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Manual transmission won't shift into gear

29K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  Chris@MotorMavericks 
#1 ·
Hi Guys. I have a 2011 Jetta SE with a manual transmission and it has been driving perfectly fine until yesterday. I had to make a left turn on a busy street and i think I accelerated very fast. It only lasted a few seconds before i stopped on a traffic light after which i couldn't shift into first gear. or second. The shifter moves but it doesn't seem to be engaging into gear. I drove off in what it seemed like 3rd gear, parked and shut the engine off. When i started again it shifted, but the shifter felt somewhat more lose than normally. The i drove off and I was in a bad traffic where i had to stop and go for about 20 min and this happened one more time - where it felt like i drove off 3rd gear. i made it home since the rest of my drive was on highway at higher speeds. This morning i backed out the garage but I couldn't get into first or second again and i couldn't shift into reverse either.
So now i can;t even drive the car to the dealership.
I guess I am wondering if anyone knows what the problem might be. I suppose it would be covered by the warranty, but I am so worried, and they are closed today and I just can;t wait to call.
Does anyone know if the warranty will cover towing since I can't drive there?
 
#9 ·
Definitely a linkage and even if it isn't covered its easy/cheap to fix. I've popped off few VW linkages shifting hard (even ducked taped one back on which held just long enough to get me home lol). Should look something like this (not a MKVI jetta but they havent changed the basic design since MKIIIs)


If any of those two linkages break, come off or the adjustment screw thing behind the spring comes loose you get just what you got. Nothing major.
 
#10 ·
Wow, doesn't get much easier than that... You even have a clear shot... I have a 5 speed mkvi, maybe later in the day I can post something up :pic:

I would like to know what happened with this though, if it was covered under warranty or not...
I think If no aftermarket mods are in place ur fine.
 
#11 ·
Brand New 2012 VW Beetle Won't Go into Gear

Was just reading your post looking to see if anyone has experienced the same problem we did. And what do you know - You did!
My lovely was driving her new VW Beetle 2012. Second day of owning it. She drove it 30 miles and was just approaching my home. She was headed down a small hill, and tried to downshift into 2nd Gear. Car Shifter would not move into 2nd. Then she rolled to a stop. Then Tried to Shift into 1st, 2nd or any GEAR. Would not shift at all. She sat in car for over 30 minutes. Turned the Car off and on multiple times. No Luck. Then waited for 10 minutes. And Then Luckily it Was able to Shift on the 10th try. We're both concerned about Her driving it anywhere at this point. especially after these problems. It's a SUNDAY night so we can't take it back to DEALER till tomorrow.
Anywhere, that's our story. We'll take it to dealer in the morning. Will check back to let you know what we find out.
Pastalanna.
 
#12 ·
my Fox

Was just reading your post looking to see if anyone has experienced the same problem we did. And what do you know - You did!
My lovely was driving her new VW Beetle 2012. Second day of owning it. She drove it 30 miles and was just approaching my home. She was headed down a small hill, and tried to downshift into 2nd Gear. Car Shifter would not move into 2nd. Then she rolled to a stop. Then Tried to Shift into 1st, 2nd or any GEAR. Would not shift at all. She sat in car for over 30 minutes. Turned the Car off and on multiple times. No Luck. Then waited for 10 minutes. And Then Luckily it Was able to Shift on the 10th try. We're both concerned about Her driving it anywhere at this point. especially after these problems. It's a SUNDAY night so we can't take it back to DEALER till tomorrow.
Anywhere, that's our story. We'll take it to dealer in the morning. Will check back to let you know what we find out.
Pastalanna.
I'm getting my '93 Fox back on the road and everything works fine after being on stands for the last twelve years EXCEPT the four speed transmission I put in won't go into any gear. when I first put the tranny in I ran it through the standard H pattern and it worked well. It sat for a few days while I worked some bugs out in the fuel line. When I got the car running on the stands I wanted to put power to the wheels. No luck. I can't buy a gear. It feels like there is no gating at all. Did I do something wrong? Or is it an alignment issue internal that I need to be educated on?
 
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