99 VW Cabrio Not Going into 5th

[derrick4104]

I am new to this forum (obviously); someone who has found very useful information here recommended this place to me. So I'm hoping maybe you guys can answer a question for me.

Also, I'm not a totally car-literate person. Just a friendly FYI. I've taken some random stuff apart (steering wheel column), and I can change my oil. Those are about my limits.

Anyways, here's my problem:

So I've been driving around today for a little while, and suddenly, I can't shift into 5th gear. Normally, I come out of 4th, move the shifter from the neutral center to the right and then up. For some reason, I can't move the shifter to the right. It's like the path to the right is blocked.

Any ideas?

[germancarnut51]

Check the shift linkage under the hood for slop. Slop comes from worn-out bushings, and the deterioration and/or disintegration of the golf ball on the relay rod/lever, and the golf ball on the bottom of the gear shift lever.

The inability to shift into 5th gear can also be the result of damage to 5th gear due to a lack of lubrication. 5th gear is supported by a ball bearing with a plastic cage which overheats and melts when the gear oil in the transmission is too low. So, you might want to check the gear oil level in the transmission. Does the transmission make noise, or make noise when you turning hard? Could be a sign of low oil in the transmission.