5 speed Shifting Problems

TurboDessel

Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2006
Location
Monticello MN
TDI
2012 Jetta TDI
I have a 2000 jetta TDI with 241 K miles on it. For the last year and a half it has sort of been catching when putting it into 3rd gear. However, 2 days ago I went to shift from 2nd to 3rd and I couldn't get it into 3rd or 4th. I shut the car off and was able to free it. Since then it came and went but started occuring more frequently. I found that the only way I can now shift it is to shift without the clutch when going into 3rd. Once in 3rd I can clutch 4th and 5th again. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

aNUT

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Location
Boulder, Colorado
TDI
'01 TT (ALH-ish), B7 Audi gasser, '05 Golf
Check the linkage. I suspect a breaking or slipped plastic cable end the tranny side of things that selects the fork.

Your shifting issues are isolated to the 3-4 fork, so maybe the fork is shot. That's more expensive though, so check the linkage first.

And change the fluid if it hasn't been done.
 

RamMan4x4

Veteran Member
Joined
May 6, 2007
Location
Raleigh, NC
TDI
'03 Jetta TDI
+1 for sticking shifter linkage.

I had a similar problem going into 3rd after I cleaned underneath the hood with some chemical cleaner. Started grinding going into third which was unusual...it was even more unusual when it happened 4-5 more times that day. I never did find anything sticking in the linkage, but I lubed up all of the connections and it went away. Must have been dry metal to metal contact.
 

gallaj01

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
Location
Madison, WI
TDI
2002 Jetta Wagon TDI GLS, 2001 Jetta TDI GLS, 2017 Golf AllTrack
I have a similar issue. Sometimes when I shift from 2nd to 3rd there is a bit of resistance and then the lever snaps up into 3rd gear [2001 jetta 190xxx mi]
 

bilzer

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 15, 2004
Location
New Hampshire
TDI
Jetta, 2000, silver
When was the last time you changed the tranny fluid? I had the same problem and put in new tranny oil and the shifting was better right off.
 

yetta0

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2003
Location
KW region, Southwestern Ontario
TDI
Jetta,2000,Cheyanne Red
I found on both my Jetta's that after a few years, the side to side movement of the shifter was very stiff. It was remedied by taking the shifter link pivot assy off of the tranny and cleaning it and the hole in the link that it goes through. Over time is gets dirt and some corrosion in there and it was especially noticeable once the engine was very warm, it would be pretty stiff to move the shifter from one side to the other. Put a bit of grease in there and reassembled, moves like butter now. Just something else to look at. And if you haven't changed the oil, it does help as well.
 
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