Shift Mechanism
Shift Mechanism
Special tools, testers and auxiliary items required
• Torque Wrench (5-50 Nm) (V.A.G 1331)
Removing
- Turn off the ignition and disconnect the battery ground cable.
- Remove the shift knob, boot and if equipped, the noise insulation. Refer to => [ Shift Knob, Boot and Noise Insulation ] Shift Knob, Boot and Noise Insulation.
- Remove the center console and the center console mounting bracket.
- Remove the nuts - arrows -.
- Remove the air filter housing.
- Remove the battery and battery tray, if necessary.
- Remove the shift cable lock washer- 2 - from the transmission shift lever - 3 -.
- Remove the shift cable - 1 - from the pin on the transmission shift lever - 3 -.
• 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 it to the left in the - direction of arrow 2 -.
- Push the relay lever forward in the - direction of arrow 3 -.
• 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 Mechanism Overviews.
- Remove the cable bracket bolts - arrows - from the transmission.
- Remove the noise insulation.
- Remove the tunnel bridges.
- Separate the front exhaust pipe with catalytic converter at the double clamp and remove the suspended mount bolts from the subframe.
- Disengage the rear exhaust system rear section.
- Remove the underbody trim.
- Remove the heat shield under the shift mechanism.
- Pivot the shift housing downward and remove it with the cables.
Installing
Installation is performed in the reverse order of removal while observing 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 to specification, see - item 16 - in => [ Shift Lever and Housing ] Shift Mechanism Overviews.
- Route the cables - 1 - from the shift mechanism - 2 - to the transmission as follows:
• After the cables cross each other diagonally - arrow -, they must run parallel to each other up to the cable bracket on the transmission.
• Make sure the cable tie - arrow - for attaching the cables is installed correctly. Installed position, refer to => [ Cable Tie, Installed Position ] Shift Mechanism Overviews.
• The cables must be routed inside the depression in the heat shield - 3 -.
• The heat shield in the magnified view is shown from above.
A clip - A - holds the cables to the heat shield.
- Install the cable bracket - 1 - to the transmission and tighten the bolts - arrows - to specification, see - item 15 - in => [ Shift and Selector Cables ] Shift Mechanism Overviews.
These holes have different diameters.
Allocation of the cable retainers, refer to => [ Cable Retainer Allocation ] Shift Mechanism Overviews.
- Apply a small amount of grease on the pin - arrow - on the transmission shift lever - 2 -.
• For the correct grease allocation, refer to the Parts Catalog.
- Secure the shift cable with a new lock washer - 1 - to the transmission shift lever.
- Install the selector cable into the cable retainer on the relay lever.
Adjust the shift mechanism. Refer to => [ Shift Mechanism, Adjusting ] Adjustments.
- Install the bracket and the center console.
- Install the shift knob, boot and, if equipped, the noise insulation. Refer to => [ Shift Knob, Boot and Noise Insulation ] Shift Knob, Boot and Noise Insulation.
- Install the heat shield under the shift mechanism. Install the underbody trim if it was removed earlier.
- Assemble the exhaust system free of tension and install the tunnel bridges.
- Install the battery and the battery tray if they were removed earlier.
- Install the air filter housing.
- Connect the battery and follow the procedure regarding what to do after connecting the battery.