Volkswagen Jetta Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(1,520)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(1,520)

Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection Service

How much does a Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a Volkswagen Jetta Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1991 Volkswagen JettaL4-1.8LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$124.99 - $132.49
1998 Volkswagen JettaL4-2.0LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2020 Volkswagen JettaL4-2.0L TurboService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2013 Volkswagen JettaL5-2.5LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$104.99 - $112.48
2021 Volkswagen JettaL4-2.0L TurboService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.02 - $112.55
1984 Volkswagen JettaL4-1.6L DieselService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2004 Volkswagen JettaL4-2.0LService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$109.87 - $117.28
2010 Volkswagen JettaL4-2.0L TurboService typeCar does not shift from park to drive InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$110.24 - $117.94
Show example Volkswagen Jetta Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection prices

You start the car up, put your foot the brake, push the button on the shifter and it won’t shift out of park. What do you do now? Don’t force the shifter. Forcing the shifter out of park may cause more damage. The shifter is connected to the transmission in some cars mechanically or electronically. If an electrical or mechanical component has failed between the shifter and transmission, you won’t be able to shift the car out of park. A top-rated mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to diagnose the problem with your vehicle. The mechanic will then provide an inspection report detailing the scope and cost of the necessary repairs

When to have your shifter inspected or replaced:

Have this system inspected only when a part in the shifter or part of the system that operates the transmission breaks] . There is no scheduled time frame for replacing parts in the shifting system. However, all parts can wear out and have the potential to fail, and in a perfect situation, all the parts in the shifting system would last the life of the vehicle.

Symptoms that may indicate your shifter will fail include:

  • Shifter can be moved but has a lot of resistance
  • When shifting into a gear, drive or reverse, it feels difficult to find the right spot. The transmission ends up in neutral instead. You may notice that the engine will accelerate when stepping on the gas pedal but the car doesn’t move.
  • When starting the car with the key, the ignition cylinder feels loose and has play.
  • No brake lights in the vehicle, brake pedal switch could be faulty.
  • Shifter feels completely loose -- like it’s not connected to the transmission at all.

How a mechanic will inspect a car that won’t shift from park:

There are a number of reasons why a car will not move from park to drive. They can range from the shifter being locked to a broken shifter cable. Mechanics will check for these things:

  • Failed brake light switch

  • Bad shift interlock solenoid or wiring: The shift interlock solenoid is a safety feature that has been added to all modern automatic-transmission cars. It prevents the driver from shifting out of park without a foot on the brake.

  • Broken transmission shift cable: A cable connects the shifter handle to the transmission, and if that is broken, the shifter will be inoperable

  • Ignition key tumbler is worn out: The ignition switch not only starts your car, but it also locks the steering wheel when the key is taken out. In cars with automatic transmissions, a shift interlock solenoid is also part of the ignition system, and it locks the transmission so it cannot be shifted out of park (as described above).

  • Broken shifter mechanism: It is also possible that the shifter itself is broken. A mechanic will remove the center console to examine the actual shifter mechanism.

Is it safe to drive with this problem?

Since you can’t move the car without shifting from park to drive, it’s important to enlist the help of one of our mechanics as soon as possible to inspect and then repair the issue.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Volkswagen mechanics

Real customer reviews from Volkswagen owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(1,520)

Rating Summary
1,410
56
15
16
23
1,410
56
15
16
23

Damian

11 years of experience
465 reviews
Damian
11 years of experience
Volkswagen Jetta L5-2.5L - Car does not shift from park to drive - Takoma Park, Maryland
He was very helpful.

Casey

24 years of experience
152 reviews
Casey
24 years of experience
Volkswagen Jetta L4-1.8L Turbo - Car does not shift from park to drive Inspection - Everett, Washington
Casey saved me quite a bit of money on parts and labor! My 2002 VW Jetta had the simplest part missing/broken and Casey was able to construct a new one on the spot. Car is driving great, would request work from Casey again!

Jeremy

20 years of experience
597 reviews
Jeremy
20 years of experience
Volkswagen Jetta L4-2.0L - Car does not shift from park to drive - West Palm Beach, Florida
Quick, thorough, knowledgeable. Explained diagnostic well! Would definitely recommend.

Peter

43 years of experience
1321 reviews
Peter
43 years of experience
Volkswagen Jetta L5-2.5L - Ignition key is stuck and does not turn - Litchfield Park, Arizona
Peter was quick and very courteous about helping fix my car. He even called ahead of time to check if I would be available earlier. :)

Excellent Rating

(1,520)

Rating Summary
1,410
56
15
16
23
1,410
56
15
16
23
Number of Volkswagen Jetta services completed
16720+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Volkswagen MECHANICS
1000+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

Is a Keyless Push-Button Ignition More Reliable?
Vehicle Vehicle starting systems have evolved significantly since their inception. When automobiles were initially introduced, you had to manually crank the engine over with a handle on the front of your engine compartment. The next phase involved a lock and...
The Guide to Right-of-Way Laws in Connecticut
In In any place where vehicles and pedestrians could meet, there have to be rules in place that determine right of way. Everyone is under a legal and moral obligation to avoid accidents that could cause damage to people and...
What is the Automatic Transmission Mount all about?
How to repair an automatic transmission mount

Distributor rotor turns but no spark at the plugs which is where

If you are not getting any spark, a few things I would check would be the ignition coil or coils (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-fuse), the ignition module, the ignition system fuses (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-fuse), and finally the cam (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-camshaft-position-sensor) and crank position sensors (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/symptoms-of-a-bad-or-failing-crankshaft-position-sensor). Tests...

Instrument cluster shuts off intermittently while driving

There are two fuse boxes on the vehicle. One is inside of the firewall usually located in or around the dashboard. Have you checked this fuse box and the fuse box in the engine compartment? The dash cluster itself may...

Bmw 318i overheating problem. Fan, thermostat alright and no coolant leak. Noticed thin white smoke at idle as car overheated.

It is possible that you could have a restriction in the radiator causing a hot spot. I would recommend having your radiator checked with an infrared temperature gauge to determine if any spots on the radiator are significantly hotter than...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com