Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.

Shift Mechanism






Shift Mechanism

Special tools, testers and auxiliary items required

Torque Wrench (5-50 Nm) (V.A.G 1331)

Removing

- Determine whether a coded radio is installed. If so, obtain the anti-theft code.

- Turn off the ignition and disconnect the battery ground cable.

- Remove the shift knob, boot and frame. Refer to => [ Shift Knob, Boot and Frame ] Shift Knob, Boot and Frame.

- Remove the center console cover.

- Remove the nuts - arrows -.






- Remove the air filter housing.

- Remove the battery and the battery tray if necessary.

- Remove the shift cable lock washer - 3 - from the shift lever - 1 -.






- Remove the shift cable - 2 - from the pin - arrow - on the shift lever - 1 -.

To avoid damage to the selector cable, the cable retainer must be disconnected from the relay lever before removal.

- Pull the locking mechanism all the way forward in the - direction of arrow 1 - and then unlock to the left in the - direction of arrow 2 -.






- Push the relay lever forward and guide the selector cable out of the cable retainer.

The cable retainer may be removed only when the relay lever is removed. Refer to => [ Prying the selector cable retainer off of the relay lever. ] Shift and Selector Cables Overview.

- Remove the cable bracket bolts/nut - arrows - from the transmission.






- Remove the noise insulation.

- Remove the tunnel brace.

- Remove the underbody trim panel.

- Remove the front exhaust pipe.

- Unhook the exhaust system rear section.

- Remove the heat shield under the shift mechanism.

- Pivot the shift housing downward and remove it with the cables.

Installing

Install in the reverse order of removal. Note the following:

- Align the shift housing so that is it parallel to the body.






The distance on both sides to the body must be equal.

- Tighten the nuts - arrows - for the shift housing. Tightening specification, see - item 16 - in the => [ Shift Lever and Housing Overview ] Shift Lever and Housing Overview.

- Route the cables - 1 - from the shift mechanism - 2 - to the transmission as follows:






The cables must run parallel to each other and must not cross each other.

The cables must be routed inside the depression in the heat shield - 3 -.

The heat shield is shown from above in the magnified view.

A clip - A - holds the cables in place on the heat shield.






- Install the cable bracket to the transmission and tighten the bolts/nut - arrows - to specification, see - items 8 and 19 - in => [ Shift and Selector Cables Overview ] Shift and Selector Cables Overview.






The cable retainers have different diameters holes.

Allocation of the cable retainers. Refer to => [ Cable Retainer Allocation ] Shift and Selector Cables Overview.

- Apply a small amount of grease on the pin - arrow - on the shift lever - 1 -.






Grease allocation, refer to the Parts Catalog.

- Secure the shift cable - 2 - to the shift lever with a new lock washer - 3 -.

- Install the selector cable into the cable retainer on the relay lever.

- Adjust the shift mechanism. Refer to => [ Selector Mechanism, Adjusting ] Adjustments.

- Install the center console cover.

- Install the shift knob, boot and frame. Refer to => [ Shift Knob, Boot and Frame ] Shift Knob, Boot and Frame.

- Attach the heat shield under the shift mechanism.

- Install the exhaust system rear section.

- Install the front exhaust pipe.

- Align the exhaust system free of tension.

- If removed, install the left and right underbody trim panels.

- Install the tunnel brace.

- Install the noise insulation.

- Install the air filter housing.

- Install the battery and the battery tray if they were removed earlier.

- Connect the battery and follow the procedure regarding what to do after connecting the battery.