# 2002 VW Jetta won't shift **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** jetta, transmissions\ **Created:** [June 17, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-vw-jetta-wont-shift/31986 "2009-06-17T16:59:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bharriso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@bharriso](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bharriso)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-vw-jetta-wont-shift/31986/1 "2009-06-17T16:59:37Z")
After stopping at a red light (my jetta went very roughly into neutral), I was not able to shift into any gear other than reverse once the light turned green. I had to back across the road to a parking lot, where I was unable to get the car out of reverse. I had the car towed to a dealers (we had to depress the clutch in order to pull the car up the tow truck) and when it arrived they said it started up and worked just fine. They only checked the cable and test drove it - they never checked the shift or inside the transmission. Help! ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-vw-jetta-wont-shift/31986/2 "2009-06-17T17:49:11Z")
Is the transmission shifting properly now? Are you able to drive the car normally? Which cable did they check? ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-vw-jetta-wont-shift/31986/3 "2009-06-17T17:52:02Z")
This sounds like a clutch issue, rather than a problem with the transmission. You don’t sound confident that the problem is resolved. After the test drive, have you driven the car? Is it shifting normally? ---
**Author:** ![bharriso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@bharriso](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bharriso)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 12:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-vw-jetta-wont-shift/31986/4 "2009-06-19T12:45:21Z")
It is so far, though I haven’t taken the car on any long rides. I’m not sure which cable they checked, but all they did was get under to see if the “cable” was broken and take it for a couple of test drives, where it operated just fine. ---
**Author:** ![bharriso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@bharriso](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bharriso)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 12:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-vw-jetta-wont-shift/31986/5 "2009-06-19T12:51:30Z")
I no longer trust the car. I’ve driven it and so far, it’s worked fine. There were no indications that anything was wrong before the gears stuck. The clutch had not been sticking, nor was it spongy, and it continues to feel as though it’s working fine. The dealershipship’s suggestions were that something had been loosened and then slipped back into place by being hoisted onto the tow truck or that my transmission is simply “going”. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-vw-jetta-wont-shift/31986/6 "2009-06-19T13:57:21Z")
I think there was a hang-up in the shift cable, or mechanism, which they straightened out somehow. As long as it continues to operate normally I wouldn’t be too concerned. I don’t think your transmission is “going.” If you worry about this you will start to imaging shifting problems that aren’t really there. Drive and enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![bharriso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@bharriso](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bharriso)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2002-vw-jetta-wont-shift/31986/7 "2009-06-20T01:33:13Z")
Thanks. I hope you’re right!