2000 Passat 2.8 Shifter moves car stays in park
 

About a month ago after the car sat up for a week it was really cold and we went to move it and it was stuck in park. So we pulled on the shifter and it finally moved but the car stayed in park. We thought it was because the freezing temps so we let the car sit in the sun. Later we came back put it in drive and the car went in reverse then when dropped into 3rd it went in neutral. Now the shifter just glides down does not move the transmission into any gear the red light by the shifter is always on showing it is in park when you step on the brake. When you pull it out of park to drive you can let go and it just flys back up to the top. Any ideas what this could be? DESPERATE!!!!