i was driving into my apartment complex, and i put my car in park & jumped out really quick to enter the gate code. when i got back in, it was impossible to shift my car into drive again! the shifter thinger majigger was stuck in park!

finally, some dude came by and pushed it super hard and put it in neutral so i could get in, but then it wouldn't let me shift it out of neutral!

so basically, i'm screwed and scared to drive it in fear of it getting stuck in drive or something. i'm willing to pay someone to fix it, but no one other than the vw dealership seems to know what i'm talking about, and vw wants over a hundred dollars for something that is probably pretty simple, right?

any input is appreciated.

 

it sounds like the mechanism in the shifter which allows the shifter to move may be bad...

have you tried removing the shift **** and see if anything is broken? also, when you push the brake pedal, it should allow you to move the shifter, does that seem to make any difference?

 

yes, i'm pushing the brake pedal. that doesn't make any difference.

it's working now, but i'm sure that might happen again. do you have any idea how much it would cost to get that mechanism fixed?

 

when i got back in, it was impossible to shift my car into drive again! the shifter thinger majigger was stuck in park!


I have to say that your usage of mechanical terms is porofounding!..LOL..JK Sounds like there's a nuetral safety switch that may be going bad, or like Patrick had said, the mechanism. Either way, you won't know until you dig into your shifter and see if anything broke.

 

I have had the same problem twice now! The first time I went to leave for work and the darn handle just wouldn't budge. I called roadside assistance to come get it to take to VW only problem was you cant tow a car that won't move! Called VW and they said there is a trick to get it into neutral. Turn the key slowly while moving it out of park that worked and it was towed and fixed quickly. They said it was some kind of computer issue. This was a few months ago and then it hapened again today right as I was leaving for work I didn't have time to mess with it so i just took my moms car to work. When i got home i tried the trick a few times and managed to get it into drive. I've been it and out a few places tonight and everything seems fine i'm just afraid that when I go to leave in the morning i'll have the same issue again. This is a very annyoing problem and I wish i could get some answers!!!

 

To combat that problem until you get it fixed, leave the car in neutral and use the parking brake, as if it were a manual. Saves you from putting it in park and having the same problem. Try that for awhile until you can save enough money to get it fixed.

 

My car does it in the mornings when i first start it ,during the day no problems at all. I left it overnight at my neigborhood mechanic so he could see what it does because no one gets it. First thing he asked was, "Did you have your foot on the brake?" I went this morining to get it and it did stick in park for him. He checked the shift lock, fuses, brake light switch, computer stuff and came to the conclusion that is was the shift lock solenoid. Called VW and they said the part is $192.46 ,but that it should be covered under my warrenty. So now I just have to take it to VW and hope they will fix it.

 

I had the same problem with my 2001 Jetta GL. It was the switch at the top of the brake pedal that signals the release mechanism on the shifter handle that you have the brake depressed. I noticed that the new part I got from the dealer was a later was an upgraded/revised part so evidently this had beed a problem and they have done a bit of a re-design. They are relatively cheap and about 5 minutes to replace. try disconnecting the switch and jumping the contacts, if that releases the shifter you have found the problem.

Max Slacker

 

The correct term for this is Brake Light Swtich. It's a small plastic part, which, as has already been posted, goes above the brake pedal. I paid my own mechanic (Little Garage in Queens) $40 to put it in, which is probably too much, but it was worth the peace of mind. The problem is gone.

Having said that, I learned through the manager at my dealership a neat trick to override the shift and get out of park if it jams. It's not a permanent solution, but its useful to know this if you are ever caught with a faulty break light switch (this seems to be a common Jetta problem).

I have not tried this on a manual tranmission.

(This should ONLY be done on a flat surface, until you get the hang of it. Even then, this requires super caution if doing it on a hill).

1) Turn the car off, keeping the key in the ignition.
2) Turn your key forward just slightly, so that the radio comes on if you have a factory radio, but the car doesn't start up.
3) This position will allow the car to shift out of park. With the ignition still off, shift into neutral. Now's a good time to depress the brake, especially if you are on a hill.
4) Here's the tricky part. With the brake depressed, you must turn the key all the way so that the ignition starts up while AT THE SAME TIME shifting into drive. Your foot stays on the brake the whole time. It's one continous motion, which is trick on the hands. I used my left hand to shift out of neutral and my right hand to turn the key.
5) once you do this, you are ready to drive away. Hooray.

You shoudl get your brake light swtich fixed as soon as possible. I think it costs $10 to $15 at the dealership, but its trick to install. I've heard of people breaking several of them tryying to get it right, so it might just be worht it to pay someone to do it for you.


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volkswagen has released a tsb on this problem, and a recall could soon follow. check with your dealership, as they will usually be the ones to handle recalls.