLACING REAR UNDERBODY PROTECTION .
Remove heat shields.
Remove knob for shift lever. See 25 11 071 REPLACING KNOB FOR SHIFT LEVER .
Remove gaiter for shift lever cover. See 25 11 081 REPLACING GAITER (SHIFT LEVER COVER) FOR SHIFT LEVER .

If necessary

Support transmission with workshop jack.

Remove screws and nuts.

Remove crossmember.

Tightening torque. See 23 71 1AZ/2AZ in 23 71 TRANSMISSION MOUNTS .

Fig 1: Locating Screws And Nuts

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Remove shift rod (2). See 25 11 101 REPLACING SHIFT ROD .

Installation:

Grease shift rod pin.

Key:

Retainer
Shift rod

Fig 2: Identifying Shift Rod Pin
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IMPORTANT: New retaining clips fitted as from 04.08.
Retaining clip must interlock captively with retaining web (1) behind shift rod pin.

Fig 3: Identifying Retaining Web

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Insert special tool 25 1 120 into mount and turn 90° counterclockwise. See Fig 4.

Press mount upwards out of shift arm.

Fig 4: Identifying Special Tools (25 1 120)

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Feed U-gaiter from shift arm and out of body cutout.

Lift out shift lever.

Installation:

Pull U-gaiter from below completely over shift arm receptacle.

Fig 5: Identifying U-Gaiter

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Installation:

Pull U-gaiter bead (4) over receptacle on shift arm and pop U-gaiter lips (3) into body cutout.

Make sure the arrow on the upper U-gaiter lip (3) is seated in the direction of travel and crossways to the shift lever eye (5).

Key:

Shift lever
U-gaiter molded section
U-gaiter lips
U-gaiter bead
Shift lever eye

Fig 6: Identifying Shift Lever Components
Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Installation:

Grease shift lever ball.

Fit mount on shift arm receptacle.

Align retaining lugs of mount to openings in receptacle (crossways to direction of travel).

Press shift arm with mount downwards until mount snaps audibly into place (if necessary, use a pressing-in tool).

Fig 7: Pressing Shift Arm With Mount

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.