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 lock washer - 3 - from the transmission shift lever - 1 -.






- Remove the shift cable - 2 - from the pin - arrow -.

• 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 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 Mechanism Overviews.

- Remove the cable bracket bolts and nut - 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 it from the subframe.

- Disengage the rear exhaust system rear section.

- Remove the floor panel 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 for the shift housing - arrows -. 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:






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

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

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

A clip - A - holds the cables to the heat shield.






- Attach the cable bracket to the transmission and tighten the bolts and nut to specifications. See - items 13 and 16 - in => [ Shift and Selector Cables ] Shift Mechanism Overviews.

These holes have different diameters.

Allocation of cable retainers, refer to => [ Cable Retainer Allocation ] Shift Mechanism Overviews.

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






• For the correct grease allocation, refer to the Parts Catalog.

- Secure the shift cable - 2 - to the transmission 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 => [ Shift Mechanism, Adjusting ] Adjustments.

- Install the bracket and the center console.

- Install the boot, the shift knob 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 cover 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.