Shifter Will Not Got Past D

[Smokerr]

I could not get it into even Drive to start with, R and N ok, moved it a bit in R and rolled forward and got into D but that is as far as it goes.

Seems jammed or something jammed in there, but does opening up the top do any good and if so, how do you take the plate off to do so?

I don't want to muck it up, I can call auto place and get it over there as I can get D but do not trust it at this point.

 

[oilhammer]

Anything get spilled in the gear selector?

I'd want to disconnect the cable from the transmission and see if it is in the shifter itself (more likely) or inside the transmission (less likely).

There are some VERY expensive components in those shifters, so do NOT go poking around on things. I had a $2k repair on a B5's automatic shifter once.

 

[Smokerr]

Thank you for the feedback, means a lot.

Nothing went in there as far as I know, wife says no.

I was going to poke around and then figured, ergh, ask. I do have an appointment with the shop tomorrow.

Completely out of the blue, working last time just fine and nothing at all previous. All the indications of something let go and is blocking but it also won't move to the Tip Tronic notch (did not push it, happy it went into D so I can drive over to the shop and not take out). The shift lock out clicks in and out normally per brake pedal to start.

Good news is we no longer work, reliable pickup for now and warm enough finally I can take the Side Car cycle (2019 Ural) as needed.

 

[Smokerr]

I think I have come up with an explanation. I had splashed some tea in that area, I am now thinking with the low temps and the splash worked its way into the mechanism.

I fired it up to take it into the repair shop this morning with temps above freezing and it was fine.

Will see if it evaporates over the summer or how it goes below freezing though we may not have any of that .

 

[oilhammer]

Yep, that is usually what does it. I would not leave it. I'd take it apart and clean it up.

 

[Smokerr]

I can't find my computer copy of the manual.

How do you take the chrome plate or the plastic upper off?

 

[oilhammer]

I cannot give you a step by step, but you can look here:

B5/B5.5 specific how-to threads/posts

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That will get you down to the shifter assembly itself, then you can see how the electrical connectors and the cable attaches, you can take the whole thing out and carefully take it apart and clean it on a workbench.

 

[Smokerr]

Thank you, sort of, found the procedure. Missing something with the torqs screw in the item 2 for the easier procedure.

Black hanlde and seems to pop off the same as red.

Got in and working my way out. I did not see anything obvious but gave it a spray of WD40 (water displacement) - at this point if any more isusse I will take it in.

I remind myself why I hate working on cars. Fiddly bits of plastic carmmed together. .

Worst is the rubber thingy that slides over the shifter with the magnet and then two pieces to cover up the hole for the paddle shifter slide over, ergh.

I think I have it sorted out, 13 mm bolts to hold down the center council? Its not a tank. How much weight could they take out?

Kind of like that snorkel up front, I took that out a long time ago just to not have to mess with it. Bonus was I don't get stuff in the snow screen. Hmm, whats not to like? Crud thrown up in front of care, direct route to filer and the famous snow screen.

 

[Smokerr]

Ok, my fault, I should know better on this car.

I succeeded in messing up the Shifter Handle (the button thing no longer works) , and the paddle function does not work so I got the magnet wrong.

Its back togher but its going into the shop. Passat work is not my forte and I should know better.

 

[oilhammer]

When we first got our Passat in 2004, my wife was given instructions to NEVER, EVER, have any open container of beverage in that center console. For this very reason. If the car had a proper manual transmission, it would not be an issue. A manual's gear lever doesn't care. It has a little boot that covers it up anyway. But the automatics are just too fragile and with all the electronics in there are just an accident waiting to happen. Fortunately, 17 years and 225k miles later, she still hasn't spilled anything in there.

I cannot begin to count how many gear selectors (of all kinds of cars, not just Volkswagens), I've had to take apart and clean and/or replace pieces in them due to spilled beverages, french fries, crayons (one broad seemed shocked that a crayon could melt in a hot car on a summer day.... really, lady?).

Not to mention people not using the parking brake properly, or at all, resulting in flat out BROKEN gearshifters. Many of which are an assembly, with a control module inside of them, and are frightfully expensive. I have had (thrice) to replace broken assemblies in DSG NBs... The one part is $260, the other part is $730... plus about $300 worth of labor. I think the B5s are even more.

 

[Smokerr]

And of course they put a couple of cup-holders right behind that shifter.

I am not good with fiddly delicate stuff. I was amazed at how they went about it and yea, that magnetic sensing board and LED right under the thing. argh

Ok, its off the shop with a letter of apology for inflicting that on the tech. Quick appointment so maybe he needed some fill in work!

I will stick to changing oil and the tires.

 

[oilhammer]

Tip from a tech: if you bring in nothing but stuff like this, and not normal PM to go along with it, a box of donuts or maybe a pizza lunch delivery will do more than a letter of apology. But I totally understand. Some things are beyond some people's skills. I cannot do a lot of things... things other people make look easy.

 

[Smokerr]

They have been doing the other service items (new shocks) and brakes and the trany fluid.

The drain plugged up (never saw or found any water) and got into the wiring so they had a summers entertainment fixing that!) . They asked if they could do it a bit at a time and we agreed so their VW tech could keep up with other customers.

They did one mis-diagnosis on core issue for the wiring issue and refunded that and I did not even ask. They tried one repair and then another area acted up (we had seen some odd stuff from time to time and it explained what was going on)

Speaking of which, can you suck on that drain from underneath? The battery looks to be a nasty to get out. Battery was replaced once and I assumed the drain was ok then.