Automatic VW Polo - can't move from P position

LeSageMignon

Hi, my sister's car is a 2003 VW Polo 1.4L comfort line, automatic. Yesterday it started as normal but gear selector won't move out of P position. This happened before and it was due to a brake light sensor. Any time fault lights come on she brings it to the VW specialist, pays them lots of money and they find nothing wrong. She only just had it serviced by them and paid another few hundred last week. So she'd like to fix this without bringing it to them again. Any ideas?

Mr Benevolent

Sounds like the brake light sensor again - common VW problem. Came across this temporary workaround:

1. Put the key in ignition, turn 1/4 turn. Do not go so far that the dashboard lights go on.

2. Using right hand, shift car out of park to a spot between neutral and drive. Hold the shift lever in this position with your right hand.

3. Using left hand, reach through or under the steering wheel and turn the ignition to the start position to start the car. Once started, you should be able to shift to drive.

If you need to go in reverse to start out then you would want to hold the shift lever (step 2) in the position between park and reverse or neutral and reverse.

I don't know if it works but the forum it was posted in seemed to be happy with the temp fix.

R.O.R

Confab wrote: »

Sounds like the brake light sensor again - common VW problem. Came across this temporary workaround:

1. Put the key in ignition, turn 1/4 turn. Do not go so far that the dashboard lights go on.

2. Using right hand, shift car out of park to a spot between neutral and drive. Hold the shift lever in this position with your right hand.

3. Using left hand, reach through or under the steering wheel and turn the ignition to the start position to start the car. Once started, you should be able to shift to drive.

If you need to go in reverse to start out then you would want to hold the shift lever (step 2) in the position between park and reverse or neutral and reverse.

I don't know if it works but the forum it was posted in seemed to be happy with the temp fix.

Would the above instructions have been written for a Country with LHD cars? Sounds awfully over complicated if it was a right hand drive car :pac:

Mr Benevolent

R.O.R wrote: »

Would the above instructions have been written for a Country with LHD cars? Sounds awfully over complicated if it was a right hand drive car :pac:

Yup, it's a US forum.

colm_mcm

are your brake lights working?

LeSageMignon

colm_mcm wrote: »

are your brake lights working?

No, they aren't working. Thanks for info, she'll try it soon and I'll let ya know if it works :-)

colm_mcm

As far as I know, brake light switch (on the pedal) also lets the car get out of "P" position.

LeSageMignon

Thanks so much for your help. She tried the suggestions and can now move it. She still has to bring it to the garage to get it back to normal though.

lfmelo1982

My fiance has the same problem. There's a set of fusiles in the front by the batery and she always that get off one of the with the car off the problem get solved at least until you put the gear in P position again. The fusil is the one on position 8.

bazz26

Lets hope the OP's sister still isn't stuck after 6 years.