Cant get into reverse

[Arokys]

Hey all.

I reversed out of my driveway no problem. Got to where i was going and couldnt reverse out. I can push down on the gearstick but it wont go past the 1-2 gate and into the reverse gate. if i push down and push into reverse, i'll get first.

I tried using force, I examined the linkages inthe engine bay (as best as i could in a carpark with a hot engine and no gloves). I even wiggled the car back and forth a few times in and out of gear but still nothing. All other gears were fine on the drive home.

Any ideas?

[Switch]

If you can, Open up the center console and check to see if there is anything that has fallen into there.
Also while your there check for signs of breakage.

[sambb]

how are the other gears when you have to move across the gates ie does 3rd go into 4th or try to find 3rd again etc. If you're lucky it might just be your shifter cable ends had perished and cracked on the 'across the gate' linkage and you've lost correct cable length.

Try this shifter linkage setup procedure:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeOoDJuhSx8

[h100vw]

Probably a lifetime of slack suddenly caught up. Needs a basic setting carrying out. Detension the cables and then pin the gearbox and shifters before releasing the cable locks.
Be in Sam's video I am sure.

[Arokys]

Hey guys!

Excellent advice. Thank you so much. I went through the entire process suggested and 3rd-5th gears work much better. But not without some complexity.

Unfortunately the plastic inside the gearstick assembly has cracked and worn away. The locking holes were completely misaligned because the collar is cracked, that when you lock the gearstick, it still can be moved significantly.

I'll have to replace all the plastic to get first and second down pat. If you push too far to the left, you sit juuuuust inside the reverse gate and cannot shift to first or second, but most importantly, you can't shift into reverse by accident.

I'm about to Google the **** out of this. Anywhere I should start?

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

[JTop]

Replace it with a 1.9tdi one, exactly the same lengths and all. Difference being, it's all metal so you'll never run into any problems like this again. I think the throw was a tiny bit longer and also the stick sat a little higher. that's really about it
Had similar issue with mine, where the cable sheath had split at the gearbox end and could not be crimped back together, so couldn't pull out of gears.
Swapped it out, took about 2 hours with a mate. only trouble is exhaust is in the way, I had mine flanged so I can drop it out the car whenever without dropping the rear subframe.

Happy fixing

[sambb]

Yep or get one out of an 06' Polo gti, they had the metal shifter gear too - well mine did at least. But the fact that the movement through the gates improved after the setup does suggest its the shifter unable to act on the cable lengths accurately. Get onto it before something gets damaged or you get stranded. and yeah as above unfortunately its a pain of a job as everything needs to be dropped away from the floor pan before it can be swapped. I reversed mine up car ramps and then jacked the front as high as possible which helps get it all well elevated. good luck! but look on the bright side, the box itself is probably ok.