04 tiptronic won't mechanically shift out of PARK

Remove and replace tiptronic shift cable.
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=507734

***UPDATE***
This thread I found makes me think it is the shift cable and not the solenoids or anything else, confirming my originalish suspicion.
https://forums.vwvortex.com/showthr...or-Moves-Transmission-Ignores#/topics/5840625

It basically describes my symptoms to a T.
Still wondering what ya'll think.
***UPDATE***

So here's the rundown...

-Car throws P0743 fault but generally seems to shift ok. I begin having issues getting directly into D as sometimes the selector display shows 4 when I'm clearly in D. My shift guide is pretty much toast so I order a new one. COVID slows it's delivery way down.

-Then I begin having a mechanical issue getting it into drive, need to
shift PAST D and then back up. This steadily gets worse as I wonder where my shift guide/enclosure is and I wonder what else it could be.

-Eventually the car fails to shift out of park altogether and I have a handy tow truck driver assist me in physically popping the gear lever from the engine bay, into R, D, then back to P so I can get it home safely.

-I finally install my new shifter enclosure but am not hopeful it will fix it at this point. It doesn't.

-At this point I had already begun to suspect the shift cable has failed. Then I start stumbling on the brake light switch issue and think my problems will be solved with a quick and easy fix.

-My brake lights work, the switch plunger moves freely and I hear what I imagine to be a healthy electronic click as it is engaged and disengaged with the depression of the brake pedal. It is also the newer green version.

-Could my problem still be the switch? I'll likely replace it anyway since it's so cheap in stock close by to 100% rule it out but I don't think that's it.

-Could it be this "interlock" cable 1J1713303? This is in the cabin running directly from the shift assy up under the dash.

-Lastly, I recently got the OBDeleven scan tool and picked up these faults:
00264 Solenoid valve 4
01045 tiptronic switch
Can I, should I clear these codes? I'm fairly confident the second one will clear now that the new guide is installed and the 00264 seems unrelated to my current symptoms but I don't know.

-What do you guys think?

I forgot to mention the shifter slides freely as designed in the cabin no problem. There is just no mechanical engagement in the trans itself. This makes me think it's the shift cable or the other cable mentioned above.

This might be a long shot, but there is a keeper on the linkage to the transmission. Did this possibly come out?

I went ahead and reassembled the shift guide plastic bits and what not. The PCB lights up with each change in gear btw (4 light went probably due to all the rustling around with it).

I'm not really sure what else to look for inside the cabin. The cluster doesn't pick up any movement of the shifter, only when it is moved mechanically which makes me thing the position sensor is a-ok it's that it can't get where it needs to be mechanically. Could it be the solenoids in the tranny itself? Thanks y'all! ��

I was talking about in the engine bay above the starter.

Hmm. Not sure what you're talking about. Are you talking about the retaining clip? That's good to go. The cable doesn't seem to move at all.

Check if you have brake lights when brake is pressed, if not it could be your brake switch which if not on will not allow you to shift.
It is most likely solenoids but does not cost you anything to check.

Also be careful with that since it could have big stress on T - belt

one of my firends had similar problem and car was accelerating slow due to same issues like it was in wrong gear and then his T-belt broke

Imagine riding your 18 speed bike and starting from 5th gear will be hard to pedal and will stress the chain.

I have brake lights. I'm confident it's not the brake light switch. Thinking about cleaning my whole fuse box at this point though.

I'm starting to think solenoids myself but I want to be more certain before I order the kit.

Check OP for latest thoughts. Really hoping this CoolAirVw guy chimes in. Heard he's the bee's knees when it comes to VAG trannies!

I remember on his passat when we reset transmission codes, he was able to shift nice and accelerate for a while and then within 10 min back to problems. This is like a limp mode to stop you from killing trans completely.

Look into Bentley manual see if it offers any resistance tests for solenoids. Try disconnecting battery and reconnecting I bet it will let you shift from P to D for a while.

QUOTE=Jetta2005TDI;5591397]I remember on his passat when we reset transmission codes, he was able to shift nice and accelerate for a while and then within 10 min back to problems. This is like a limp mode to stop you from killing trans completely.

Look into Bentley manual see if it offers any resistance tests for solenoids. Try disconnecting battery and reconnecting I bet it will let you shift from P to D for a while.[/QUOTE]

This makes me even more confident it is the shift cable. I've disconnected and reconnected the battery multiple times at this point, reset the faults too.

I found this really helpful pdf for the 09A auto tranny which leads me to believe if it isn't the cable, my N91 solenoid fault could explain my situation

Under signs of failure for the N91 solenoid, it says "The torque converter lock-up clutch
is no longer closed."
What exactly does that mean for me practically?
Could it explain why I cannot select ANY gear?
Or is this mainly to do with while the vehicle is driving?

Here is the link to the pdf, pg.59 goes over the N91.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw016FZVOYYGfl2NCbSjI0Uj

(N110, my other code, doesn't seem to be relevant to me based in the description and what I can see in my car.)

https://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=374375

This thread seems to answer my questions wrt the N91 solenoid (thanks wherever you are CoolAir). I had some very slight shifting issues occasionally. The check engine light would come and go for a while. But it wouldn't explain why just getting the thing into D. Unless there's something more to my n110 fault other than what is stated in the tech manual, replacing my shift cable looks to be the solution (though doing the solenoids at this stage, 185k, seems wise to go ahead and knock out anyway).

Agree/disagree? Any input is very welcome!

So my shift cable will come in this week. I'll install it and hopefully I'm right and it fixes the car. If all goes well I'll still replace the solenoids as I still have faults that, though unrelated to the shift cable going out, need to be fixed.

Cable removed, new one ready to install...bad news

So I was able to get my shift cable removed and reassembly the shift assembly with the new cable. Looks like I was right that the cable was toast. Not sure what would cause it.

Now I just hope there wasn't anything external to that that caused it to fail so utterly.

I'm no professional so any input is always very much appreciated.

More bad news. When starting the job, first thing I pull off is my skid plate and see this big glob of grease. That can't be good. Turns my inner boot is totally shot.

I've hear lots of approached to axles, I was thinking of replacing with a cheap aftermarket and rebuilding the stock one to keep on hand. Any thoughts on that.

Lastly, once I get it installed (the shift assembly), I'll make a DIY thread for anyone else that needs to do this (I took a lot of pictures).

Shift cable removal and replacement procedure.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=507734

black_slug said:

Looks like I was right that the cable was toast. Not sure what would cause it.
Now I just hope there wasn't anything external to that that caused it to fail so utterly.

Click to expand...

Please define 'toast'
If the cable was frayed and internals exposed it might be a bad ground for the trans.

Years ago I saw a Plymouth (Iirc) with a VW 1.5L that was frying the clutch cable in several weeks.
The owner replaced the battery ground cable with one that was to short and had no heavy ground to the engine / trans.

Refused to believe me and went to someone else who told him the same thing I said.

At least he came back to apologize

The cable itself was fine. It was more so the other bits holing it in place and whatnot. I posted a DIY thread with some pictures to see.

black_slug said:

The cable itself was fine. It was more so the other bits holing it in place and whatnot. I posted a DIY thread with some pictures to see.

Click to expand...

Nice work.